Bette Gertrude Oswald Loadholt

ALLENDALE - Bette Gertrude Oswald Loadholt, 74, was a lifelong resident of Allendale County. I was the only child of John Hull Oswald, Jr. and Betty Naramu Okada Oswald Connelly and stepdaughter of Randolph Connelly. All have left this earth before me. I considered myself BLESSED to have married the love of my life, Coleman Blease Loadholt, Sr. We were married for 57 years, and our love brought forth our son, Coleman B. Loadholt Jr. “Coley, who also left this earth before me, and our daughter, Betty LeAnne Loadholt Getridge of Pondtown.

They Blessed us with wonderful grandsons: Jon Cole Loadholt (Ada), Cody Getridge, Austin Getridge (Maranda) and Tracy Getridge (Carson) and a great-grandson, Jackson Cole Loadholt. I had wonderful in-laws: Detra T. Loadholt, our daughter-in-law, J. Getridge, our son-in-law, Dan and Carol G. Loadholt, brother-in-law and his wife Darlene L. Reynolds, sister-in-law, and one nephew, Obie Daniel Reynolds and one niece, Kristen R. Cappelli. A great niece, Clarinda Eve Cappelli and a great nephew, Domenic Jude Cappelli. Each brought joy and laughter to my life.

I was a member of St. Nicholas Lutheran Church for my entire married life, serving during the decades on the church council, numerous committees, secretary and treasurer for the women’s group, secretary for the church council, Amelia Conference officer, and served as a member of the S.C. Lutheran Synod. Our Christian family and friends were our “tepee poles” during crisis and I would not have been able to move forward without their support and prayers following the untimely death of our son.

I worked in a local sewing factory before I earned associate’s degrees from USC Salkehatchie and Denmark TEC. I worked for the Allendale-Hampton Industrial Development Commission, Coastal Empire Mental Health Association and S.C. Dept. of Corrections where I retired as a Sgt. I was Correctional Officer of the Year at the Allendale Correctional Institution and the S.C. Dept. of Corrections Coastal Officers in South Carolina for the same year. I served as secretary for the ACI SC Correctional Association, member of the American Correctional Assoc., Certified Firearms Instructor, a Trained Hostage Negotiator, and represented the S.C. Department of Corrections as a charter member and first secretary for the S.C. Crisis Negotiators Association.

I was a member of the S.C. Silver Haired Legislature Executive Board, Chairperson of the Lower Savannah Caucus, Red Hatters of Fairfax, served on the Fairfax Library Board and truly enjoyed and treasured my friendships with many good Christians, especially my “Gal Pals”, Diane F. Williams (deceased), Janice B. Zissette, Margaret F. Williams, Mary B. Blankenship, Pat D. Terry, and Peggy B. Johnson.

I treasured time with Coleman in Maggie Valley, N.C. and taking our grandsons, when they were school age, snowtubing during Christmas breaks from school and to Dollywood, Gatlinburg, the zoo, and beach during summer breaks and the camping trips to the beach when their parents (Coley and LeAnne) were children.

I thank each of you for giving me the opportunity to have had such wonderful memories packed into a lifetime. May God Bless You.

Time is something precious and you must not waste it. If you happen to think of me, please laugh out loud, or at least smile when you remember some of the things I, or we, did.

Remember, life is made up of the things we do or say; for or to others; not the stuff we accumulate and have to dust or pay taxes on. May your life and the lives of those you love and care for, be as Blessed as I was. God be with you until we meet again.

Funeral service was held at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 2, 2024, at St. Nicholas Lutheran Church with Miho Yasukawa officiating. Visitation followed at the church.

Keith Smith Funeral Service, 128 Water Street, Allendale, assisted the family with arrangements.

If you choose to make a contribution, memorials may be sent to St. Nicholas Lutheran Church, P. O. Box 68, Fairfax, S.C. 29827.