Louvinia Riddle Obituary

Louvinia "Lou" Weaver Riddle COLUMBIA, SC - Louvinia "Lou" Weaver Riddle, born May 12, 1918, passed away in Columbia on January 23, 2013. She was the daughter of the late Samuel Boyce Weaver and Martha Hines Weaver. She was born in Campobello, S.C. and resided in Chester, S.C. until moving to Columbia in 1971. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert Marion Riddle, and is survived by her two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Rhodes (Sherrod) of Nashville, Tenn., and Jane Pearman (Ben) of Isle of Palms, S.C.. She had six grandchildren, Rob Rhodes (Jen), Jeffrey Rhodes, Wyatt Cothran, Libba Dockery (Tyler), Preston Pearman (Andrea), and Chuck Pearman (Sally), and five great grandchildren, Callie Cothran, Abby, Caroline, Thomas, and Alex Pearman. She is also survived by one brother, Hugh Mac Weaver, of Williamsburg Va. Mrs. Riddle was a member of Chester Garden Club, the Gay Gardeners Garden Club of Columbia, and an honorary member of the Columbia Garden Club. She served as President of the Columbia Garden Club Council, and was on the Garden Club of SC Board for 30 years, serving in numerous executive positions before becoming the S.C. State President from 1969-71. She served 25 years on the Board of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., and she was President of the S.C. Judges Club from 1964-65. She served as a nationally accredited Flower Show Instructor for 30 years, and taught flower design courses in all U.S. states, as well as Costa Rica, Nassau, Montego Bay, and Jamaica. She exhibited twice in the Chelsea Flower show in London, and both times won awards for her designs. She was the only arranger from the United States representing the National Garden Clubs, Inc. She is currently a member of the Garden Club of S.C. Advisory Council, and hosted and entertained the former First Ladies of GCSC and the current State President at a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion prior to the S.C. Garden Club's 80th Anniversary celebration in 2011. Mrs. Riddle was the official floral designer for the S.C. State House and Governor's Mansion during the administration of Governor and Mrs. Iris Campbell. She was in charge of the floral designs for all state functions honoring both U.S. and international dignitaries, including both of the Bush presidents and the Pope during his S.C. visit. She was also active at Trinity Episcopal Church, having served on the Altar Guild and also presented many flower arranging classes to church members. Another interest pursued in her later years was duplicate bridge, of which she was obtained a life membership status. Known for her outstanding talent as a designer, Mrs. Riddle worked tirelessly during her tenure with the State Garden Club to keep South Carolina beautiful. Her love for the natural world equipped her to see beauty in the everyday world around her, and gave her a keen eye for selecting materials in nature and arranging them into extraordinary expressions of beauty. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter St., in Columbia on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 2:00 p.m with a reception immediately following the service in Satterlee Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Garden Club of S.C., Historic Trees for Historic Places Project, C/O Jane Pearman, 18 Dune Ridge Lane, Isle of Palms SC 29451 or to Palmetto Health Hospice, P.O. Box 7275, Columbia, SC 29202-7275. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston