Mrs. Ethel S Brody

COLUMBIA The artist and philanthropist Ethel Sobel Brody died peacefully on Sunday, October 5, 2014. Born November 23, 1923, in Middletown, N.Y., she grew up in NYC until she married Reuben Brody of Sumter, S.C. and moved there in 1946. While in Sumter, Mrs. Brody was active in Temple Sinai, serving on the Temple Board and as President of the Sisterhood. She was also a leader in the Girl Scouts, being awarded their Woman of the Year award. After her husband died in 1964, Mrs. Brody remained in Sumter until 1972 when she opened the Sign of the Salamander Gift Store in Myrtle Beach with her sister, Leona Sobel. In 1981, the sisters sold the store and moved to Columbia where they became active in all cultural affairs of the city. Mrs. Brody served many years as a devoted member of the Board of Trustees of the Columbia Museum of Art and was made a Trustee Emeritus in recognition of her service. In 2012, Ethel was awarded The Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award by the South Carolina Arts Council and the South Carolina Legislature in recognition of her many years of service to the arts in South Carolina. For the past 30 years, she was a member of the 80808 Studios. Her passion was her studio there and her devoted friends and fellow artist of the studio. Mrs. Brody is survived by her daughter, Janet Brody Rush and her husband, Jerel Rush of Atlanta; her son, David Brody and his wife, Laura C. Brody of Kinston, N.C.; her grandchildren, Reuben Brody of Los Angeles, Matthew Brody of New York, Jennnifer Brody of Washington, D.C., Jessica Rush of New York, Nicole Rush Goodman and her husband, Josh Goodman, and their son Lincoln Goodman, all of New York. The family gratefully acknowledges the loyal service of Shirley Reynolds, Vernice Bryant, Mary Katherine Bagnell and other members of the staff of Senior Matters and Compassionate Care Hospice. Following a private interment in Sumter, the family will hold a memorial service and receive friends at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at the Columbia Museum of Art on Main Street in Columbia. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Columbia Museum of Art Endowment, 1515 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201, Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or Temple Sinai, 13 Church Street, Sumter, SC 29150. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfuneralhomedevine.com.