Betty Jane Strohecker died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community. Known as "Maw", she was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, great-grand mother, and friend to all. She embraced and celebrated life to the fullest and remained a woman of great strength and character. She will be missed.

Betty, the daughter of the late Mable and James Savage, was born in Rockford, Illinois, on October 12, 1924. After graduation from Framingham High School in Framingham, Massachusetts, Betty enrolled in the New England Baptist Nursing School. She joined the Navy during World War II as a pharmacist mate stationed at Long Beach Naval Hospital. She met her future husband, William Jennings Strohecker, while stationed on Long Island. They soon married and moved to Charleston, SC, where Bill completed his final years at the Citadel and his medical training at the Medical University of South Carolina and Betty attended the College of Charleston. She and Bill later moved to Columbia, where she reared three children while being involved in the medical community, church, garden clubs and civic organizations. She was president of the Columbia Medical Society Auxiliary, and president of the South Carolina Medical Auxiliary. Betty loved flowers and gardens and was president of the Lilac Garden Club, president of the Garden Club Council of Greater Columbia, and member of the Garden Club of South Carolina, a member of the National Council of State Garden Clubs. She was also a Master Judge of the National Judges Club. Betty was on the Altar Guild of Trenholm Road United Methodist Church where she was a longtime member. She was a Girl Scout Leader and a board member of the March of Dimes. Betty was an avid reader and was president of the Midlands Book Club. She loved to play bridge and had many close friends with whom she played with over many years. She and Bill were also members of the Tarantella Dance Club. An adventurous traveler, Betty and her husband loved to travel and visited 29 countries on six continents. Some of her favorite trips were Alaska and ballooning over the Serengeti. When asked which was her favorite trip, she always replied, "her next one".

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, William Jennings Strohecker; her brother, James Savage, Jr.; her sister, Beverly Savage Dew; and her beloved dog, Ferguson.

Survivors include her children, Diane Strohecker Loeble (Bill) of Covington, Georgia, James Scott Strohecker (Marie) of Columbia, South Carolina, and William Jennings "Jay" Strohecker, Jr. (Retta) of Chapin, South Carolina; grandchildren, William Dexter Loeble, III (Jolie) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Janet Loeble Burtts of Covington, Georgia, Stephanie Strohecker Goe (Brian) of Tampa, Florida, Scott Carson Strohecker (Lissa) of Maui, Hawaii, Elizabeth Strohecker Ullman (Mark) of Lexington, South Carolina, Beaumont Barre Covert (Wayne "Jabo") of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Randall Stewart Barre (Griffith "Grif") of Columbia, South Carolina; 13 great grandchildren, William Dexter Loeble, IV, Antonio "Tony" Burtts, Nakimrey "Kim" Janae Burtts, Haylee Sierra Burtts, Conrad Eliot Strohecker, Katherine Anne "Hattie" Strohecker, Mark Williams Ullman, III, Scott Thomas Ullman, Madison "Maddie" Saunders Covert, Sophia "Sophie" Marie Beaumont Covert, Madeline Griffith Richmond, John Stewart Barre, and Lyles Elizabeth Barre.

A celebration of her life will be held at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM, on Wednesday, September 12, 2018. Burial services will be private.
The family would like to give special thanks to Geraldine "Gerri" Grissette and the caregivers at Jane Bruce Guignard Healthcare Neighborhood at Still Hopes.
Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community, One Still Hopes Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169, Humane Society, 121 Humane Lane, Columbia, SC 29209 or the Citadel Foundation, 171 Moultrie St, Charleston, SC 29409.