Obituary of Retha King

Retha Marie Gambrell King, 65, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

Ms. King was born in Anderson to the late Ernest Olen Gambrell and Clara Mae Medlock Gambrell.  She was a member of Columbia Baptist Church.  Retha retired from the Greenville County School District after many years of service as a bus driver.  She cherished her “bus children” and spent untold hours listening to their stories and encouraging them to be their best.  She took great joy in receiving cards and updates from them about their lives and events.

Retha had a heart-of-gold and never met a stranger.  She lovingly assigned everyone a nickname during their first conversation with her.  She was a master storyteller and a patient listener.  She was passionate about her Woodmont High School Wildcats.  She was a collector of costume jewelry, windchimes and seashells.  Retha enjoyed knitting and crocheting; however, her greatest joy was being Granny to her grandchildren.

Surviving are a son, Avery Dunagan with wife Brandi; a daughter, Ada Ellis with husband Verne; a brother, Olen Gambrell; four sisters, Ann McDowell with husband Tommy, Donna Thompson with husband Wayne, Renee Bailey, and Pauline Owens with husband Jeff; ten grandchildren, Caty Bowell with husband Brandon, Christopher Robinson, Casey Ellis, Bobby Ellis, Austin Ellis, Brianna Ellis, Brandon Ellis, James Dunagan, Michael Dunagan, and Katria Dunagan; and a great-grandchild, Luca Bowell.  She was predeceased by an infant brother, Dennis Avery Gambrell.

A Celebration of Retha’s Life will be at 1 o’clock Saturday at Columbia Baptist Church.  The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

Memorials in Retha’s Honor may go to supporting her beloved Wildcats, Woodmont High School, c/o Retha King Memorial, 2831 W. Georgia Road, Piedmont, SC 29673.