Gwendolyn Rivers

Celebration of Life Services for Gwendolyn Rivers will be held 12:30pm Saturday, December 21, 2019 at Cumberland United Methodist Church, Ritter, South Carolina.  The Reverend Henry Ravenel, Sr. is pastor. Ms. Rivers will lie in state one hour prior to service at 11:30am. Interment will be in Cumberland United Methodist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday December 20, 2019 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm in the chapel of Harold Frazier Mortuary. 

Gwendolyn RIvers, known affectionately by some as "Gwen", "Squeak", "Sister" or "Sis" was born on October 4, 1953 in Bronx, New York to the late Jonas Rivers, Jr and Ora Lee Rivers. At an early age, Gwen was baptized along with her brother Larry at Williams Institutional CME Church.

Blessed along life's path, she was first joined in marriage to Dennis Barton and to this union one daughter Tannia was born. She later united with Jerome Jenkins and from this union one daughter Monique was born.

Gwen attended Central Commercial High School in Manhattan, New York. Later going on to work for several large companies flaunting her administrative skills and tap dancing on the keyboard at 113 words per minute.

Gwen moved to Walterboro, SC in 1995 and worked with her uncle in his real estate business and then at Colleton Medical Center in an administrative capacity, unitl her health declined. Gwen completed her Associate in Arts and Bacherlors Degree in Science and Health Administration from University of Phoenix. 

Gwen's first love was singing, but she also enjoyed fishing, dancing and playing games. Gwen also possessed talents that many were not aware of to include writing a song "Love Is Coming Up Straight Ahead" that was performed at the Apollo Theater by the "Ordinations"

On Saturday evening, December 14, 2019, she entered into eternal rest at Colleton Medical Center. She will always be remembered in a special way....a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmoher and a loving friend. Gwen was smart, witty and a smalllady that packed a large punch.

Left to cherish her memories are her two daughters, Tannia Petgrave (Mark) of McDonough, Ga and Monique (Eugene) Singleton of Walterboro, SC; one grandson DahQuan Pearse and five granddaughters Kamisha Petgrave, Anneka Petgrave, Destiny Pearse, Shakira Petgrave and Diyana Singleton; one great-granddaughter Kamiah Petgrave; her mother Ora Lee Rivers; three brothers, James Rivers of Walterboro, SC, Larry (Marion) Rivers of Bushkill, PA and George ("Zan") Rivers of Walterboro, SC; seven aunts; three uncles two lifelong friends Gail Fields and Margie Colvin, her special "aunt/sister" Hermina Wilson and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her brother Julius "JR" Rivers, father Jonas RIvers, Jr. ; and sister Brenda Murphy-Boyd.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gwendolyn Rivers, please visit our floral store.