Betty Brady Stockman

Lexington, South Carolina - Betty Brady Stockman died peacefully at her daughter’s home in Lexington, where she resided. She was born on May 5, 1924 in her old homeplace on Woodrow Street in Columbia, SC to Henry G. Brady and Nita Perry Brady. She attended Columbia schools and the University of South Carolina, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority and was a varsity cheerleader, among other activities.

“Ms. Betty” taught dancing to hundreds of Columbia children at Roy McCulloch School of Dance which later became the Betty Stockman School of Dance. She incorporated living and manners lessons with her teaching and was famously known for “take that gum out of your mouth while you’re dancing!” Another favorite teaching many people still remember was “if your hat falls off, keep on dancing”. This can be applied to so many parts of life.

Betty was extremely proud of her work as a volunteer nurse assistant during WWII and remained a faithful contributor to the USO as she saw the help it was to her 2 brothers who served in WWII. She continued to remind us of this and lived during the time when being an American and a Veteran were two things to be very proud of. She would take her children and the neighbors to all the parades, provide us with American flags and taught us to salute the flag. She also made sure we knew all the the various military songs and how to march to John Philip Sousa’s marching band songs.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Sherie S. Harbin of Lexington, and three grandchildren, Brady (Jamie Vickery) of Murrells Inlet, SC, Peter “Pete” (Laurie Beatty) of Leesville, Jennifer (Travis Ellis) of Cayce and 2 wonderful great-grandchildren Henry Harbin of Lexington and Gage Harbin of Murrells Inlet. She is predeceased by her parents, a son, “Skip” Stockman, a sister, Katherine McCulloch, and 2 brothers, Henry G. Brady and William Perry Brady and beloved nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts may be made to University of South Carolina, Attn: Development Office of Gifts, 1600 Hampton St. Suite 736, Columbia, SC 29208, on memo line: Friends of Dance Fund.

Please feel free to write your memories to Sherie Stockman Harbin for use at a Memorial to be held at a later date.

Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.