Shirley Osteen Willcox

FLORENCE Shirley O. Willcox passed away on Friday, December 11, 2015, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Shirley was born on July 18, 1934, in Greensboro, NC, to the late Edwin and Martha Hutchison Osteen.

She graduated from Florence High School and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She earned a degree in history and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She married Rudolph A. Willcox from Darlington, SC, in 1955. She taught in Florence public schools for over thirty years, including Advanced Placement classes, and was also very involved in the Model U.N.

She is survived by her children, Lela (Paul) Joseph, Lynn (Wayne) Boyd and Whit (Cindy) Willcox; two grandchildren, Coleman (Heather) Boyd and Whitfield Boyd; and two great-grandchildren, Drake Rudy Boyd and Charlotte Elizabeth Boyd. Also surviving are two sisters, Kathy (Bob) Pettit of Chapin, SC, and Helen (the late Marion) Swann of Booneville, NC; a special friend, Andrew Gaddy of Lake City, and her loving and faithful companion, Gracie, her cat.

Shirley championed a number of worthy causes during her lifetime especially human and animal rights, and environmental issues, to name a few. Her love of books and learning was evident to all who knew her.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 15, 2015, at Waters-Powell Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Florence Area Humane Society, P. O. Box 4808, Florence, SC 29502; or McLeod Hospice, c/o McLeod Foundation, P. O. Box 100551, Florence, SC 29502-0551 or mcleodfoundation.org.

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The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home.

Memorial Service

Tuesday, December 15, 2015
11:00 AM

Waters-Powell Funeral Home
400 S Dargan Street
Florence, South Carolina 29506

The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home.

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