Edith "Edie" Anthony Purvis Cross, 76, of Columbia, died Wednesday, January 10, 2018. Born in Gaffney, SC, on June 13, 1941, she was a daughter of the late Herndon Anthony and Edith Powell Anthony. Edie was a graduate of Dreher High School, where she served as the Student Body President her senior year. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors Degree in advertising and public relations. She was the author of The Gallant Gladden, a biography about the life of Brigadier General A.H. Gladden. Edie worked for Dr. Hugh Dubose and as an Executive Assistant for the SC State Legislature, and served as the Director of the SC Women's Caucus for both the House and the Senate. She was a member of the UDC and served as President of the University of South Carolina Chapter of the DAR.

Survivors include her husband, Andrew Herbert Cross, Sr.; daughter, Cheryl "Cheri" Purvis Lechnar, PhD (Jeff), Carrie Suzan Cross, Crawford Marrett "Rett" Cross (Denise). In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her grandfather, W. Claude Powell, Sr., and her first husband, Howard A. Purvis.

The funeral service for Mrs. Cross will be held 11:30 o'clock, Saturday, January 13th, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia. Burial will follow the service in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 10:30 o'clock.

The family request memorials be made to Tamassee DAR School, 1925 Bumgardner Dr, Tamassee, SC 29686, or to Mid Carolina Camellia Society, 902 Woodland Dr., Columbia, SC 29205.