CLARA LOUISE HENDRIX PREAST

Clara "Punkin" Louise Hendrix Preast, 75, widow of Jess Elias Preast, passed away on Friday, July 30, 2021, at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, Columbia.

Born on March 20, 1946, in Marlboro County, she was a daughter of the late Leroy Hendrix and Edith Louise Carpenter Hendrix.  She retired from Rogers Manufacturing and Hodge Trucking.  She was a member of Providence Baptist Church.

Survivors include three children, Warren Anthony "Tony" Preast of Sumter, Elias "Bubba" Preast (Becky) of Elloree and Angela Tingen (Jim) of Sumter; six grandchildren, her oldest grandson that she reared, Jesse Preast, Nicholas Seruya (Tiffni), Isabella Seruya, Baylor Preast, Brogan Preast and Walker Tingen; one great-grandchild, Braeden Preast; a brother, Ernest Hendrix (Avanell) of Sumter; three sisters, Margaret H. Quick of Bennettsville, Marie H. Browder of Sumter and Betty Jean Davis (Oscar) of Sumter; four sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Walker Lee Hendrix.

A funeral service was held at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel. The Rev. Wayne McElveen and the Rev. Cecil Browder Jr. officiated. Burial was at Sumter Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Mark Campbell, Trey Griffin, Ozzie Davis, Lawrence Preast, Jeffrey Preast and Anthony Preast.

The family received friends from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and following the service at the home of Loretta Turner, 3406 Stone Road, Manning.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.