Sharon Singletary Vanzant

Sharon Singletary Vanzant passed away on October 11, 2026. A service of praise will be held November 9, 2026, at 11:00 am at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3200 Trenholm Rd, Columbia, SC, with a visitation directly following the service in Thompson Hall.

Born in Lake City, SC, on April 17, 1947, she was the oldest child and only daughter of the late Herman Lamar and Marthann Huggins Newman Singletary.
Sharon graduated from Sweetbriar College and received her Master of Education from the University of Virginia. Her work in education included two years of teaching special education in Greene County, VA and working for what was then the Office of Programs for the Handicapped at the State Department of Education, Columbia, SC between 1973-1983.

Active in the community, she served on the board of the SC State Museum Foundation and the Columbia Philharmonic. She was a life member of the Symphony League and chaired the first ASID Designer Showcase in Columbia in the fall of 1982. She was a sustaining member of the Junior League of Columbia, a member of the Columbia Garden Club, of which she was President in 1989-1990, a member of the William Capers Chapter of the DAR, of which she was Regent from 2012-2014. She was also a member of the Governor Robert Gibbes Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the XVII Century.

At the time of her death, she was pleased to call Eastminster Presbyterian Church her home church.

Surviving are her beloved husband of almost 58 years, Ralston B. (Pete) Vanzant, her children Christopher Ralston and Meagan Gower Vanzant, Kevin Singletary and Eve Cockrill Vanzant, SarahAnn Marguerite (Vanzant) and Jay Draffin, and the joys of her life, her grandchildren, Sullivan Joseph, Thomas Ralston, Henry Singletary, AnnSawyer (SuSu) Virginia, Cora Mae, and John Watson (Wats).

Sharon will be remembered as the woman who spread happiness and kindness wherever she went. She had an adventurous spirit and showed quiet strength as she fought her battle against cancer. She was the loving wife to Pete and was known as ShaSha to her grandchildren, who were her greatest blessings.

In lieu of flowers, she would like contributions to be sent to The Humane Society, 121 Humane Lane Columbia, SC, because of her love for animals, to SCOA Cares, 166 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia, SC for families coping with cancer, or to Eastminster Presbyterian Church.

Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.