REITA LOU ROSA NELSON MCGILL
Deaconess Reita Lou Rosa Nelson McGill was born on Oct. 30, 1948, to the late Josh Nelson Sr. and Ophelia Boizer Nelson in Oswego. Our beloved passed away peacefully at McLeod Regional Medical Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
Reita accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. She was a member of Enon Baptist Church in Pinewood until her marriage, then she joined and became a faithful member of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church of Lynchburg. She served in many capacities to include lead of the culinary staff and served as member of the usher board, choir, pulpit aid and missionary ministries. She served faithfully as deaconess for over 40 years. She provided her gifts for the church throughout her many years of service with things like sewing items to dress the pulpit, providing floral arrangements for the church, decorating the church's vestibule and making the praise dancers' uniforms and choir dresses for special occasions.
Reita was educated in the public schools of Sumter County, where she graduated from Eastern High School. Upon her graduation, she worked various jobs to include Skyline Manufacturing and Shuler's. She also owned and operated her own business, McGill's Floral. She worked at R.E. Davis Elementary School until her health started to fail.
Reita was a humorous person, a jokester. She loved her family and would give her last to them or anyone if they were in need regardless of if they asked for it. She enjoyed making people laugh. Her heart was pure as gold, as she always was willing to help others and feed everybody. It truly brought joy to her heart to prepare a meal (full plate of food) and have you eat. Reita was a great mother, sister and friend. Her hobbies included cooking, making floral decorations, sewing, fishing, gardening and baking. She was a jack of all trades.
Reita leaves to cherish her memories: her loving husband of 53 years, Willy Barkley McGill; two daughters, Novella (Ajayi) Ali of Lynchburg and Maria (Farmarris) Briggs of Mayesville; three sons, Barkley (Helen) McGill of Lynchburg, Quentin (Shanika) McGill of Blythewood and Quincy Levern McGill of Lynchburg; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elizabeth Betsy Rufus of Oswego and Alberta Capers of Sumter; two brothers, Deacon Josh (Ethel) Nelson and Willie Nelson, both of Oswego; one sister-in-law, Mary (Larry) Durant of Lynchburg; two aunts; one uncle; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends, who will truly miss her.
Reita is preceded in death, in addition to her parents, by six sisters, Janie Lou Rosa McFadden, Minnie Ruth Lesane, Beulah Nelson, Bertha Nelson, Martha Nelson and Mary Nelson; two brothers, James Elijah Nelson and Leroy Nelson; and a host of aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces; one sister-in-law, three brothers-in-law; and one granddaughter.
In accordance with the COVID-19 guidelines, the family is requesting that face masks be worn and social distancing be observed by relatives and friends during visitation at the home, 2175 Rose Hill Road, Lynchburg.
The procession will leave the home at 2:20 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, 418 Main St., Lynchburg, with the Rev. Dr. Sammie D. Simmons, pastor, eulogist.
Burial will be in the Bethesda Memorial Gardens.
Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr.com. Visit us on the web at www.WilliamsFuneralHomeInc.com.