Lois Carol Smith Burner

Carol Smith Burner passed away on January 28, 2021 in Lexington, SC at the Presbyterian Community of SC where she had resided for the last 7 years. She was born on August 18, 1928 in Quincy, Illinois to Daisy May Finney Smith and Charles Edward Smith. She is survived by her sisters, Marjorie (Smith) Burchmore of Sarasota, Florida and Ruth (Smith) Evans of Mendon, Illinois; her daughter, Mary Kathryn Hamm (Frank) of Lexington, SC; her son, Thomas Lee Burner (Celeste) of Lexington, SC, and her granddaughters, Alison Hamm of Lexington, SC and Caitlin Burner Held (Henry) of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Marian; a sister, Rachel (Smith) Clendenny; a brother, Thomas Smith, and her husband of 59 years, Lee Burner who passed in 2005.

Carol grew up on her father's large farm in Ursa, Illinois near Quincy, Illinois on the Mississippi River. Carol attended the (one room) Ruddell School in Ursa for her elementary education. She graduated from Quincy High School in 1946 and worked at a clerical job after graduation. She met her beloved husband, Lee Burner in 1946 and they went on their first date to get ice cream. She got her favorite flavor, strawberry. Lee was in the US Army and fought in World War II on the Pacific Front. He was on leave from the Army and visiting his hometown of Quincy when they met. They got married in Anniston, Alabama September 14, 1946.

Soon after their marriage, Lee Burner was transferred to Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. They arrived in Columbia at the old train station. Their first child, Mary Kathryn "Kathy" Burner was born August 14, 1947 and six years later their son, Thomas Lee "Tom" Burner was born October 7, 1953. Carol was a housewife in the Rosewood neighborhood of Columbia. Kathy and Tom attended Rosewood School where Carol was active in the PTA. She served as room mother and President of the PTA at Rosewood School. Her husband, Lee left the Army and worked for several years at General Arts in Columbia. Lee got a job at Edisto Farms Dairy in the bottling Plant. In the 1950’s the Burners joined Shandon Methodist Church in Columbia. Carol was very active at Shandon. She taught first grade Sunday school for many years, was a Brownie Troop Leader, a Cub Scout Leader, and a member of the Board of Directors. She also taught kindergarten there and was the President of South Carolina Association of Children under six. There is a Carol Burner Library at Shandon Methodist named in her honor.

In 1971, Edisto Dairy closed and Lee transferred to Coburg Dairy in Charleston, SC where they lived until 1988. Carol taught four-year-old kindergarten at their new church, Grace United Methodist. Carol also took classes at the College of Charleston for several years. Carol and Lee enjoyed going to visit small towns in South Carolina and visiting Lake Junaluska, North Carolina where she attended many Methodist conferences. They also liked to go shopping at various antique stores. Carol was a great baker. She made a delicious lemon meringue pie, peach pie, coconut pound cake, and wedding cookies. She enjoyed doing counted cross-stitch and was an excellent seamstress. She made clothes for herself, her daughter, Kathy and for her son, Tom when he was little. Carol and Lee loved gardening and planted day lilies in many varieties and colors. In 1988, Lee Burner retired from Coburg Dairy and they moved back to Columbia to the Melrose Heights neighborhood near Shandon Methodist Church. She taught kindergarten again there. They both enjoyed hosting and going to many home cooked dinners with their church friends. They also loved babysitting their granddaughters, Alison and Caitlin. Carol was a great preschool teacher who loved all her students and they loved her in return. When her young students saw her in the grocery store, they would tell their moms excitedly, "Look, look, there's my teacher Mrs. Burner" and they would smile and wave at her.

Carol was a good wife, mother, and teacher and a dedicated church member. She was intelligent, organized and dependable. She had a dry sense of humor, and could be tart sometimes, but she had a good heart. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and all who knew her. Rest in peace our dear, sweet Carol.

Our family would like to thank all of the staff at the Presbyterian Community of South Carolina, Lexington who cared for her and made her happier and more comfortable during her seven years there and in the last days of her life. We are so grateful for the love and concern you showed to our Mama.

There will not be a memorial service for her at this time due to COVID-19. We will have a service and inurnment of Carol and Lee's ashes at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery at a later date.