Nita Bowie Brunson

Nita Brunson
Cleveland, SC

Juanita "Nita" Bowie Brunson, 87, of Cleveland, SC, passed away Monday, January 1, 2018 surrounded by loved ones.

Born in Ninety Six, SC, she was a daughter of the late Tabitha Gaynell Blanchett and Thomas Kirkland Bowie. After her birth the family later moved to Greenwood, SC. There she finished Greenwood High School then enrolling in the nursing program at Anderson Hospital. She met her husband Jack who was attending Clemson University. They married in 1949 and lived in Clemson until he graduated in 1952. The family moved to Florence, SC with two children in tow, here she was a homemaker until her youngest and favorite child entered school. Because of her love of children, she became a teacher's aide and later a kindergarten teacher. While doing this she went back to school and worked on her degree in Early Childhood Education. They moved to Columbia where she became a kindergarten teacher at Shandon Baptist Church where she taught for four years.

After raising her children and retiring, they bought a decorating business in Camden where she was a design consultant for eight years while working with her son, Ted. They later retired to upstate, SC where they both enjoyed some of the finer things in life, like Clemson Tigers, playing golf, line dancing and painting.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack, whom she was married to for 62 years. She is survived by her children, Jack Wade Brunson, Jr. (Denise) of Taylors, Kaye Buchanan (Billy) of Columbia, Debbie Rembert (Marion) of Florence, Ted Brunson (Kelly) of Fort Mill and Trish Brunson of Greenville; grandchildren, April Jackson (Larry), Melanie Smith (Darby), Caroline Reinhardt (Nick), Caitlin Hunt (Grice), Kirk Brunson (Joi), Wynlyn McBride (Cougar), Ashley Buchanan, Whitney Buchanan, Hunter Brunson (Caitlin), Catherine Brunson, and Rivers Brunson; great grandchildren, Carson and Kelly Ellis Jackson, Stryker and Lynx McBride, Martha and Francis Reinhardt, Millie and Darby Smith, Riley Brunson and the pending arrival of Thomas Kirkland Brunson; one brother, Tommy Bowie; one sister, Betty Gregory; a sister-in-law, Jackie Partin; and a special friend and companion, Ben Crosland.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Jeanette Hinton; a brother, Louis Bowie; a grandson, Kelly Watson; and a great grandchild, Mary Charlotte "Charlie" Smith.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Saluda Hill Baptist Church, 646 Ridge Springs Road, Cleveland, SC 29635. A graveside service will be held on Friday, January 5, 2018 at 1:00 PM in Sumter Cemetery in Sumter, SC.

The family will receive friends prior to the service on Thursday from 1:00 PM until 1:45 PM at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Saluda Hill Baptist Church, 646 Ridge Springs Road, Cleveland, SC 29635 or Open Arms Hospice, 1836 W. Georgia Road, Simpsonville, SC 29680.

The family is at the home.

Condolences may be expressed online by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.