Obituary of Retus Alma Blizzard

GASTON-Funeral service for Retus Alma Blizzard, 102, of Gaston, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 18, 2013 at New Covenant Church. Reverend John Lastinger and Reverend Leona Coker will officiate. Burial will follow in Southland Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Thompson Funeral Home of West Columbia. Pallbearers will be Jamie Blizzard, Kenneth Carmen, Michael Kirby, JJ Kent, Dell Kirby, Colton Kent, Travis Fraley and Dustin Watts. Mrs. Blizzard passed away on Tuesday, October 15, 2013. Born and raised in Manning, she came to Columbia when she was a teenage and married Walter G. Blizzard in 1931. She worked for Pacific Mills for a short time, then stayed at home and took care of her growing family. She was a faithful member of New Covenant Church for over 40 years and loved reading her bible. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and sister. Surviving are her daughters, Wilma Kirby (Hinnant) of Gaston and Margaret Carmen of West Columbia; sons, James Blizzard (Jeanette) of West Columbia and Leon Blizzard (Tonya) of Gilbert; sister, Reverend Leona Coker; 15 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Walter G. Blizzard; parents, Junius Ervin and Mary Annie Bell Richbourg; and 4 brothers and 1 sister. The family would like to especially thank Cynthia Johnson for her care of our loved one and also to Dr. David Isbell, Dr. Rodney Rhinehart and Dr. David Miller for their compassion and care.