Bobby Ann Widener

BOBBY ANN WIDENER, 86, widow of Larry Widener, passed away Friday, May 30, 2025, in Aiken Regional Medical Centers.

Bobby Ann Widener (Brown) was born on October 7th, 1938 to the Tolene and Loyd Brown in Dumas, Texas. She was the younger sister to Drucilla Hager (Brown). Bobby and her widowed mother, Tolene, moved to Aiken, South Carolina in the mid 1950’s to open and operate a boarding home in the Central Savanah River Area. Bobby attended Aiken Middle and High School where she met her best friends Shelvie Hutchinson and Rahlene Linler. She graduated from Aiken High School in 1957, where she met her high school sweetheart, Larry Widener. Bobby Ann and Larry were married in 1958, they soon moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her sister, Drucilla and Frank also lived. Bobby was the proud mother to Michael Bryce and Melanie Widener, both of whom were her world.

Bobby was a social butterfly who was very active in the Albuquerque and Aztec, New Mexico Parent Teacher Association, where she fiercely advocated for children with special needs. As a mother to a child with special needs, Bobby knew what it took for stand up for others and did so as often as she could. Bobby was very involved in the Shriner Community (Masonic Lodge of Albuquerque, Ballat Abyad Shrine, and Royal Order of Jesters). Bobby loved her family both in New Mexico and in Aiken, South Carolina. Bobby was a beloved Aunt and she adored her nieces and nephews and cousins. She kept up with her family and longtime friendships after moving back to Aiken, South Carolina in 1984.

Since that time she has remained active in the community in Aiken. Bobby attended the Center for Lifelong Learning at the University of South Carolina Aiken for over ten years. She loved learning new things and trying new things. Bobby was a wonderful grandmother to Miranda Wertz, Philip Sellers and Jackie Sellers. Bobby, Melanie and Mirand became the “Three Musketeers” in 1991 after Larry passed away. The three were always together for mini- vacations, road trips and fun adventures. Bobby became a great-grandmother to Emory Bryce in 2014- he was her world. Bobby was very involved with Emory and enjoyed slumber parties and ice cream dates with her grands up until the very end. Bobby enjoyed a rich social life, she never missed a fun event or a Thursday night dinner with “The Girls” She loved her church, Millbrook Baptist Church, her “Sunday School Friends” and she valued her relationship with the Lord.

Bobby, most importantly, was a strong, tough, loving, and strong-willed woman who made the world a better place. She was funny, kind, beautiful and intelligent. She taught her girls that a woman could do anything she put her mind to. She was a force to be reckoned with, and she will be dearly missed and forever loved.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening, June 4th from 6 until 8 o’clock at Shellhouse – Rivers Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be Thursday morning, June 5th at 11 o’clock at the funeral home with The Rev. Bill Howard III officiating. Interment will be in historic Bethany Cemetery.

SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC