Doris M. Youngblood

Doris was preceded in death by her parents Harvey Morris and Janie Virgie Montgomery of Sharon, SC and her husband Fred H. Youngblood Jr. of Greenville, SC. She is survived by her 3 children Fred (Buck) H. (Diane) Youngblood III, Suzanne (Scott) Stofan and John (Denise) Youngblood. She was also dearly loved by her 8 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. After numerous attempts of convincing her first grandchild to say “grandmother,” the beautifully articulated name “Manna” became her title and she beamed with pride in that title ever since.

In the Bible, manna, bread of heaven, was God’s way of showing the Israelites that they must fully rely on Him. It was only fitting that Doris went by the name “Manna” as every aspect of her life directed others to point back at Christ. Every celebration was with thanks to God, every heartache was called out in prayer to God, and every adventure in her life prevailed with God at the forefront.

Growing up on the farm in Sharon, SC was something that Doris spoke of fondly and with great pride. She came from a hard working family and was the oldest of six children. Life on the farm was busy but she valued life lessons and family values that were instilled in her at a young age. 1955 was an exciting year in Doris’ life. She graduated from Winthrop College with a BA in Home Economics and married the love of her life and childhood sweetheart, Fred Youngblood, better known as Bud. They began married life together in Alexandria, VA at Fort Belvoir, then moved to Charlotte, NC and finally settled in Greenville, SC.

Doris had a heart for teaching and was skilled in many areas. In addition to teaching home economics, she was a biology teacher at Greenville Middle School, and a reading teacher at Camperdown Academy. Her passion for teaching extended far beyond the classroom walls. In fact, family travel was never just a vacation, it was a field trip! A walk on the beach wasn’t just sand between your toes, it was ocean water ready to be boiled for a salty science experiment and plenty of mollusks were just waiting to be identified. She celebrated the beauty and complexity of God’s creation everywhere she traveled.

Doris was truly the matriarch of the Youngblood family as she constantly planned family gatherings, parties, and celebrations around a warm and inviting table with attention to even the tiniest details. She always knew how to add the perfect finishing touches as if they were straight out of a Southern Living magazine. If it was Christmastime, she would be behind the scenes dressing all 8 grandchildren in nativity costumes to reenact the biblical story of Christ’s birth as Bud read from his Bible. No matter the occasion, there was always something to make the occasion or gathering special. From flower arrangements to tea parties and tablescapes, she knew hospitality like no other. Doris was an active member of Second Presbyterian Church where she prayed weekly with women in the church and opened her home to numerous missionaries and church members. She had a gift of making everyone she would meet feel like a member of her family. Her home became a place of warmth and love to all who visited.

In addition to her life in the church, Doris also loved spending time as a member of the Garden Club and the Broad River Basin Historical Society, where she planned the organization’s first Fall Festival. She was an avid reader, writer, journalist, and loved traveling with family and friends. Even in mundane tasks and events she continued to pray “Lord, please bless this project.”

Summer time was always a treasured time for Doris as she planned “Grandmother camps” for her 8 grandchildren. These camps were an experience like no other where she spent months planning activities around themes such as world travel, prairie days, genealogy, music, arts, culinary skills, sewing, biology, and even topped it off with an “operetta production” of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. She knew how to make every moment into an unforgettable memory.

The unique part of our beloved Mom and Manna was that her external beauty matched her internal beauty. She was the classiest southern lady often wearing a dashing Talbots outfit paired with a heart of gold, a sweet laugh that was contagious, a radiant smile in her eyes, a charming personality, and when you put it all together, it was nearly impossible not to fall instantly in love with Doris Youngblood. She always found a way to give back with her gifts–if it was a gardening day, she was picking and arranging her flowers for the sick and elderly. If she was cooking a meal, she was making a double recipe to share with a neighbor or church friend. If she was out shopping, she would frequently stop along the card aisle to pick up stationary cards to write to loved ones, and if someone was sick, they most certainly needed a “doc box,” filled with love and treats that even the sickest of sick could not resist. She was loyal, thoughtful, caring, and kind, but most importantly, she gave thanks to the Lord in all situations. She lived out one of her favorite verses, Psalm 100, by serving the Lord with gladness!

She and Bud fervently and faithfully prayed around the breakfast table each and every morning for all of their children and children’s children. Each one by name, never forgotten, with so much love and care for their individual needs. Devotions were always at the forefront of anything Doris and Bud did together and their love for the Lord was something that was faithful and steadfast every day of their lives until their last breaths. Doris was a woman of strength, a woman of grace, and most wholeheartedly a woman who honored the Lord in all that she did. Thank you, Lord, for the gift and blessing of Doris Youngblood.

A Memorial Service for Doris will be held Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Second Presbyterian Church, 105 River St, Greenville, SC 29601.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made on behalf of Doris to Second Presbyterian Church 105 River St, Greenville, SC 29601.