SARA JUANITA AVIN

Sara Juanita Avin, 70, wife of Richard Wayne Avin, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at her home.

Born in Conway, she was a daughter of the late Dalton Shelley and Viola Shelley Baker. She was a member of Wedgefield Baptist Church. Mrs. Avin was the former owner of Juanita's Beauty Salon and was employed for many years at Parker Auto Supply. She was formerly a member of the Red Hat Society and served as a volunteer English teacher at the Sumter Literacy Center. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of South Carolina in 2011.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years; three children, Carol Avin Sims (Tod), Bryan Wayne Avin (Heather) and Emily Avin Bartlette (Mark), all of Sumter; seven grandchildren, Hunter Sims, Ridge Sims, Summer Sims, Bryndan Avin, Isabella Avin, Noah Campbell and Natalie Bartlette; and a great-grandchild, Oliver Schafer.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Dennis Shelley.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Wedgefield Baptist Church with the Rev. Paul Goff officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Hunter Sims, Ridge Sims, Brice Helms, Bryndan Avin, Grant Goff and Mike Reinegger.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. today at Wedgefield Baptist Church and other times at the home, 308 Rogers Ave.

Memorials may be made to the Wedgefield Home for Kids, P.O. Box 265, Wedgefield, SC 29169.

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