Agnes Lee Clawson

COLUMBIA Agnes Pringle Lee Clawson passed into eternal life on February, 4, 2015. A Requiem Mass will be said at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2015, at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 1512 Blanding Street, with interment in the family section of Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 6, 2015, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Agnes was the daughter of the late William States Lee, Sr. and the late Agnes Buist Pringle Lee. She moved to Columbia with her family as a grammar school student, and attended the Columbia public schools: McMaster, Wardlaw, and Columbia High. After graduation from high school, she was admitted to The University of South Carolina where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education. After graduation from USC, Agnes began her teaching career, teaching in elementary schools all across the state. With the advent of World War II, to alleviate the shortage of nurses caused by the war, she served as a volunteer nurse's aide at the original site of Columbia Hospital at Hampton and Harden Streets. After the war she continued her teaching career in public schools, and she later became a teacher at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, where she taught various grade levels and religious education. Agnes spent twenty-seven years in basic education programs with the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson. She began in 1954 as a part time contract instructor. From 1954 until 1958, she taught courses that helped soldiers assimilate into military life, including lessons in military justice. She subsequently became an evening instructor in the United States Armed Forces Institute, teaching English and math. In 1968, Agnes became a full time contract educator at Fort Jackson to develop a basic reading program that used soldiers with professional education backgrounds as instructors. In developing this program, Agnes created a curriculum using innovative techniques such as films, games, and mock up models to create a culture of learning and development of skills that enabled soldiers to earn their GED Certificate, to be accepted at Officers Candidate School, or to learn English as a second language. This program caused her to be appointed as a GS-9 Education Specialist in 1973. As a GS-9 Specialist, she travelled and consulted with Army bases across the country to assist in their establishment of similar programs. She held this position until she retired in 1981. During this same period of time, Agnes once again entered USC where she pursued a Masters Degree in remedial education. She was awarded her Masters in 1970, and became an adjunct faculty member at the University, teaching evening classes to public school teachers. Agnes was a devout Anglo-Catholic Episcopalian, and was a devoted parishioner of The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd from her arrival in Columbia as a grammar school student until her death. There she served on the vestry, as a lay reader, and on the Altar Guild. She also served for over fifty years in the Order of the Daughters of the King, a women's organization of prayer and service, and she served as a delegate to numerous Diocesan Conventions. The consummate educator, she taught many courses, studies, and quiet days for her parish and others, including courses on the Old Testament, St. Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles, and Lenten and Advent quiet days on Faith of Our Fathers, and Meditations on the Good Shepherd. Agnes also taught the adult Sunday School at Good Shepherd each Sunday with standing room only attendance. Agnes was frequently published. In the 1980's, she served as Diocesan correspondent to The Living Church, an independent weekly news publication for The Anglican Communion. In 1983, to commemorate the One Hundredth Anniversary of Good Shepherd, she wrote A History of The Church of the Good Shepherd, the definitive history of her parish. In 1985 she co-authored, with Mrs. John (Sara) Eastman, A Celebration of Saints, a History of the Diocesan Episcopal Church Women. In 2010 she was published in The Anglican Digest, an independent quarterly review of the Anglican Communion. She spent the past two years working on a revised and updated second edition of her history of the parish, and was making final decisions about the manuscript within the two weeks prior to her death. Agnes served as member of two Garden Clubs: The Honeysuckle Garden Club and the Daffodil Garden Club, and served in turn as President of each. She was also a past member of The South Carolina Historical Society. Agnes was predeceased by her mother and father, her twin brothers, William States Lee, Jr. and Walter Pringle Lee, husband, William Thomas Clawson, Jr. and cousins, Pringle Leonard, Robert Pringle, and Wyatt Pringle. She is survived by her three sons and their wives, William Thomas Clawson, III (Darlene), States Lee Clawson (Rebecca), Robert Pringle Carl Clawson (Suzanne); her five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Among the many blessings in her life, Agnes treasured the rich friendship of her neighbors, Julie and Jeff, Thom and Suzanne; the in-laws brought to her by her daughters-in-law; her extended family at the Parish of The Church of Good Shepherd and her delightful and eccentric Charleston cousins whose presence in her life was never diminished by her move to Columbia. Agnes' family would like to express their appreciation for the compassionate, loving, and professional care provided to Agnes by Dr. Daniel Bouknight and his staff; Dr. James Herman and his staff; the staff of Still Hopes; Agnes' home care provider, Ms. Sadie Myers and the staff of Providence Hospital. Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 1512 Blanding Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.