COLUMBIA - Marlena Redfern Myers passed away on December 9, 2018 at her home surrounded by her family. Marlena was born in Atlanta Georgia, Oct. 27, 1942. She was the daughter of the late Col. Ira C. and Miriam Redfern. Marlena was a graduate of Columbia College and spent much of her career and volunteer time in service to the college, having been its Executive Director of Development, President of the Alumnae Association, and was later on its Board of Trustees. She has received the Columbia College Distinguished Service Award and its most prestigious award, the Columbia College Medallion.
Marlena had recently returned to Columbia after the death of her spouse, the Honorable Berlin G. Myers, Sr. She spent 16 years in Summerville, SC and during that time was instrumental in helping establish the Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC), served as Chairman of the Board, and helped implement the Scrumptious Summerville Kitchen Tour which financially supports the DCAC efforts. The DCAC has helped fill a void in services for abused children by putting together a public-private partnership that provides a multidisciplinary team of professionals from county agencies that work together in the investigation, prosecution and treatment of child abuse and neglect. She received the Bert Cicenia Award for service, all the while continuing to serve her Alma Mater, Columbia College. While in Summerville, Marlena was also on the Board of the Arc, which provides Alzheimer’s Family Support Services, including adult day care; and Sculpture in the South, where she was a Chairman of the Board.
Marlena served her Columbia community and the State of South Carolina by serving on the Boards of the Killingsworth Home, a transitional home for women; Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Columbia; Family Service Center, which offers counseling services; the Palmetto Project, which has been a catalyst for over 330 public-private partnerships such as the Palmetto Voter project which promotes election reform and sponsors the iconic “I Voted” sticker everyone receives. Welvista is one of the Palmetto Projects many success stories and Marlena was a founding Board member. Welvista helps provide prescription medication to those without health insurance and has provided pediatric dental services to more than 15,000 underserved children. She has been a member of the Shandon United Methodist Church and was a past president of the Women in the Church.
Her career included establishing her own political consulting business, MRL Resources where she worked for campaigns such as the Les Tindall, Nick Theodore and Phil Lader campaigns.
Marlena was a loving, kind, welcoming and generous person whose life touched, and made better, the lives of many people.
Every step of the way she had the support and love of her three sisters, Sherry McDonald, Iris Emery and Kyra Koski. She is survived by her sister, Kyra Koski.
She is also survived by her Daughter, DeLane Lewis and son-in-law, Kevin McKeown Jr. of Baldwin, Maryland; son and daughter-in-law, Van and Laura Lewis of Lexington, South Carolina; grandchildren, Brook McKeown, Kevin McKeown III, Jake Lewis, and Callie Lewis. Her grandson Connor McKeown predeceased her.
Her family expanded when she married Berlin G. Myers, Sr. to include, Loretta and LG Atkins; Berlin and Betsy Myers, Jr. and daughter Johanna; Marie and Ed Brigham and daughter Elizabeth; Jimmy and KC Myers and Amy Myers.
The family will receive friends at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Shandon United Methodist Church, with visitation following the service in Wesley Fellowship Hall. A private burial will be held at a later date. Active pallbearers will be Kevin McKeown, Jr., Kevin McKeown, III, Jake Lewis, Jimmy Koski, Col. Chris Quale, and Rick McDonald. Honorary pallbearers will be Brook McKeown and Callie Lewis.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the Marlena R. Myers Scholarship Fund at Columbia College, 1301 Columbia College Drive, Columbia, SC 29203; Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center, 303 East Richardson Avenue, Summerville SC 29483, or any of the other wonderful organizations listed above to which she devoted her time and energy.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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