Anne Lucius McCants

Columbia - Anne Lucius McCants - devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend - died on October 2, 2020. Her long and wonderful life was one of faith and family filled with generosity and strong spirit. The daughter of the late Claire Smith Lucius of Timmonsville, S.C. and John Thompson Lucius of Dillon, S.C., she was born on September 9, 1926 in Greenville, S.C. She was the granddaughter of S.C. Governor Charles Aurelius Smith (1915). Upon the sudden loss of her father to illness at age seven, Anne was raised with her sister, Byrd, by a dedicated and active mother with loving support of a large extended family. She graduated from Greenville High School in 1944 and attended Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA for two years and received her BA degree from Furman University in 1948. A love of travel was instilled at an early age and she enjoyed sharing stories of family visits including the long cross-country car trip cross country with two invited boy cousins to visit Uncle Don, a US Navy Captain who lived in Del Coronado, CA. After college, she worked for Delta, “the airlines”, in Atlanta, GA., Knoxville, Tn. and Columbia, S.C. During those years she enjoyed traveling with fond memories of a trip to the Hawaiian Islands with her mother. She was introduced to native Columbia attorney, Clarke Wardlaw McCants, Jr. and in 1955 the two married and raised four children. She was a devoted wife for fifty-five years until his death in 2010. Anne continued her Smith family legacy of “giving back” to the community during her years in Columbia.

In 1961 she served as the 10th Chairman of the historic Palmetto Trials, held at the State Fairgrounds and sponsored by the Junior League to raise community service funds. She was a longtime supporter of the Columbia Music Festival Association and served on the CMFA Board’s Executive Committee for many years. She was active on the Richland/Lexington United Fund Services Board and only female member in 1963. She and her husband were involved in Columbia’s Town Theatre and she enjoyed knowing and working with Mary Lou Kramer at the Children’s Theatre. The McCants’ side door on Heathwood was never closed and Anne made sure her family stayed active and focused. Whether it was sending children out the door to Sunday School or to fish with Dad at Moot Point on weekends, every activity had a life purpose. She supported Columbia’s public schools and scouting and was proud of both sons achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. For years she continued traveling with her husband to law meetings, to Greenville for weekly family visits and would be ready at a moments notice to drive to the beach. Her life saying and motto was “We can go one more place”.

She was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, National Society of The Colonial Dames of America and in the State of South Carolina, Daughters of the American Revolution, Junior League of Columbia, and Forest Lake Club. She was devoted to her friends in the N.O.V.E.L Book Club and “The Bridge Club”. She was predeceased by her husband, Clarke W. McCants, Jr. and her sister, Byrd Lucius Hammett. She is survived by her children, Claire McCants Schwahn and her husband, Frank; Clarke Wardlaw McCants, III; John Lucius McCants and his wife, Mary; and Nancy McCants Aldinger and her husband, Tim, her grandchildren, Marjorie S Armstrong and her husband, Stuart; Frank S. Schwahn, Clarke W McCants IV, J. Spencer V. McCants and his wife Melissa; Will B. McCants, Constance W. McCants, John L McCants, Timothy M. Aldinger, John W. Aldinger, and James O. Aldinger; and great grandson Blake Wardlaw Armstrong.

The family would like to extend appreciation to the staff of Still Hopes Retirement Community and Home Solutions for fourteen years of devoted care. A special thanks goes to caregiver Sarah Jackson who shared her love of the Lord and friendship with Anne until the end.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 11:30am at Elmwood Cemetery in Columbia, S.C. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3200 Trenholm Rd.,Columbia, SC 29204, the Employee Appreciation Fund, Still Hopes Retirement Community, One Still Hopes Dr., West Columbia, S.C. 29169 or a charity of one’s choice.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.