Pansy Cooper Baughman, wife of the late Otis Lee Baughman, Sr. and mother of Patrick Lee Baughman went to her Heavenly home early Sunday morning, October 26, 2008. “Miss Pansy” as she was lovingly called, died at the Benzie T. Rice Home, Bernardin Skilled Care Unit, Columbia, South Carolina.
Mrs. Baughman was born May 11, 1908 at Buffalo Pond near Springfield, South Carolina. She was the 13th child born to Henry Garvin Cooper and Elizabeth Corbett Cooper. She graduated from Springfield High School and Chicora College in Columbia. which was moved from the Hampton Preston House and surrounding area to Charlotte, North Carolina where it merged with Queen’s College. She taught school in Inman, South Carolina and in Wagener, South Carolina. On September 14, 1934 she married Mr. Baughman and resided in Wagener, South Carolina for sixty years. In Wagener, she was a member of First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School for forty years, joyfully planned and prepared meals for the bereaved and was honored by the congregation with a goodbye luncheon celebrating her dedication to the church. At the age of 86, she moved to Columbia and joined Shandon Baptist Church, Columbia. Mrs. Baughman was an avid University of South Carolina sports fan. She was the oldest person to become a member of the Gamecock Club at the age of 86 when she moved to Columbia. Until her health began to fail, she was regular at the Carolina basketball games.
In addition to her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lee Baughman (Lou Lightsey) of Columbia, Mrs. Baughman, MaPat, as known by her family, is survived by three grandchildren and one grandson-in-law: Mr. Patrick Lee Baughman, Jr. of Hendersonville, South Carolina, Mrs. Timothy Asnip (Lynn Louise Baughman) of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and Dr. and Mrs. James Edwin Hunter, Jr. (Jan Elizabeth Baughman) of Statesville, North Carolina; five great grandchildren: Ashlynn Louise Asnip and Timothy Manning Asnip of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, James Patrick Hunter, Edward Andrew Hunter and Louisa Elizabeth Hunter of Statesville, North Carolina. Also, surviving are one niece, one nephew, and five step grandchildren. Besides her late husband, Mrs. Baughman was predeceased by one grandson-in law, six sisters, six brothers, two step children and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the loving caregivers and staff at the Benzie T. Rice Home, Bernardin Skilled Care Unit.
A Worship service in celebration of Mrs. Baughman’s life will be held at First Baptist Church, Wagener on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends at the Columbia residence of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lee Baughman from four until eight pm on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 and at First Baptist Church, Wagener following the service.
Pallbearers will be Mr. Patrick Lee Baughman, Jr., Dr. James Edwin Hunter, Jr., Mr. Timothy Manning Asnip, Mr. James Patrick Hunter, Mr. Edward Andrew Hunter, Mr. Arthur Buist Jordan, III and Dr. John Geist Black.
Memorials may be made to the Benzie T. Rice Home, 100 Finley Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29203 or Shandon Baptist Church, 5250 Forest Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29206.
