Mary deLoach Obituary

Mary Jane deLoach Orangeburg, SC - Mary Jane deLoach died on Saturday, September 3, 2016 in St. George, SC, the daughter of the late Hilliard Galbraith Haynes and Mary Annie Chambers Haynes. After her mother died during childbirth, she lived with her Aunt Alba Haynes Barr (James) in Leesville, SC. When her father, a Citadel professor of civil engineering, married Ellee Townsend Haynes two years later, she lived with them on the Citadel campus in Charleston, SC. Mary Jane was born on July 5, 1927, a graduate of Rivers High School in Charleston and Winthrop College in Rock Hill, SC. She was a lifelong member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society, a professional honorary Society of women educators. She furthered her education later in life and received a Master's Degree in Education at South Carolina State University. She moved to Orangeburg, SC when she married the late James Michael Mewborne, Sr. in 1947. In 1955, she began her career in education as the first preschool teacher at the Church of the Redeemer, where she was a parishioner. After being widowed in 1959 with three young children, she became a schoolteacher with Orangeburg District 5. She loved to sew and found time to make clothes for her children. She later enjoyed knitting and needlepoint. Upon marrying Francis Bratton deLoach in 1975, she moved to Spartanburg where she continued teaching math at McCrackin Middle School. She retired after over 30 years as a teacher, and returned to Orangeburg where she volunteered with the Women's Auxiliary at The Regional Medical Center gift shop, accumulating over 3000 hours. She was an avid gardener and tennis player (winning the Southeastern Super Seniors Regional Division with her team at the age of 72). She also loved spending time with her grandchildren and vacationing at her home at Pawleys Island. She always had a beautiful smile and even under adversity was exceptionally loving and caring to everyone she knew and met. In addition to her parents and husbands, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her brother, Retired Air Force Colonel Hilliard Galbraith Haynes, Jr. and her sister-in-law, Joan Mewborne McCants. She is survived by her daughters, Gale Mewborne Weathers (Johnny) of St. George, SC and Jane Mewborne Limehouse (Frank) of Clemson, SC; and her son, James Michael Mewborne, Jr. (Sally) of Swansea, SC. Mary Jane has seven grandchildren, Amanda Jane Weathers Thompson (Pinckney) of Holly Hill, SC, Robert Hamilton Sandel, Jr. (Sara) of Clover, SC, Henry Daniel Sandel (Sara) of Annapolis, MD, Frank Finucan Limehouse of Chicago, IL, James Michael Mewborne, III (Kate) of Columbia, SC, Reid Haynes Mewborne (Lauren) of Spartanburg, SC; her step-granddaughter, MacLean Limehouse Williams (Charles) of Orangeburg, SC. Her great-grandchildren are Carrie Grace and Abigale Sandel, Lila, Emmy, Will and Declan Sandel, Julius, Manning and William Thompson, Sadie and Anna Wren Mewborne; and a step-great-granddaughter, Emma Limehouse Woolbright. Funeral Services will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday at the Church of the Redeemer in Orangeburg, with the Very Reverend John Burwell officiating and the Very Reverend Frank Limehouse preaching. Burial will follow in the Memorial Park Cemetery, directed by Bryant Funeral Home, St. George. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Robert Sandel, Dan Sandel, Frank Limehouse, Mike Mewborne, Reid Mewborne and great-grandson, Julius Thompson. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service at the Church of the Redeemer Parish Hall in Orangeburg, SC. The family will also receive friends at the home of Gale and Johnny Weathers, 712 Ridge Street, St. George, SC. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston