Margaret Walker

Margaret Ila Griffith Harmon Walker, 79, of Florence, died Thursday, May 29, 2008, in a local health care facility after an illness.

Ms. Walker was born in Greenville, S.C., a daughter of the late James Paul Griffith and Pauline Phillips Griffith. She was a member of the SC International Pentecostal Holiness Church for forty-nine years; a member of the American Music Association; and a member of the Amanda Pentecostal Holiness Church. She served as Minister of Music at Darlington Pentecostal Holiness Church and volunteered at Commander Nursing Center. Ms. Walker taught piano in her home for sixty-six years and served as music teacher for Christian Assembly School for twenty-five years. She served as SC Conference International Pentecostal Holiness Church musician for camp meetings and conferences for almost thirty years and served as a board member of the SC Conference Women's Ministries for twelve years and as President of the Board for four years. She provided musical accompaniment and served as judge for youth participating in District through National levels of teen talent in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. As a minister's wife, she served as Minister of Music for the six churches they served. Those churches were Johnsonville, Maryville, East Laurinburg, Northwood, Kingsway and Amanda Pentecostal Holiness Churches.

Ms. Walker will be remembered for using her God given talents in God's service for her entire life. One of her last contributions to the music community was the original composition of inspirational music she composed for the harp which was published in 2001.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Rev. Bernardo D. "Ben" Harmon; her second husband, Jack D. Walker; and a brother, James Griffith.

Surviving are her daughters, Miriam (Robert) Edwards of Darlington, Paula Elliott of Princeton, W.Va. and Martha (Bruce) Pech of Effingham; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the McLeod Hospice House, 1203 East Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29506 or to the Darlington First Pentecostal Holiness Church, 598 West Broad Street, Darlington, SC 29532.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 1, 2008, at Christian Assembly Pentecostal Holiness Church. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery in Greenville, S.C. at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 2, 2008.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home on Saturday, May 31, 2008.