Leila Stringer

Family-Placed Death Notice

STRINGER, Leila LEILA SITTON STRINGER Mrs. Leila Sitton Stringer passed away peacefully at her home in Lenbrook Square on May 21, 2010. Born on November 16, 1918, in Anderson, S.C., she was the daughter of the late Sarah McPhail Sitton and the late Eugene Norton Sitton. She grew up in Pendleton and Anderson, S.C., and graduated from Winthrop College in Rock Hill, S.C. In 1941, she announced her engagement to William Kenneth Stringer four days before Pearl Harbor. Rather than the planned spring wedding, they were married that same December. Kenneth volunteered and served in the U.S. Army in France and Belgium during World War II, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He joined Leila and their baby daughter Clare after the war at their new home in Seneca, S.C., and he became president of the family business, Kenneth Cotton Mills in Walhalla, S.C. Kenneth and Leila had a wonderful marriage, which ended too soon with his death from cancer in 1961. They had four children, but sadly lost a baby boy, Hill Freeman, soon after birth, and their eldest child, Nancy Clare, in 1959 in an automobile accident. Leila was a long-term member of the Forward Arts Foundation and several clubs around Atlanta. She was an active volunteer for the Atlanta Speech School. She moved to Vero Beach, Florida, for fifteen years and built a home at John's Island, returning to Atlanta in 1987 to be near her family. She was always a popular guest and hostess. She also acquired a deserted old home in Vero Beach and developed it into an elegant gated subdivision called Charleston Square. As a young woman, she represented Anderson County in the Miss South Carolina pageant. In 1968, she was elected Mother of the Year at The McCallie School in Chattanooga and represented all mothers at a parade in honor of Mother's Day. She was the only mother ever to have received this honor who did not live in the Chattanooga area. Throughout her life, she was the epitome of grace and charm combined with a friendly and free-spirited love of life. She was positive, friendly, and upbeat regardless of the situation, and she had the ability to always look on the bright side. Surviving Mrs. Stringer are her son and his wife, Ken and Lola Stringer of Atlanta, and her daughter, Genie Stringer of Dallas and Atlanta. She especially appreciated the care and loving attention given to her by Genie, who moved to an apartment in Atlanta to be near her mother. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kenneth Stringer IV of Cincinnati, Marie Stringer of Atlanta, and David Stringer of Atlanta. She was very close to all her loving grandchildren and relished each aspect of their life experiences. She was looking forward to the wedding next weekend of Kenneth and his lovely fiancée, Dr. Courtney Crane-Sherman. Leila was always very close to her family near Anderson, S. C. Her sisters were the late Frances Watkins (wife of the late William L. Watkins) and the late Sarah Gambrell (wife of the late Bill Gambrell), and her brother was the late Gus Sitton (husband of Mary Sitton). Her sister-in-law was the late Caroline Rainey (wife of the late Dr. John Rainey). Many of their extended families are still in the Anderson area. Leila Stringer appreciated the excellent care she received from her nurses and all who helped her. Visitation will be held Monday May 24 from 6-8 PM at Patterson Spring Hill. Funeral services will be held at Patterson Spring Hill at 11 AM Tuesday, May 25. A graveside service will be held at 3 PM May 25 at Silver Brook Cemetery in Anderson, S. C.