Annie Ruth Whittle Lybrand

Our sister in Christ was born the daughter of Eugene Stanmore and Carrie Lou Gardner Whittle July 13, 1933 in Blackville, South Carolina. She was raised in the same town and graduated as the Valedictorian of her Senior Class of Blackville High School. She then attended and graduated from the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Columbia, South Carolina. She worked in the medical field as a Registered Nurse for Orangeburg Regional Hospital and in the private Orangeburg medical office of Dr. Eargle. She married Raymond Lybrand in the summer of 1976, and they resided together in Lexington, South Carolina while she continued her work with Dr. Eargle until he retired from his medical practice. At that time she worked as a Registered Nurse for the South Carolina State Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina and as a family medical counselor for the Department of Health and Human Services for the State of South Carolina before retiring in Lexington, South Carolina. She was truly a proficient and professional role model in the medical field. One of her surviving granddaughters is currently serving a hospital as a Registered Nurse. Mrs. Lybrand was a member of the Pineview Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina and a member of the Ladies' Sunday School Class. She invested her time in prayer for many loved ones as she created an amazing lifetime volume of handwork including crochet, tatting, and "cut-work". Her original quilted baby blankets were welcomed by the South Carolina State Fair with Blue Ribbons for her impeccable sewing talent. She crocheted queen-sized bedspreads for each of her three daughters as well as tablecloths, placemats, and many "made-to-order" requested pieces of handwork. Her dresser typically held a line of awaiting blue and pink baby booties crocheted in anticipation of new lives. Her side lamp table often held a stack of tatted bookmarks, often crafted in red, ready to give to friends and family. She made beautiful clothes for her young girls and friends, bathing suits for the beach, original costumes, button holes on sixteen cheerleading blouses (in record time), pillows, and wedding veils with her accomplished skill with a sewing needle. Surviving are her three daughters Beverly Kennedy Lynn of New Smyrna Beach, FL, Shirley L. Kennedy Sanders of Myrtle Beach, SC, and Peggy (Margaret Tessie) Kennedy Raynor of New Smyrna Beach, FL. She is also survived by her step-son, Ted Lybrand, and step-daughter, Donna Lybrand Mooney. Her surviving grandchildren are Lisa Sanders Perini with Tom Perini (Buffalo Gap, TX), Tom Sanders with Laurie Townsend Sanders (Anderson, SC), Lindsey Kennedy Sanders with Stephen Calcutt (Greenville, SC), Allison Sanders Green with Keaton Green (Charlotte, NC), Reagan Douglas Lynn with Sarah Russi (Tallahassee, FL), McIntyre Kennedy Sanders with Elizabeth Thompson Sanders (Simpsonville, SC), Chelsey Ann (Lynn) Nelson with Derrik Nelson (Louisville, KY), Melissa Shannon Raynor (New Smyrna Beach, FL), Patricia Sanders Merritt with Dustin Merritt (Anderson, SC), Leslie Kennedy Sanders with Drew Turner (Clemson, SC), and Jason Robert Raynor (New Smyrna Beach, FL). And she is survived by great-grandchildren Addie Grace Sanders, Parker Kate Sanders, and Mason Thomas Sanders. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Harold Cromer, sister-in-law Florence Whittle, sister Juanita Whittle Gable, brother Gardner Eugene Whittle with Susan Whittle, and loved nieces and nephews. Annie Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Raymond D. Lybrand, of Lexington, South Carolina, for whom she served as a loyal wife, friend and nurse; Annie Ruth's brother, James Whittle; brother, Hiram Wesley Whittle; sister Evelyn Cromer; sister Mabel "Rokki" Dukes and great-granddaughter, Emerson Iris Sanders. Annie Ruth Lybrand will be missed by all who knew and loved her as she passed into the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, April 22, 2016. Funeral services for Annie Ruth Lybrand will be held at 9:00 AM, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at Pineview Baptist Church, 3016 Leaphart Road, West Columbia, SC. Pastor Brandon Sandifer will officiate. Burial will follow at Blackville Cemetery, Blackville, SC at 1:00 PM. The family will greet friends from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, 4720 Augusta Road, Lexington.