Gladys Johnston Hite

FLORENCE Gladys Johnston Hite, 90, a true Christian and beautiful yellow rose of Texas, died on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Gladys was born on July 12, 1924 to Edgar and Ethel Arnold Johnston in Corpus Christi, Texas. She attended Texas Christian University and later met and married Louis Carey Hite Jr. of Florence, who was stationed in Harlingen, Texas during the war. After the war they settled in Florence and raised six children.

Gladys involved herself in all of her childrens activities including coaching the Florence Girls Softball team, James F. Byrnes and West Florence girls tennis team. She was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader and avid fan for all of her childrens tournaments. Gladys was also the first and most winning tennis coach for Francis Marion Womens tennis team from 1972 1975, compiling a 32-13 record. The Gladys Hite tennis scholarship was established at Francis Marion University in 2002 and The Team MVP award was named in her honor in 1973 and has been presented every year since.

She has been a faithful member of Saint Luke Lutheran Church since 1953, where she was a Sunday school teacher for several years. In addition, she was a charter member of the Pinehaven Garden Club.

She was predeceased by her husband, Louis Hite, Jr. Surviving are her children: Dr. Louis Carey Hite III and wife, Paula, of Columbia, and their children, Allison Hite Popp, Melissa Hite, and Carey Hite IV; Kathy Hite James and husband, John James, of Palm Desert, CA; Dr. Arnold Hite and wife, Sharon, of Charleston, and their son, Dr. J. Hite Jr.; Sally Hite Watson and her husband, CD, of Florence; Peter Hite and wife, Susanne, of Greenville, and their children, Pierce Hite and Talley Hite; Kissy Hite Merrifield and husband, Bill, of Advance, NC, and their children, Whit Merrifield, Costner Merrifield and Hite Merrifield; and her sister, Beatrice Betts, of La Feria, TX.

The Hite family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Lynn Maroney for her compassionate care of their mother; health care nurses from New Generation, especially Penny and Fenda; and also to the McLeod Hospice care for their support during her final days.

The Hite family welcomes their mothers friends and family for a visitation on Saturday, March 21, 2015, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and funeral services at 1:00 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran Church. Entombment in Mount Hope Mausoleum will follow, directed by Waters-Powell Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Gladys Hite Tennis Scholarship at Francis Marion University, Florence Area Humane Society, or the American Arthritis Foundation.

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