Obituary of Willie Mae Pace

West Columbia - Willie Mae Pace, matriarch of the family she loved and nourished for seven decades, died Monday, just four days before she would have celebrated her 95th birthday. A native of Pickens County, S.C., Mrs. Pace was a resident of West Columbia and a long-time member of Northside Baptist Church. She was married for 69 years to Richard Lee Pace, who died in 2010. Mrs. Pace was one of 12 children in a Pickens farm family that was shaped by the Great Depression and World War II. She married her childhood sweetheart in 1941, a few months before he departed for the war in Europe. When he returned more than two years later, they settled in Greenville before moving to Columbia in 1950, and West Columbia in 1952. For years, Mrs. Pace provided childcare in her home for both her grandchildren and the children of church and family friends. The highlight of her week was gathering her family for Sunday dinner, lovingly prepared with fresh vegetables from their garden. Mrs. Pace is survived by her three children, Agnes Johnson and her husband, William Batt Johnson of West Columbia, Thelma Haley and her husband, Steve Haley of Cayce, and David Pace and his wife, Marsha Rhea of Alexandria Virginia. She also is survived by six grandchildren, William Batt "Jay" Johnson, Jr of West Columbia, Angela Johnson and her husband, Ryan Johnson of Mount Pleasant, S.C., Jennifer Wach and her husband, Terry Wach of Columbia, Julianne Haley of Rock Hill, S.C., Lillian Pace and her husband, Ty Matsdorf of Alexandria, Va., and Daniel Pace and his wife, Whitney Pace of Alexandria, Va. Three great-grandchildren also survive, Nicholas Wach, Lucie Matsdorf and Pace Johnson. Two of Mrs. Pace's 11 siblings also survive, Wallace Jones and his wife, Mary Jones of Anderson, S.C. and Avanell Banks of Easley, S.C.; sister-in-law, Argyle Pace of Pickens, S.C. who was like a sister to her; as well as numerous loving and thoughtful nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7, 2014 at The Chapel at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington. Interment will follow in Woodridge Memorial Park in Lexington. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12:30 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Global Missions at Northside Baptist Church, 4347 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, S.C. 29072.