Linda Haltiwanger Clark

Linda Sue Rister Haltiwanger Clark, 78, of Springfield Place in Newberry, widow of Kenneth Melvin “Kenny” Haltiwanger Sr., died Saturday, December 28, 2024 in Jesse Frank Hawkins Nursing Home in Newberry after a 3rd battle with cancer.

Born on September 2, 1946 in Newberry, she was the daughter of the late James Edward and Helen Merchant Rister. Linda grew up in West End and attended schools in Newberry, graduating from Newberry High School in 1964. She treasured her classmates and memories of high school, winning Homecoming Queen 1963 and teaching young children to twirl batons with the majorettes. After high school, she attended Furman University where she studied nursing. After her marriage to Kenny and the birth of their son, Kent, they moved to Travelers Rest where they worked at the A&H Supermarket. They had two more sons, Jay and Jody, before moving back to Newberry to open their own store, Haltiwanger’s Grocery, which they operated for 21 years. They attended and the boys grew up in Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church.

During her first fight with cancer, Linda took up drawing and painting, first on canvas and later on saw blades, all of which she sold in the store. Once Linda was able, she and Kenny traveled throughout the Southeast selling her hand-painted saw blades and gourds under her company name, Saws-N-All. After his death in 2001, she married Allen Clark, and they continued traveling with the craft business. When her 2nd round of cancer appeared and COVID wouldn’t let her travel anymore, she sold her goods at Armfield’s in Newberry. She moved to Springfield Place where she was diagnosed with cancer a third and final time. She was proud to be a cancer survivor twice, saying she lived to see all of her grandchildren born and see the eldest get married.

She was survived by her three sons and their wives, Kenneth Melvin Jr.(Kent) and Tracy Y Haltiwanger of Spartanburg, Jimmy “Jay” and Valerie K. Haltiwanger and Jody Lee and Stephanie W. Haltiwanger, all of Prosperity. She also left behind six grandchildren: Ryan “Kelly” Haltiwanger and wife, Elena Nelson, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rachel Suzanne Haltiwanger of West Columbia, Kendellin Jaye Haltiwanger, Tyer Brooks Kirrill Haltiwanger, Baylee Reese Haltiwanger and Barrett Kenneth Haltiwanger, all of Prosperity. She was also survived by a sister, Christine Rister Fisher(Lloyd Paul Ganss) of Greenville, a brother, Wayne Edward Rister(Karen) of Newberry, a sister-in-law, Mary Hawkins Haltiwanger of Newberry, a brother-in-law, Mark Skalicky of Greenville and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Besides her parents and her first husband, Kenny, she was predeceased by a sister, Janice Rister Barbare Skalicky and in-laws, George and Mildred Haltiwanger, June Rister, Carl and Lib Hamm, Ed and Betty Haltiwanger, Henry and Daphine Haltiwanger, Charles and Dot Hamby, Jimmy and Beth Haltiwanger, Mickey Haltiwanger, and Don and Mackey Satterfield.

Honorary pallbearers will be Andy Dole, Springfield Place residents and workers and Jessie Frank Nursing Home workers.

Pallbearers will be Kelly Haltiwanger, Rachel Haltiwanger, Ty Haltiwanger, Kendellin Haltiwanger, Baylee Haltiwanger, Barrett Haltiwanger, Shawn Barbare and David Haltiwanger. 

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 pm Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at McSwains-Evans Funeral Home.

Services for Linda Sue Rister Haltiwanger Clark will be held at 11am Thursday, January 2, 2025 at Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church by the Rev. Leon Rawl. Interment will follow in Newberry Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church, 1307 Drayton St., Newberry, SC 29108.