"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."

Proverbs 31:25

It was with that final thought and surrounded by her beloved family that Barbara Dowd Nesbitt, 85, of Columbia, SC, was welcomed into the arms of her Lord on Thursday, June 12, 2014, at the stroke of midnight. Having lived her life dedicated to caring for others, her memory will live on through those she touched. A celebration of Barbara's life will be held at New Heights Church, on Saturday, June 14, 2014, located at 5501 Broad River Road. The family will receive visitors from 3:30-5:00 at the church with the celebration to begin at 5:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Crescent Hill Memorial Park, 2603 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC, 29204.

Mrs. Nesbitt was born on January 4, 1929, the daughter of the late Lee and Annie Dowd of Irmo, SC, and devoted widow of her late husband, Frank Marion Nesbitt, Jr. of Columbia, SC. A truly loving caretaker, Barbara touched countless lives as a graduate registered nurse of the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing for thirty-three years, and completed her professional career for the final twelve years as Nursing Supervisor for Brian Nursing Center. Upon her retirement from nursing, Mrs. Nesbitt spent many years as a devoted nursery worker and Vacation Bible School teacher at New Heights Church.

Living on to cherish her memory are her loving children; Deborah Boehler and husband, Larry; Lucy Kelly; Donna McLaughlin and husband, Lee; Frankie Boltinhouse and husband, Phillip; her devoted grandchildren: Melissa Boehler, Ashley Boehler, Joshua Boltinhouse and wife, Elizabeth, Whitney Boltinhouse Baxley and husband, Shane; Matthew Kelly and wife, Alyssa; Amanda Kelly Knight and husband, Tom; Bobbi Lee McLaughlin; great-grandchild Mari Mack Boltinhouse; and sisters Judy Peck and Agnes Hood along with numerous other friends and family members. Mrs. Nesbitt was preceded in death by her loving husband of fifty-two years, Frank; her parents, Lee and Annie Dowd; brother, David Dowd; sister, Libby Shealy; and son in law, Ken Kelly.

Special thank you to Amedisys Hospice and especially nurse Darcy Brannigan. Thank you also to her devoted caregivers Sharon Williams and Lakeesha Thompson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the New Heights Building Fund, care of New Heights Church, at 5501 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC, 29212, with phone number, 803-772-6000.