On Sunday, October 21, 2018, on a perfect fall day, Elizabeth Kershaw Blackmon, affectionately known as Betsy, passed into the light after a courageous battle with cancer. Born November 16, 1984, Betsy was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ellison Suggs (Jane and Tommy) of Columbia, South Carolina.

Betsy was beloved by her family and friends and was a gracious hostess who loved a good party. She was a talented ballet dancer and attended the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities before graduating from A.C. Flora High School. She attended Ole Miss and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography.

Betsy had a unique style and a keen eye for design and fashion. After attending Brenau University's School of Interior Design, Betsy worked for Bobo Intriguing Objects in Atlanta and acclaimed designer Richard Keith Langham in New York. Later in Santa Monica, Betsy started her own firm, "Substance and Style," creating residential interiors and commercial spaces in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and the Carolinas.

Betsy embraced life and was admired for her beautiful sense of humor. She was an independent thinker, believed in questioning the status quo, and was deeply committed to her spiritual path.

Throughout her illness, Betsy manifested her strength of character by continuing to express her love and concern for others. During the most difficult days, Betsy bolstered her family's and friends' spirits with courage, an infectious smile, and her ever present wit.

Betsy is survived by her parents, Jane and Tommy Suggs; father, Joseph Warren Blackmon; brother, William Dandridge Blackmon (Courtney); nephew and godson, William Dandridge Blackmon, Jr.; grandmother, Mrs. William Burrell Patterson (Betty); aunts and uncles, The Reverend Ann Patterson Rhyne (Steve), William Burrell Patterson (Julie), John Kershaw Patterson (Melinda), John William Suggs (Angela), William Fred Blackmon (Jean), Virginia Blackmon Dennis (Bobby); and a host of cousins.

A celebration of Betsy's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, on Thursday, October 25th. Following the service, friends and family are invited to gather at the home of Jane and Tommy Suggs. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

Betsy was a life-long lover of the arts, and those wishing to honor her may do so with a contribution to The Betsy Blackmon Foundation for the Arts, In care of Central Carolina Community Foundation, 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 213, Columbia, S.C. 29204 or online at https://yourfoundation.wufoo.com/forms/betsy-blackmon-foundation-for-the-arts/ .