In Memorium

Emma Marshall “Aunt Pete” Boyce

“There was a lot of comfort in the fact that you could leave your children with her and know that they were in good hands,” said Brenda Keels, who had two kids who were raised by “Aunt Pete.”

On Monday, June 7, 2010, Emma Marshall “Aunt Pete” Boyce, 82, wife of Hazel Ethredge Boyce, died at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence.

Mrs. Boyce was born on March 12, 1928, in St. Stephen, S.C. She moved to Manning in 1969 and became a member of the Manning Second Baptist Church. That same year she started up Wee Care Nursery, which she ran out of her own house, and became known as “Aunt Pete” to many of the children in this community. Boyce ran the nursery for almost 40 years.

“She was a good neighbor, hard working and probably raised half of the children, who are now adults, in Clarendon County,” said Gloria Eanes, Boyce’s neighbor from across the street.

Eanes said that she also was an excellent housekeeper and that nothing was ever out of place even though she may have had up to 25 children in her yard. “She really loved kids,” Eanes said.

Elaine Buddin’s daughter, nieces and nephews all attended the Wee Care Nursery.

“Aunt Pete was so dedicated to her job and she was very unselfish,” Buddin said. “She would even keep the children over the weekends sometimes. She always kept them entertained.”

Hulaine Windham had two children, who attended “Aunt Pete’s” nursery from age three up to 12-years-old.

“They had so much fun over there that they would have rather stayed there than come home,” Windham said.

Windham said that during the summers Mrs. Boyce would take the children on different field trips, and to her lake house. She would let the kids swim and fish off her pier.

“Aunt Pete would always say ‘if they came home dirty they had fun,’” Windham said.

She said that her children loved Aunt Pete so much that they would come and visit her even after they got older.

“They never wanted to leave,” she said.

Kevin Ross, who is now 46, attended Mrs. Boyce’s nursery from the time he was six. He became best friends with her son, Bryant Boyce, who was the same age.

“I knew her for roughly 40 years,” Ross said. “She was generous, loved people, and had a lot of faith. She was a good servant of the Lord.”

Ross’s two kids, who are now 23 and 17, also attended “Aunt Pete’s” nursery.

“She helped a lot of people,” he said. “She never told anybody no.”

Ross gave a speech reflecting on his memories of Mrs. Boyce at her funeral. The service was held on Thursday, June 10, at 11 a.m., at Manning First Baptist Church, to accommodate the large crowd. Mrs. Boyce was buried at Clarendon Memorial Gardens in Manning.

Lola Clyde Moody Knowles

“If she could feed all of Clarendon County for free she would do it,” those were the words of Jack Reed an employee at Manning Restaurant. He was referring to Lola Clyde Moody Knowles who ran the restaurant for roughly 30 years. She was the woman who fed the whole county.

Knowles, 93, widow of John P. Knowles died Sunday, June 6, 2010, at Tuomey Healthcare System in Sumter.

Born January 25, 1917, in LaGrange, Georgia, Ms. Knowles was a member of the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Pine Mt., Ga. First married to James Carlton Moody, she moved to Manning in the early 1970s and bought the Manning Restaurant, a landmark, gathering place for many locals. She was the owner and operator of the restaurant for many years.

“She loved this place almost more than her own family,” said Brandi Wheeler, current owner of the Manning Restaurant. “I remember that she was straight up with people, if something wasn’t right she’d let you know.”

Rosa Ragin, a cook at the restaurant, worked with Knowles for 20 years. Ragin said that she was a strong and hard-working woman who was always organized and made sure everyone was on time.

Jack Reed, another employee of the restaurant, worked with Knowles for about nine years.

“She was one of the nicest people you’d meet,” he said.
    Reed said that any time there was a death in one of the local families, she’d take food to them. “She really loved her customers,” he said.

And Ms. Knowles had plenty of happy customers. Mitchell Cottingham, owner of Cottingham Insurance Agency, knew her for more than 40 years.

“I ate lunch at the restaurant just about everyday,” he said. “She’d always fix whatever you’d like and just was a very good person.”

Alfred H. Breedin Jr. was another frequent visitor of the Manning Restaurant.

“She was always kind and cared a lot about people,” Breedin said. “She’d always be there with a plate of good food to help someone out.”

Ranny Stephen’s son Shayne and Ms. Knowles’ grandsons were really close friends.

“We often wondered why he (Shayne) didn’t come home for supper sometimes, it was Ms. Knowles good cooking,” he said. 

Wheeler said that Ms. Knowles was still working the register at the restaurant until September of last year.

Funeral services for Ms. Knowles were held on Wednesday, June 9, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home in Manning. A graveside service was held on Thursday, June 10, at 11 a.m. in Warm Springs Cemetery, Warm Springs, Ga.