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The Greenville County Republican Women’s Club honored three deceased members during a recent luncheon at the Poinsett Club.

Club members lit a candle and made a short presentation honoring each of the ladies.

Past club president Geri Warren lit the candle and discussed the life of Mary Earl Drawdy. Mrs. Warren described Mary Drawdy as a “strong Southern lady” whose entire family has been important to the Greenville County Republican Women’s Club since its beginning in 1956. Mary was a 10th generation Earle, one of Greenville’s pioneer families. She was a descendant of Col. Elias Earle, who served in both the South Carolina House and Senate and the United States Congress.

Mary graduated from Greenville High School and Furman University with a B. A. degree in French and Math. During World War II she worked for the Navy Department in Washington, D. C. She married Vance B. Drawdy, a pioneer in establishing the Republican Party in South Carolina. They have one son, Vance Earl Drawdy, who is married to Sarah Ganss Drawdy, a member of the GCRWC. Other members of the Earle family who are members of the club are her sister Elizabeth Farnsworth, sister-in-law Pat Earle and niece Jenny Earle.

Mary was proud of her southern heritage, was an accomplished gardener and enjoyed seeing the results of her “green thumb.” Some of her happiest hours were spent on her garden tractor on her farm in Southern Greenville County.

Betty Orders lit a candle and presented a tribute to her friend Harriet Calvert Dempsey. Mrs, Dempsey was born in Abbeville and graduated from Winthrop College in 1956, where she had been a member of the Swimming team. Her favorite entertainment included playing bridge and attending Clemson athletic events.

Her greatest accomplishments were raising her three daughters and cheerfully supporting her husband Jerry Dempsey’s  successful career accomplishments.

In Greenville, she was a member of the Symphony Guild and served on the board of the Greenville Little Theater.

Greenville County Republican Women’s Club Chaplain Marie Parker lit a candle and paid tribute to Club member Jeannette D. Hayward. Mrs. Hayward was born in Watertown, Wisconsin. She was a graduate of the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Madison, Wisconsin.

She and her husband enjoyed 62 years of marriage and lived throughout the United States and Belgium. After retirement, she became an avid gardener and started garden clubs in several cities. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Greenville and served as First Vice President of the Greenville County Republican Women’s Club.

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