Betty Jo Mauldin Holcombe

Union, SC

Mrs. Betty Jo Mauldin Holcombe, age 86, of 100 E. South St., widow of Billy Eugene Holcombe passed away Sunday, May 1, 2016 at her home.

Mrs. Holcombe was born in Union, SC on November 26, 1929, the only daughter of the late William Clark Mauldin and Ivadell Smith Mauldin. She was an active and lifelong member of First Baptist Church, where she served in many capacities. Betty Jo had previously taught Sunday school and Girl's In Action and was always prayerful of the various mission goals set forth by the church.

She was a 1947 graduate of Union High School and a 1951 graduate of Converse College where she received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in English and Spanish. In the fall of 1951 "Miss Mauldin" returned to Union High School to begin her career teaching English. She continued in the English Department until the early 1960's when she returned to Converse to obtain certification to teach math. Betty Jo retired in 1986 after having taught 33 years at Union High School. She was honored with the dedication of the 1986 Gleam. She enjoyed helping produce several senior plays and advising the Hi-Life Staff. She was a member and former President of the Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

In July 1953, Betty Jo married Billy Eugene Holcombe son of S.R. Holcombe Funeral Home Founders S. Ratchford and Irene Fowler Holcombe. She was the consummate funeral directors wife, always understanding the devotion Billy gave the families and community they served. In 1986, she and her husband Billy Holcombe founded Holcombe Cemeteries, Inc., with the purchase of Union and Jonesville Memorial Gardens and later Forest Lawn Cemetery. She was a member of the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association and the South Carolina Cemetery Association. After Billy's death in 2005 she along with her nephew, Tommy Genoble and her son have continued to own and operate Holcombe Funeral Home, Inc.

While teaching and working Betty Jo, Billy, and her Uncle Dewey showed their love to their family in many ways, especially being sure her arthritic mother's and Aunt Juanita's health needs were capably met at home. This was care was done out of love not for reward. As a young woman she enjoyed traveling with her father and mother to New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Maine, Arkansas, and other parts of the Eastern Sea Board. She learned to drive before she was 10 years old and always enjoyed the relaxation of vehicular travel.

Surviving are one son, William Eugene Holcombe and wife Jennifer “Sissy” Holcombe; two grandchildren, Sarah Simmons Holcombe and William Eugene “Will” Holcombe, Jr.; one great-granddaughter, Emma Elizabeth Holcombe; three nieces, Betty Williamson Thompson, Audrea Holcombe Douglass, and Sami Holcombe Haire; three nephews, Richard Allen “Butch” Genoble, Billy Holcombe “Pedro” Williamson, and Thomas Hayden “Tommy” Genoble; and numerous great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. She had a great love not only for her family but also, generations of close family friends, her many students, and mankind.

Funeral Services will be held 11:30 AM Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at First Baptist Church conducted by the Rev. Kathy Wilkins Brockman, Rev. Jim Palmer, and Mr. Benjamin Brown. Burial will follow at Union Memorial Gardens.

Honorary Pallbearers will be present and past employees of Holcombe Funeral Home and Holcombe Cemeteries.

Visitation will be held Tuesday Evening from 6:00 until 8:30 PM at the S.R. Holcombe Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 405 E. Main St., Union, SC 29379 or to the Gibbs Cancer Center at Spartanburg Regional Foundation, 101 E. Wood St., Spartanburg, SC 29303.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Dr. David Keith, Dr. James D. Bearden and his nurse Reggie Scoggins, Dr. Talmadge Wilkins, III Dr. Jim Story, Dr. William F. "Bill" James, Jr., and Dr. David Berry, for their love and care of Betty Jo.

The family is at the home, 100 E. South St. Union, SC.

Online Condolences: Holcombe Funeral Home