Bonnelle Ethel Graham Yarborough

Bonnelle Ethel Graham Yarborough passed peacefully Sunday, March 20, on her 91st birthday, at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.  

She was born on March 20, 1931 and was the only child of the late Felix Daniel and Ethel Waites Graham of Livingston Road, Pomaria. 

Bonnelle is preceded in death by her husband Joel Foster Yarborough, Jr., who she married on December 26, 1953. She is survived by their two children Joel Foster Yarborough, III (Lisa Davis) and Lena Sue Yarborough; and, her four grandchildren Leah Yarborough of Chapin, South Carolina, Lauren East of St. Louis, Missouri, Nicholas East of Dallas, Texas, and Daniel East of St. Louis, Missouri. 

She graduated from Pomaria High School in 1949 as Valedictorian of her class. In high school she was a cheerleader for the basketball team, class officer, and editor of the yearbook. After high school, she attended Newberry College and graduated cum laude in 1953 with a BS in Business. During her senior year at Newberry College, she was named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities”. She was later certified in Elementary Education after earning a BS in Secondary Education. She also earned graduate credits through Clemson and University of South Carolina.  

Following graduation, she worked six years at the State Department of Education Certification Division. From 1968 through 2009 she taught second grade for 41 years, at Pomaria Elementary and Pomaria-Garmany Elementary, where she was lead teacher for 20 years. She loved her students and worked diligently to see that they excelled in Reading and Math.  

For more than 50 years she was a manager and worker at her local polling precinct, served 26 years on the Newberry Memorial Hal Kohn Library Board, and was a wedding director for many years. She was a Girl Scout leader and enjoyed camping with the girls. In 2000 she received the award as Newberry’s Career Woman of the Year presented by the Newberry Business and Professional Women of the Year.  

Bonnelle was a lifelong member of New Hope United Methodist Church where she helped with many activities throughout the years including most recently teaching the adult Sunday school class and was the church historian. In 2010 she was honored with the Faithful Servant Award.  

She loved people, life, to read, and had many friends. She also loved the family farm and thoroughly enjoyed her cows and goats.  

She wanted to express gratitude to the medical staff at Newberry Memorial Hospital, Upstate Wound Center, Amedisys Home Health, Newberry Internal Medicine, and all others who cared for her. Finally, she would like to share her immense gratitude for her beloved friend and relative Dianne Graham.  

In lieu of flowers she requested memorials. Memorials can be made to her beloved church, New Hope United Methodist Church or to Pomaria-Garmany Elementary as a way to pass on her love for reading.  

New Hope United Methodist Church - c/o Robert Davis, 256 Graham Cemetery Rd., Pomaria, SC 29126  

Pomaria-Garmany Elementary School – c/o Lindsey Folk, 7288 U.S. Highway 176, Pomaria, SC 29126 

The family will be at New Hope’s fellowship hall on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 from 2:00-3:30 pm to visit with friends and celebrate her life. Funeral services will also be held at New Hope, on March 22, at 4 pm. Burial will follow at Newberry Memorial Gardens. 

Active pallbearers will Dan Graham, Lee Bedenbaugh, Scott Lominick, Ben Nichols, Todd Lever, and Grady Yarborough.

Honorary family and friends are Ann and Virgil Livingston, Dianne and Roger Graham, Alice and Robert Davis, Penney and Billy Nichols, Amy Russell, Judy and John Amick, Connie and Wilbur Floyd, Bobby Morse, Ann and Hub Lominick, Lallie and Ted Waites, Debbie & Danny Wayne Graham, Lynette and Todd Lever, Elaine and Lee Bedenbaugh, Janet Livingston and Gary Graham.