Sissy M. Drew

Sissy Drew passed away on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Every Sunday, for eighty-three years, she was told about a mansion that had been prepared for her. Today, she stepped across the threshold and entered The Church Triumphant. Sissy was born in 1941 in Clarendon County. Her parents, Jerome Nelson and Martha Rawlinson McLeod named her “Florence” but from an early age she was simply, “Sissy”. Her formative years were spent in Manning, South Carolina. She graduated from Manning High School in 1959. She then made a move to Darlington where she would spend the rest of her life. Sissy was a simple, complex person. Her life was built around the Lord, her family, her beloved nursing profession, and her friends. If you knew her you could sense the spirit of the Lord just by being in her presence. Her Christian faith was real, and it was solid. She never embarked on anything without prayerful consideration. It was through her extraordinary faith that her church thrived, especially the children’s programs. Three generations of Central’s children have made their way through the nursery, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, graduated from high school, college, and been married, all while Sissy Drew quietly stood back and smiled. She never would take credit for the greatness of the many successes that came from “her kids”. She said it was the Lord at work, but we all know who his partner was. Sissy’s family was blended. She and her first husband, Gene Weatherford, had three children: her twins, Donna and Debi, and Freddie. Later in life after Gene passed away, she married Wheeler Drew. That union gave her three more children as a bonus, Mindy, Cindy, and Mikki. Mindy, the beautiful little three-year-old, was said to have sealed the deal for Sissy! Sunday morning at 8:02, she saw, for the first time in a long time, Donna, Debi, Gene, Wheeler. Oh, what a day, a glorious day, it was! Sissy graduated from McLeod Infirmary School of Nursing in 1962. From that day forward she would be one of the best nurses ever produced. She had a genuine love for her patients, and they loved her. People would come from surrounding towns to have surgery at Wilson’s just so Sissy could “tend to them”. Her reputation preceded her. There was never a surgery she was involved with where she didn’t pray for her patient before, and after. It was appreciated by the sick but nothing out of the ordinary for Sissy. It’s who she was. She remained in her operating room capacity as long as Doctor Wilson had the hospital and stayed until her retirement working for McLeod Health. Sissy had many friends. Men, women, young, and old. She loved them all. She loved going on mission trips, singing in the choir, eating out, playing cards, going to the beach, making cookies, and spending her day trying to make yours better. She had a full and rich life that was well lived. She was a bright, ray of sunshine to everyone who crossed her path. The world is a better place because Sissy Drew was in it. She worked hard and she provided well. She took a little and made a lot. She was a living example of what we should all strived to be. Her likeness can be seen in her children, her children’s children., and all who knew and loved her. She did what she did. She did it well, and she was a good and faithful servant. Surviving are son, Freddie Gene Weatherford and wife, Laura; her daughters, Mindy Drew Poston, Cindy Shively, and Mikki Barrett; her grandchildren, Misty, Elizabeth, Madison, William, Robbie, and Lonnie; her great grandchildren, Evan, Audrey, Lucas, Andrew, Phillip, Liam and Waylon; her brothers, Robert S. McLeod and wife, Beth and Frank R. McLeod and wife, Beth, sister-in-law, Billie B. McLeod; and Laura's brother, Woody Dunn (who loved the Braves as much as Sissy!) She is predeceased by her brother, Jerry McLeod, and her sister, Martha Ann Branham. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 3 PM at Central Baptist Church. Burial directed by Kistler Hardee Funeral Home will follow in Grove Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at Central Baptist Church. The folks at Kistler’s, who were the recipient of her many acts of kindness, will see to every detail of her service. Memorials are suggested to Central Baptist Church, 512 Spring Street, Darlington, SC 29532. Sign the online guest book at www.kistlerhardeefuneralhome.com

Sissy M. Drew

August 12, 1941 - August 3, 2025