Etta Mae Smith Greer passed away Friday, December 7, 2018 in Greenville, SC. Etta S. Greer was born May 5, 1915 in Greenville, SC and was the daughter of Jesse Benjamin and Jennie Richardson Tice Smith. She was united in marriage to Robert McNeill Greer on August 5, 1934 in Greenville, SC. He preceded her in death in April,1974. They were married for 40 loving years.
Etta is survived by her children Larry McNeill (Maxine, d.) Greer, Sarah Tice Greer (Frank) Hager, Rebecca Susan Greer (Robert) Chrzanowski and Mary Etta Greer (Jimmy) Vance. Grandchildren: Lee Etta Greer (Joseph) White, Jeremy Greer, Rebecca Ann Chrzanowski, Chandalyn Devon Chrzanowski, Jennifer Marie Vance (Jeremy) Sansbury and James Manning Vance. Great-grandchildren: Brandon White, Jamie White, Evan White, Greer Sansbury and Haynie Sansbury.
Etta’s children extend their warm appreciation to Grover Putnam, Pastor of Buncombe Street United Methodist Church, for his weekly visits with their mother at which time he always made her smile with a compliment and prayed with her during the past ten years.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, David Robert Greer in 1966, her parents, a brother, James Daniel Smith and sister, Beulah Sue Dees.
Etta graduated from Greenville High School in 1933 and studied at Furman University, University of South Carolina and the Greenville Museum of Art.
Etta had unwavering faith in God. She was a Charter Member of St. Matthew United Methodist Church and later became a member of her childhood church, Buncombe Street United Methodist Church in Greenville. She was past President of WSCS and UMW at St. Matthew Methodist and served as teacher and President of the Robert Morris Sunday School Class at Buncombe Street Methodist Church.
Mrs. Greer was President of the Crescent Literary Club, Community Club and Garden Club; and also President of the Hillcrest Garden Club. She served on the Board of the Greenville Women’s Club and the Sara Simpson Gossett Home. Other positions she held were Chaplin of Piedmont Chapter of Pen Women of America, Regent of the Nathanael Greene Chapter of NSDAR, Secretary of the Greenville Chapter of the UDC, Chaplain of John Boswell Chapter of Colonial Dames XVII Century, member of the Rose Society of Greenville, Greenville Artist Guild, and Mauldin Artist Guild. Etta was a member of the Nationally Accredited Judges Club of South Carolina for Standard Flower Shows and was a Master Flower Show Judge. She taught bridge for many years at the YWCA and later wrote ‘Bridge Primer’, of which the rights for publishing were purchased by Hallmark.
Mrs. Greer was an accomplished artist and had paintings accepted and shown four different times in the Juried Art Shows at the Greenville Museum of Art Guild Shows.
Etta studied genealogy and researched family history for years and found key information during two trips to Europe and went on to write and publish family history books; Greer-McNeill Family History and Tice Wood Mayfield Family History. She also published two fictional books; Mill on the Reedy and The Days of Yore.
Etta’s hobbies included piano, sewing, painting, writing and gardening. In 2013, the Etta Greer Garden Club was formed in Pelzer, SC and named in her honor.
Of all her interests, achievements and hobbies, Etta always said her favorite time of life was raising her five children and would do it all again if she could. Etta was a loving, caring and nurturing mother and taught her children to love God, to love others, study hard and work toward their dreams.
Visitation will be Tuesday, December 11, 2018, 1:00PM at Bumcombe Street United Methodist Church, 200 Buncombe St., Greenville, SC 29601. The funeral Service will be held at 2:00PM followed by a committal at Woodlawn Memorial Park.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at MackeyMortuary.com.
