Obituary of Emma Edens Christie
Emma Edens Christie, 92, died Wednesday, October 23, 2019, at Prisma Tuomey Hospital after a brief illness.
Born in Dalzell June 26, 1927, she was the eldest daughter of the late James Mitchell Edens, Sr. and Rosalie Rembert Edens.
Emma experienced both happy and hard times on the family farm and surrounding countryside. She graduated from Hillcrest High School and entered Winthrop College, then the South Carolina College for Women, at 16. Graduating in three years, she began teaching at Barnwell High School at 19, where she was employed for 34 years. Teaching Home Economics living skills to hundreds of students, including the children of earlier students, she taught other diverse classes including Business Law and the much loved South Carolina History.
Although it took a while for him to convince her, she met the love of her life in Joe Christie, and they married August 19, 1951. Joe and his mother ran Christie’s restaurant, and Joe saved the money Emma paid to eat there until he had enough to buy her wedding set. Emma claimed to be the only woman who ate her way to her engagement ring.
Emma loved living in Barnwell and in the fellowship of her Garden Club, Barnwell UMC Circle, neighborhood and teaching friends. She and Joe instilled the virtue of service to others to her children Joseph, Roseanne, and surprise arrival Lee. She took pride in filling her Main Street home with antiques and later, dozens of dolls. Emma and Joe had a love-filled marriage, and their love spilled over to so many through the care, hospitality and great food found in their home and sent to make people’s days better.
After retirement, Emma spent increasingly more time at her childhood home, living with her parents through their final years. After her mother Nannie’s passing, Emma moved to Sumter and continued having a quiet impact on the lives of those around her with her caring demeanor, philanthropy and genuine interest in countless relatives and family friends. She was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. She was blessed to have wonderful housekeepers and ‘helpers’, including years of faithful service from Quality Private Caregivers.
Emma was preceded in death by her husband Joe, her son Joseph Francis Christie, Jr. and her brother James Mitchell Edens, Jr. Surviving are her daughters Roseanne Christie of Sumter and Lee Christie Stapleton (Tom) of Huntersville, NC, as well as her beloved and devoted sister Frances Ann McIntosh of Sumter. She has one granddaughter, Emmalee Grace Stapleton, also of Huntersville.
Graveside services will be held at 2 PM Sunday at Tirzah Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Dalzell with the Rev. Billy Lewis (ret) and Rev. Wes Conner officiating. Contact Elmore Hill McCreight if directions are needed as online directions are confusing.
The family will receive friends at the home following the service.
Memorials may be made to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 27 Broad St, Sumter, SC 29150 and to Tirzah Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 6, Dalzell, SC 29040.
Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803)- 775-9386.