Mrs. Mary Ellen Fenters Calcutt, widow of the late John Henry Calcutt, passed away Sunday evening at Magnolias of Walterboro, at the age of 99. Born December 4, 1923 to Gilbert and Bonnie Fenters in Georgetown County, Mary was the middle child, having three older and three younger siblings. Life was good living in Georgetown until the Great Depression, when her family had to move to Hemmingway, SC, to a house with no indoor plumbing and a wood burning stove. It was there that Mary shared a bedroom with her maternal grandmother, which she considered a true blessing. After graduating from Hemingway High School, she joined the United States Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve), commonly referred to as the WAVES , during World War II. She first trained in New York City, and was eventually stationed in Washington, DC, working as a secretary for the Navy Department until the end of war. When her sweetheart, John Henry Calcutt, returned from serving in the US Army during WWII, she married him and they moved to Tarboro, NC and subsequently to Florence, SC, where her only son, Drew, was born. Later, the family moved to Lake View, SC, where Mary worked as a secretary within the school system and in private industry. After Drew’s high school graduation, the family moved back to Florence and she became the secretary to the administrator for Adult Education. After her husband passed in 1990, Mary remained in Florence, being a faithful member and Sunday School teacher of Calvary Baptist Church, working as a volunteer at McLeod Regional Medical Center, and doing ministry at the local prison. Mary subsequently moved to Walterboro to be closer to her son’s family, particularly her 2 grandchildren, Samantha and Lance. Her first Sunday living in Walterboro, she joined First Baptist Church and became a faithful member, helping to teach Sunday School and involving herself with WMU, Young at Heart and anything else that she could. Since her grandchildren were at Northside Elementary School, she volunteered there for a number of years, reading to and with as many students as they would let her. She was able to live independently until the age of 97, when she moved to Magnolias of Walterboro assisted living. She became a Christian at the age of 16 and spent time with God and in His word daily until failing eye sight and dementia began to take that privilege away in the last couple years of her life. She is survived by her son, Dr. Andrew (Drew) Fenters Calcutt and his wife, Dr. Vonda G. Calcutt, her grandchildren, Samantha Sue and Lance John Berkeley Calcutt, all of Walterboro, and one sister, Lillian (Lil) Fenters Joye of Hemingway, SC and beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins! She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and 5 siblings: Golden (GoGo) Fenters Snyder, Amos (Tubba) Loyal Fenters, Jessie (Jess) Mae Fenters Wood, Doris (Dot) Fenters DeVault, and Gilbert (Shaggy) Thomas Fenters. Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon, November 5, 2023 at 3:00 at the First Baptist Church of Walterboro. The family will receive friends beginning at 2:00 in the church sanctuary. Committal services, with military honors, will be held Tuesday morning, November 14, 2023 at 10:00 at the Florence National Cemetery, where her casket will be interred beside her late husband. Additional obituary information will be provided later.
