Anne Robinson McParland Amma

Anne Robinson McParland Amma passed away from heart failure on February 24, 2026. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the oldest child of John F. and Sara Nevin Cooper McParland. Her father was a respected dentist, and her mother was a classical pianist. Anne moved to Columbia in 1965 with her husband, Elmer L (“Sam”) Amma who was a professor of Chemistry at the University of South Carolina. Anne studied English for two years at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her BA in Sociology in 1989 and her MSW in 1991 from the University of South Carolina.

Anne was a volunteer therapist at the Women’s Shelter from 1990-1994. During that time, she also served on the Calhoun County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs as Case Manager for clients with mental retardation, and as part-time teacher at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College for mental retardation direct care staff certification. Subsequently, she worked for a year for the Department of Corrections. For more than nine years she was a secretary at Dreher High School. She returned to Dreher in 1994 as Office Manager of the Guidance Office, where she mentored many students. She retired from Dreher in 2009. In addition, from 1996 until she retired in 2015, she worked part-time in the History Room of the Main Richland Library where she helped many people “find their roots.”

Anne’s daughter, Lara Kathryn, died at the age of 15 in 1986 and her former husband in 2014. Her younger sister, Martie, passed away in 2019. She is survived by her son, Gregory S. Amma (Dee); her grandson, Christopher James; her sister, Elizabeth McParland Rozek; her brother Patrick (Karen) McParland; and her granddaughter, Kathryn Trier.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held for Anne on Saturday, March 28th, at 2:00 PM in the Sanctuary of Forest Lake Presbyterian Church (6500 N. Trenholm Rd., Columbia, SC 29206), followed by a reception in the Church’s Parlor. The service will also be livestreamed through the Church’s website: www.flpc.org/Join Us for Live Streaming Services from FLPC – Forest Lake Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be mailed to Forest Lake Presbyterian Church, 6500 N. Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29206 or made online at www.flpc.org/give. Gifts may also be mailed to Richland Library Friends and Foundation, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or made online at www.richlandlibrary.com/give.