The funeral service for Thelma Owen Hightower, 99, of Columbia, will be held 2:30 o'clock, Sunday, September 25, 2016 at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext, Columbia, with Chaplain Yu-Fong Chong, The. Rev. James A. Goudelock, and The Rev. Steven Bouknight officiating. Committal will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 1:30 o'clock.

Thelma was born February 16, 1917 in Columbia, SC. She was the eldest of five children born to Thomas Marvin Owen and Mattie Riley Owen Lever. She graduated from Columbia High School, Draughon's Business School, and obtained her RN from the Columbia Hospital School of Nursing in 1939.

Thelma was a member of Eau Claire Baptist Church and a former member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday school. She was an avid reader and, in her latter years, made an in-depth study of the Bible.

Thelma is survived by her two daughters, Cynthia H. Bramlett of Garden City, and Renée H. Berry of Blythewood; a son, Charles "Skip" L. Hightower, III (Kay) of Leesville; one brother, James C. Owen (Helen) of Florence, SC; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Thelma was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Charles Lee Hightower, Jr; a son, Owen R. Hightower and his wife, Sandra; sons-in-law, Joseph Lee "JL" Berry and Ralph Bramlett; grandson, Charles L. Hightower IV, brothers, Marvin and John T. "Bill" Owen; a sister, Mary O. Fort; step-sisters, Prema L. Gnann and Erin L. Wolff.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Life International, 1337-EE Hundred Oaks Drive, Charlotte, NC 28217 or Palmetto Place Children's Shelter, PO Box 3394, Columbia, SC 29230-3917 or the charity of one's choice.