Obituary of Anne McQuilkin Priest

Anne McQuilkin Priest, 89, died on February 11, 2021 with family by her side.

A native of Columbia, Anne graduated from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). She received her nurse’s training at Swedish Covenant in Chicago, and did further studies in linguistics at the University of Oklahoma.

Believing that the Bible was God’s Word, and should be available in every language, she joined Wycliffe Bible Translators. With her husband Perry Newell Priest, she went to Bolivia in 1956, and worked for 30 years with a preliterate indigenous group – the Siriono. As a registered nurse, Anne delivered babies and provided medical care and health promotion for the Siriono. She reported that in the early years people sometimes traveled several days by dugout canoe to get her medical help. Anne prepared literacy materials, and taught people to read and write. She trained Siriono men as bilingual school teachers – eventually salaried with the Bolivian government. She wrote songs in Siriono for use in the Siriono church. She typed and retyped various books of the New Testament as her husband Perry translated. Not least, she served as a wonderful mother to four children.

Thirty years later, after completing the translation of the New Testament in Siriono, Anne and Perry Priest moved to Nigeria and began another Bible translation and literacy project among the Jibu people. Here, Anne played a more central role in Bible translation. She was involved in literacy and trained Jibu teachers and evangelists. She helped stimulate musically gifted Jibu to compose Christian songs in their own language and musical style. Anne and Perry helped prepare a Jibu-language version of the Jesus film, and helped distribute both the New Testament (which they completed in 1998) and the Jesus film in Jibu communities.

Upon retirement in Columbia, Anne taught a Women to Women Bible study class. With Perry she taught an English language class to Hispanics. Together they continued to represent Wycliffe Bible Translators to churches in the Southeast. She often hosted CIU students in her home.

Anne was honored, along with her brother and sisters, with the Alumnus of the Year Award in 1991 by Columbia International University for her many years of exemplary Christian ministry on three continents and in four languages.

Though separated from family for much of her life, she acquired family everywhere she went. To this day, many people around the world know her as “Aunt Anne,” “Grandma Anne,” or simply as “Mom.” She was an active member of Hope Church, where she felt deeply loved, cared for, and honored. In her final years at Laurel Crest Retirement Center, despite physical challenges related to age, she had meaningful friendships and felt warmly cared for by supportive staff.

Anne, the child of Robert C. McQuilkin and Marguerite Lambie McQuilkin, was predeceased by all of her siblings, by her husband Perry, and her granddaughter Anita. Anne is survived by her children Robert (and Kersten) Priest, Daniel (and Jhenny) Priest, Lorna (and Rick) Evans, and Joel Priest, and by eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Anyone wishing to honor her life and memory is encouraged to donate “In memory of Anne Priest” to either Columbia International University (to provide financial aid for one or more children of missionaries) or to Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Columbia International University (https://www.ciu.edu/)

7435 Monticello Road

Columbia, SC 29203

 

Wycliffe Bible Translators (https://www.wycliffe.org/)

PO Box 628200

Orlando, FL 32862

 

Burial

Because of COVID-19, the burial will be private.

Memorial Service

1:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Hope Church

2609 Seminole Rd

Columbia, SC 29210

Social distancing will be observed, and masks will be required. The service will also be livestreamed and will be available from here: https://hopechurchcola.org/