Nellie Rumsey Obituary

Surrounded by her family, Nellie Tinsley Rumsey went home to our Lord on Friday, May 3, 2025. Born April 7, 1935, in Easley, SC, to parents John and Emma Tinsley, Nellie grew up in the Victor Mill Village of Greer, SC, graduated from Greer High School and learned secretarial skills through Greenville Technical College. Nellie married the love of her life, Freeman Rumsey, in 1954, and together they raised their family in the once rural edges of Greer, in the Abner Creek Community.
Nellie loved serving our Lord and others through her dear church, Abner Creek Baptist, where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School for all ages, served on ministry teams, led mission's projects and programs and more, until a paralyzing stroke crippled her in 2018. Nellie also served her neighbors and the community through delivering meals on wheels, volunteering in the Good New Club at Abner Creek Academy, and leading WMU for the Greer/Three Rivers Baptist Association.
In addition to being a gifted seamstress and voracious reader, Nellie faithfully cared for her family, devoted intense energy to homemaking, and enjoyed traveling the world and caring for her neighbors. Literally never allowing any grass to grow under her feet, Nellie also worked over twenty-eight years in the Spartanburg County District 5 Schools as a kindergarten teacher's assistant and elementary school secretary. Before formally working in schools, she volunteered with and led the Parent Teacher Association for the schools where her children attended. In the off-school hours and days, Nellie also worked for her brother, Thomas Tinsley, at Professional Insurance Services in Greer. Nellie finally retired from employment at 73 years of age.
Nellie became a widow after 27 years of marriage and never remarried. She was also predeceased by her brothers Frank and Kenneth Tinsley and grandson, Cory Hart.
She is survived by her siblings of Greer: Kathleen Morris and Thomas Tinsley (Margaret), children: Phil Rumsey (Sandy) of Hendersonville, NC, Patti Sutton (Dale) of Greer, Diane Hardison (Ken) of Williamston, NC, grandchildren: Luke (Shelley), Jake (Ashley), Emily (Scott), Ellen (John), Zach (Kristen), and Isaac (Madeline) and twelve great-grandchildren with the 13th on the way.
Nellie's family deeply appreciates the outpouring of love, support and prayers from friends, neighbors and church families during this time. The Rumsey family thanks National Health Care, Greer, Terra Bella Thornblade and VCare Hospice for their compassionate and attentive care of Nellie. We are most grateful for Nellie's life-long abiding faith in Christ our Savior and we rejoice in the assurance that she is in God's presence now and forevermore.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Abner Creek Baptist Church conducted by Rev. Donald Thomas and Rev. Dale Sutton. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held 9:30-10:45 a.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Abner Creek Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Abner Creek Baptist Church at 2461 Abner Creek Road, Greer, SC 29651.
Online condolences may be made at www.thewoodmortuary.com.