Thelma Delores James Mace

LATTA - 

Thelma Delores James Mace was born on February 11, 1928 to the late Reverend Charlie James and Lula Davis James of Camden, South Carolina. She was baptized and attended Saint John Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as a member and President of the Senior Choir. She began her initial training in the Dillon County Vocational School System in the early 1940s, where she would meet and fall in love with her late husband of 69 years. On October 29th, 1943, she was joined in holy matrimony to the late Zachariah (Zach) Taylor Mace, Jr. Thelma and Zach settled in Latta, SC where Thelma has resided for over 75 years. 

In the years following her marriage, Thelma continued her education at the Claflin School in Orangeburg, SC until 1946. On her return home, she would dedicate the next twenty-five years of her life to being the heartbeat and center of gravity for her family. When her children were all in school, she entered the workforce as a Librarian for the Marion County School District in 1970. Over the next several years she would apply her avid love of reading by encouraging her students to expand their reading skills through creativity and promoting historical and cultural knowledge development. In 1980, she continued her love of helping others as an outreach coordinator for the Dillon County Council of Aging where she worked to coordinate and provide meals, education, and wellness services to seniors in need. Her selfless dedication to this effort would continue, over the next decade, as she expanded her role to support the Dillon County Meals on Wheels Program, providing home delivered meals to elderly and homebound residents. In the following retirement years, she served gracefully as President of the local American Legion Auxiliary Chapter, a women’s group dedicated to honoring and enhancing the lives of veterans, military, and their families. 

This beautiful, devoted woman was called home to her final resting place on Wednesday, February 4, 2021. She was predeceased by her husband Zachariah T. Mace, Jr. and her son Charles D. Mace, Sr. She leaves to cherish precious memories with many loving and devoted loved ones including four sons, Marcellous (Velda) of Pine Hill, NJ, Leon (Jan) of Hartshorne, OK, Zachariah III (Clarice) of Florence, SC, Michael (Angela) of Darlington, SC; five daughters, Angela of Washington, DC, Deborah of Philadelphia, PA, Constance (Fred) of Sellers, SC, Wanda (Alvin) of Springdale, MD and Lisa of Charleston, SC; one grandchild reared in the home, Larry (Angela) of Charlotte, NC, twenty-six grandchildren, forty great-grandchildren, seventeen great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews all of whom join the family in celebration of her Homegoing

A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, February 11, 2021, at St. John Baptist Church followed by interment at Rest Haven Cemetery. Rev. Dr. William J. Walker will officiate.  A public viewing will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at Leitner Funeral Home.  Mrs. Thelma James Mace and her family has been entrusted to the professionals of Leitner Funeral Home in Latta.

You may leave online condolences at www.leitnerfh.com.  You may also call Leitner Funeral Home at 843-418-5071 to have a staff member to sign the online guestbook on your behalf. Due to the current health crises (COVID-19) we ask for you to please practice social distancing.  Please wear a mask to respect the family's health and well-being at the home and the service.  Direct eye contact, loving words, and a warm smile can be as meaningful to the families as a traditional handshake or hug, especially during these difficult times.

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