Gladys Wrightson

The funeral service for Gladys White Wrightson, 86, of Columbia, will be held noon, Friday, September 16, 2011 at Shives Funeral Home, Colonial Chapel, 5202 Colonial Drive. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o’clock, Thursday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation, c/o BB&T Bank, PO Box 890612, Charlotte, NC 28289, Lutheran Hospice, 1505 Blanding St, Columbia, SC 29201, or to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

Mrs. Wrightson died Monday, September 12, 2011. Born in Onley, VA, on July 11, 1925, she was a daughter of the late Irving Linwood White and Lona Mae Griffith White. A graduate of Onley High School and member of Onley Baptist Church, Gladys first worked at Stengall’s Florist in Onley, and then with Raysor’s Florist in Greenville. She spent more than 25 years as a designer with Brooks Brown Florist in Columbia. Over the course of her career, she won several design awards for her work. She loved gardening and raising tropical plants. She was an excellent cook although she would never admit it. Gladys loved spending time with her family and friends and was always willing to help those in need. She was a wonderful mother.

Survivors include her daughters, Marian Hawley Smith (James Seal) of Gilbert, SC, and Hilda Wrightson Flamholtz (Jonathan) of Columbia; her sons, Joseph Connor Wrightson (Kathleen) of West Columbia, and Edgar Connor Wrightson (Colleen) of Columbia; grandchildren, William Arthur Hawley of Gilbert, Joseph Connor Wrightson, Jr. (Lara) of Flowery Branch, GA, Michael Anthony Pesesko, Gaston, SC, Joseph Eugene Wrightson II of Columbia, Victoria Rose Wrightson and John Alexander Wrightson, both of West Columbia; great grandchild, Henry Gunter of Gaston; sister, Dorothy Behrens (Herb) of Las Vegas; and brothers, Jack White of Las Vegas and David White (Mary Jane) of Salisbury, MD. In addition to her parents, Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, John May Wrightson; and brothers, William and Herbert White.

The family wishes to say a special thank you to the caring staff of Lutheran Hospice.