Shirley M. Schwenker

COLUMBIA—A Mass of Christian Burial for Shirley M. Schwenker, 89, of Columbia will be held on Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of The Hills Catholic Church, 120 Marydale Rd, Columbia, SC 29210.Father John Murray will be officiating. Burial will follow in Woodridge Memorial Park, 138 Corley Mill Road, Lexington, SC 29072.The family will receive friends from 5:00- 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 3, 2015 at Temples Halloran Funeral Home, 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212 In Shirley’s honor memorials may be directed to Oasis Social Ministry, 800 Williamsburg Ave., Portsmouth, VA 23704. Shirley, beloved wife of the late David G. Schwenker, passed away on Sunday, November 29, 2015. Born in Schenectady, NY, she was the daughter of the late Martin Mahaley and Margaret Krug Mahaley. Shirley lived a life devoted to her family, church and community.A graduate of the College of Saint Rose, Troy, NY, her career as a Registered Nurse included Public Health, a specialty in Psychiatrics, and teaching. She found great satisfaction in over 30 years of volunteering with Oasis Social Ministry in Portsmouth, VA., always feeling that in giving, she received much more in return.Always an avid reader, she enjoyed being well informed.She expressed her creative spirit through all types of needlework, primarily quilting in her later years.Kind and gentle, yet incredibly strong, she guided her family through life with love, support and friendship.Her children have great appreciation for all that she brought to this family. Surviving are her daughters, Susan Brannen of Buffalo, NY, Theresa Gresham of Columbia, SC and Claire Pellegrin (Ernest) of Lincolnton, NC; sons, Donald Schwenker (Ann) of Lexington, SC and Stephen Schwenker of Lexington, SC; 12 grandchildren and 19great-grandchildren.