Garnet Aitchison Obituary

Garnet Doggette Aitchison COLUMBIA, SC - A memorial service celebrating the life of Garnet Doggette Aitchison, 70, will be held at St. Peter's Catholic Church at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 4, 2012. The family will greet friends from 10:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the service. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Garnet was born in Georgetown on Sept 19, 1941 to Bonnie King and Wilbur C. (Bill) Doggette. She was a graduate of Winyah High School and the University of South Carolina. She was a loving wife, mother and "Nana", adored by her four grandchildren. Garnet married the late Bruce Renwick Aitchison on October 3, 1964 and lived in Chicago before returning to Greenville, South Carolina where she and Bruce reared their sons. During her years in Greenville she participated in and enjoyed her volunteer activities. She was president of the Mary Alice Gibson Garden Club, president of Random Readers book club, vice-president/secretary of Augusta Circle PTA and a classroom "mother". She was coordinator/campaign manager of two mayoral campaigns, secretary of the Greenville Republican Party, and coordinator of the women's tennis league at the Augusta Road YWCA before becoming president of the Upper Piedmont Tennis Association. She worked part-time at Greenville Technical College in the Seminar Department, the Greenville Technical College Foundation, the Greenville Community Foundation and the Occupational Department of Greenville Technical College. She volunteered with the Salute to Education event for over seven years. She was selected to serve as District League Coordinator for the statewide recreational league program and was Vice-President of the South Carolina Tennis Association. She was awarded the Gerri Rothwell Volunteer of the Year Award given by the Southern Tennis Association and the President's Award by the SCTA . After moving to Columbia, Garnet was elected president of the SCTA and also served as its Executive Director. She left to become the first Development Director of Sistercare, Inc. She then worked for her great friend, the late Dr. Guy M. Meares, Jr., as his personal medical assistant. She retired after working as a bill editor for the Legislative Council. Besides playing tennis, bridge, gardening and leisure activities such as reading and knitting, Garnet was an avid supporter of any Gamecock team, especially celebrating the back-to-back NCAA Baseball Championships. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Garnet had an extensive group of wonderful friends formed from her childhood in Georgetown, her college experience and time lived in Greenville and Columbia. The family is grateful for the care given and the love shown to Garnet during her illness by these many friends. Surviving are her sons of Columbia, Rhett Aitchison (Mary Jane), Dr. Paul Aitchison (Allison); sisters, Libby Bernardin (Phil) of Georgetown, Ellen Schulken (Herb) of Chevy Chase, Maryland; sisters-in-law, Peggy Doggette of Murrells Inlet, Gail Kimball (David) of Billings, Montana; four grandchildren, Liliana, Patrick, Morgan and Michael all of Columbia, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 32 years, Bruce; brother, W. Curtis (Bub) Doggette; brother-in-law, John A. Bernardin Sr.; and niece, Paige Doggette. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to The Reece Holbrook Win Anyway Foundation, 624 Panorama Point, Lexington, SC 29072 (benefitting the Palmetto Health Children's Hospital - Bayler Teal Oncology Wing, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston