Celester "Lester" Rutland

1936 - 2022

Celester 'Lester' Rutland

ORANGEBURG -- Celester "Lester" Rutland went to be with the Lord on Feb. 27, 2022.

Lester was born Mary Celester Stone on May 30, 1936, in Cope to the late John Chester Stone and the late Lula Zeigler Stone of Jamison. She was the eldest of five children. Lester attended the Orangeburg Nursing School and had a career as an administrative assistant at Sears, Greenwood Mills and The Methodist Home, prior to owning and operating The Jewelry Box for over 20 years with her husband. She was an active member of the Alpha Omicron Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon woman's sorority and held the office of state president in 1979. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Orangeburg and the Couples Class in Sunday school.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Edgar Cecil Rutland Jr.; daughters, Melissa (Michael) Burke of Hoover, Alabama, and Sheila Murphy of Ravenel.; grandsons, Lester (Amanda) Murphy of Ravenel and Austin Burke of Alabama; and a great-grandson, William Murphy.

Memorials may be dedicated in her honor to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605; or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, in the Thompson Funeral Home chapel. The Rev. Ryan Tucker will be officiating. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Gardens, 4830 Columbia Road, Orangeburg.

The family will receive friends from 12:30-1:30 p .m. Tuesday, March 1, in the Thompson Funeral Home chapel prior to the funeral service.

Pallbearers will be Mark Wilson, Anthony Lyons, Danny Smoak, JW Smoak, Dana Rickard and Michael Sandifer.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy and Sue Plunkett, Jimmy and Melva Martin, Charles and Kathy Stoudemire, Tommy Ashley, Tommy and Betty Ulmer, Charles Goodwin, Robin Sandifer and Chuck Nichols.

Please sign the family's online guest book at www.thompsonfh.net.