DOTSY R. PARNELL

Dotsy Ruth Parnell, 64, won her battle with pulmonary problems and melanoma on Friday, Oct. 17, 2014.

Born Valentine's Day 1950, in Florence, she was a daughter of the late Marshall Gaymon and Pauline McElveen Gaymon.

Dot was an honor graduate of Southside High School and attended the nursing program at Francis Marion University for 3 years. She was employed at McLeod Hospital Annex for three years. She was a former civil service employee at Shaw Air Force Base with 30 years of service. She loved working with all of the military personnel serving our country.

Although she was not actively involved in church, she believed in serving God in her neighborhood by loving and helping any of her friends and neighbors any way she could. She believed God had a reason for her life. She was an inactive member of First Holiness Pentecostal Church.

Dot loved kids and treated them as her own when they came to visit, and they loved "Aunt Dot." She enjoyed bird watching, especially cardinals, finches, nut thatchers and wrens. Her hummingbirds were her pride and joy, and she liked to enjoy her coffee with Missy, Queenie and Susie and her quiet time with God in the morning. She was a devoted sister and friend.

Surviving are one brother, Earnest Gaymon of Ridgeland; two sisters, Judy (Elbert) Joye of Hemingway and Velma (Jerry) Faile of Florence; three stepchildren, Steve (Megan) Parnell of Sumter, Eddie Parnell of Wyoming and Lynn (William) Putt of Sumter; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and three special children in her life, Jay, Hunter and Hailey.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, James Edward "Jimmy" Parnell; four brothers, Charles, Paul, Marshall Jr. and Robbie Lee Gaymon; and two sisters, Clara Gaymon and Thelma Matthews.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. today in the chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with the Rev. Frankie Tanner and the Rev. Matt Patterson officiating.

Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to a charity of one's choice.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.