Harry Ethridge

J. Harry Ethridge, age 76, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Monday, March 20, 2023 surrounded by his family. He was born on January 27, 1947 in Georgetown, South Carolina to Zannie Creel and Myrtle Langston Ethridge and was the second youngest of 10 children. Harry attended Winyah High School, where he played baseball with the Varsity baseball team. After high school, Harry joined the United States Army and served from January 1967 until January 1970. He served his country doing two tours in Vietnam during this time, attached to 5^th Special Forces as a communication specialist. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Harry married Sheryl Watts on October 9, 1970. Harry and Sheryl lived in York, South Carolina with their two daughters for many years before moving to Newberry in 1989. While working full time at York Electric Cooperative, Harry completed and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1985 from Limestone University.

From an early age, Harry loved baseball and even as an adult, spent many years umpiring softball and baseball for the Newberry Recreation Department and USSSA. Harry spent over thirty years of service working for York Electric Cooperative and then Newberry Electric Cooperative, having retired in February of 2009. Harry and Sheryl enjoyed many years of retirement together gardening, spending time with their two daughters, Stacia Ethridge Nance and Harriet Ethridge Selby and their families. They loved spending time with their grandson Matthew Selby going to Atlanta Braves baseball games and watching him play hockey. They also enjoyed taking road trips to visit regional quilt shops in support of their involvement with Quilts of Valor. He enjoyed helping Sheryl with color coordination and fabric selection! In November of 2018 Harry was presented with a Quilt of Valor, by the Greenville QOV chapter in recognition of his military service during Vietnam. Quilts of Valor Foundation awards handmade quality patriotic quilts to service members and veterans that have been touched by war. We often joked that he should get one just from his financial support of Sheryl’s quilting hobby, more than his years of military service. But it was truly an honor for him to receive one of these special quilts.

While we are grieved with this heavy loss, we know that we will someday see Harry in heaven and we rejoice in God’s promise of eternal life in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life”.

In addition to his parents, Harry was predeceased by his sisters and their spouses Betty E. and Jerry Fletcher, Lou Ellen E. and Kenneth Wilson, Shirly E. and Landrow Taylor, Anna E. and Bill Malone, and Ella Ethridge, an infant sister; his brothers Tommy Ethridge and Johnny Ethridge.

Harry is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sheryl Watts Ethridge of the home; his daughters Stacia Ethridge Nance (William Nance) of Greer, South Carolina and Harriet Ethridge Selby (Tim Selby) of Taylors, South Carolina; his grandson Matthew Harrison Selby (age 8) of Taylors, South Carolina; Brothers Roger Ethridge of Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina and Billy Joe Ethridge of Georgetown, South Carolina; Numerous nieces and nephews; many loved members of the Watts family.

Visitation will be at McSwain-Evans Funeral home on Friday, March 24, 2023 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. A graveside service with military honors will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Pine Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery on Dials Bay Road in Turbeville, South Carolina by Reverend Patrick Goodwin. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to: Quilts of Valor Foundation Chapter 67537, C/O Comforting Threads for QOV, 426 Browning Avenue, Joanna, South Carolina 29351