Barbara H. Stoops

Barbara H. Stoops COLUMBIA - A memorial service to celebrate the life of Barbara H. Stoops --an award-winning religion writer and editor, columnist, public relations executive, author and advocate for the deaf -- will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at St. Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church, 6408 Bridgewood Road, in Columbia. A reception will follow the service in the Parish Hall. Mrs. Stoops, 92, died in Columbia in December 2012. Born on February 29, 1920 in Elizabeth, N.J., Mrs. Stoops was the daughter of the late Winifred LaVoy Cadwell Stork and the late Dr. Jack Everson Halton. Mrs. Stork's career as a nurse included positions in Asheville, N.C.; and, at Columbia College, Providence Hospital and the former Columbia Hospital. Dr. Halton was a pioneer surgeon and concert soloist-choir director in Sarasota, Florida. Mrs. Stoops was the wife of the late Gordon H. Stoops, a Columbia insurance executive. Mrs. Stoops retired as Religion Writer and Editor of The State newspaper in 1981. Her regular features included her "With the Churches" column, "Religion Report," and daily coverage of church activities throughout South Carolina and beyond. While at The State, she earned awards and honors from the S.C. Press Association, the Associated Press, the S.C. Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and The Lutheran Church in America. She also earned the first award for excellence in religion news reporting given by the S.C. Christian Action Council in 1971 and the first media award presented by the S.C. Baptist Convention in 1975. She was one of the first three women to receive a national inter-faith Religious Public Relations Council Award for Merit in 1977. Also in 1977, The State recognized Mrs. Stoops with the Ambrose E. Gonzales Award as the outstanding journalist of the year. The award, named for the co-founder of The State, cited her work "which goes beyond the simple reporting of revivals, homecomings and pulpit changes, to issues including the ordination of women, problems of denominational colleges, art and religion and separation of church and state". She won " primarily because in the opinion of the judges she offered the same sensitive and open-minded reporting on all religions." In 1980, Mrs. Stoops was sent by The State to tour Europe, tracing South Carolina's religious roots in Great Britain, Ireland and on the Continent for her weekly "Religion Report" column. Mrs. Stoops retired from The State in 1981 and became the director of public relations for the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia. Later she was director of the South Carolina United Methodist News Service. Mrs. Stoops also wrote for the New York-based Religion News Service; and was an associate member of the Religious Newswriters Association and a fellow of the Religious Public Relations Council. Mrs. Stoops began her newspaper career as a 16-year-old apprentice for The Sarasota (Florida) Tribune; was Women's Page Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune; served as staff correspondent for the Tampa Times and the St. Petersburg Times; was assistant to the Director of Public Relations at Rich's, Inc. in Atlanta, GA; and was senior publicist for U.S.O. Camp Shows, Inc., in New York City. She later headed her own public relations firm in New York and co-produced one of America's first daytime television programs, which aired over WABD, pioneer Dumont Station. Mrs. Stoops moved to Columbia in 1954. While in Columbia, her church and community service included service on the parents' board at Heathwood Hall and on the staff of the Piedmont Churchman. Along with her family, she was one of the founding members of St. Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church and served as its parish secretary and as the editor of the church newsletter The Guardian. In addition, she served as president of the PTO board for the S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind, was a member of the National Association of the Deaf, and was one of the founding members of the International Association of Parents of the Deaf and of the S.C. Organization for the Hearing Impaired. She was active with the Alliance Francaise in Columbia and the English-Speaking Union, and was an honorary member of the South Caroliniana Library, the Christian Action Council and Community Care, Inc. of Columbia. Surviving are three sons, Brian C. Stoops and his wife, Robin, of Hartsville, S.C.; C. Michael Stoops and his wife, Barbara, of Columbia; and Edward V. Roberts, Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Hendersonville, N.C.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the staff of NHC HealthCare Parklane and of Palmetto Health Hospice for their loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the building fund of St. Michael and All Angels or designated for any other ministry of the church.