COLUMBIA - Stella Brantley Eargle died on Monday, February 11, 2019 at the age of 97. She was born in Purcell, Oklahoma, one of six children. After graduating from High School, Stella took a job in Oklahoma City to earn money for college. While she was there and living in a boarding house, she met her future husband, Floyd Eargle, an active duty Navy yeoman. They were married soon after meeting, and moved to the Northeast on Navy orders. A year later, their first son, Terry, arrived. Three years later, David was born and in three more years, Steve arrived to make their family complete. Stella and Floyd lived in Richmond, VA; Nashville and Knoxville, TN; Florence and Columbia, SC, beginning in 1957. Later in their time at Columbia, they began to travel annually to various locations to enjoy family reunions with Stella’s siblings. While in Columbia, Stella enjoyed a 25-year career with JC Penny Co. and retired as the supervisor of the catalog department.
Stella enjoyed people, rarely meeting a person she didn’t immediately become friends with. Others were drawn to her kindness and graciousness. She and Floyd enjoyed playing bridge and spending time with friends and family. Annual reunions with her siblings were joyous occasions, where there was lots of laughter and much delicious food. She also enjoyed crafts, and her needlework produced beautiful heirlooms for her family. For her whole life Stella was very active in her church family; first at Resurrection Lutheran in Columbia and then at First Baptist Church of Columbia. Both Stella and Floyd taught Sunday School.
She was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Floyd Eargle; her son, David; her siblings, Tom, Betty, Helen, and Mae. She is survived by her two sons, Terry (Judy) of Columbia and Steve (Julie) of Asheville, NC; grandchildren, Navy Captain Scott Eargle, U.S. Navy (Ret.) (Penny), Carrie Eargle (Tom), Meredith Allen, Brantley Roselli (Pasquale), Andrew Eargle, Tiffany Flores (Sean), and Michelle Muirhead; and great-grandchildren, Alaina Eargle, Trent Eargle, Josiah Allen, Aiden Allen, Wells Allen, Cannon Flores, Sloane Flores, Maverick Flores, Ace Flores, and Tucker Jones; and her sister, Florene Blevins of Brenham, TX.
A memorial service will be held in Boyce Chapel of First Baptist Church of Columbia at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 14, 2019. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be a private ceremony at a later date. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 1306 Hampton St, Columbia, SC 29201.
Mrs. Eargle’s family extends appreciation to the staff at Laurel Crest Retirement Center for their loving care over the past 11 ½ years. Their love, care and gracious concern for Stella was always evident and very much cherished by the family.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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