Obituary of Bernice Smith Stokes

COLUMBIA: A graveside service will be held for "Smith" Stokes Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 3:00 P.M., in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Columbia, SC, with Robert "Bob" Dyar officiating. Greenlawn Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. The family will receive friends following the service at the home of Al and Tina Stokes. Mrs. Stokes, 95, died on Monday, March 18, 2013. Born Thursday, November 8, 1917, in Hopewell, VA, she was a daughter of the late John and Bertha (White) Smith. She and her sister Christeen Smith Greene were the two last surviving members of her immediate family. Her family moved to Paw Creek, NC where she graduated from Paw Creek High School. She later studied nurses' training at the Camden Hospital, Camden, SC, where she met and married her husband, William Alvo Stokes. They later moved to Columbia, SC, where he was the owner of S & M Sales. Family was very important to Smith. She and Alvo had one child, Al, who they raised with tender love and care. However, before he was born she helped raise several other family members when they moved onto her home at various times. After Alvo's retirement, they moved to Lugoff, SC where he died in 1977. She remained in Lugoff but later moved back to Camden, SC where she was a long time member of Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church. She returned to live in Columbia for the past eight years and was most recently a resident at Rice Estate. She was nurturing homemaker who enjoyed cooking and gardening. She was a loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. She was especially proud of and loved her two grandchildren and she will be dearly missed. Surviving Mrs. Stokes are her son and daughter-in-law, Al and Tina Stokes, of Columbia; grandchildren, Bill and Shelley Stokes, both of Columbia; sister, Mrs. Christeen Greene, of Gainesville, FL; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be sent to Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church, 1206 Lyttleton Street, Camden, SC 29020, or to a charity of your choice.