BLYTHEWOOD – Liane Skinner Harman, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed to her heavenly home on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Liane was born on Sept. 14, 1931, in Columbia, S.C., to James Ernest and Leona Hixon Skinner. She was graduated from Dreher High School and attended Draughon’s Business School.
Liane married James Charlton “Bobby” Harman of Blythewood, S.C., on Aug. 4, 1951. She worked for several years at General Motors Insurance Corporation until her family began to grow. During the next years, she worked part time with Stanley Home Products, Kirby-Croft Florist, The State and Columbia Record newspapers and Field Enterprises (World Book Encyclopedia).
Liane taught Sunday school at Eau Claire Baptist Church and was BTU Class president for many years. She worked at Bible School, and as a founding Sunday school teacher at ECBC’s satellite church, Belmont Baptist Church.
She was proud of the fact that she and Bob worked very hard with James Edwards, Strom Thurmond, Floyd Spence, Carroll Campbell and all of the other dedicated persons working to establish the South Carolina Republican Party and make two-party politics in South Carolina a reality. She continued (along with her children) to work with this endeavor for most of her life.
She was a Girl Scout leader at College Place United Methodist Church. In later years, she was one of the first females to work actively with the Boy Scouts. In 1993, she was presented the Spark Plug Award by the Horry County Boy Scouts.
She recently received her 50-year pin from the Order of the Eastern Star. She and Bob served together as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. They also belonged to the White Shrine of Jerusalem, where she once served as Worthy High Priestess.
Her beloved husband, Bob, died suddenly at home on May 22, 1979. After his death, she worked full time in security until going to work in Myrtle Beach with the Horry County Election Commission and Jungle Golf Miniature Golf. She retired and returned to Columbia in May 1999. She went to work at the South Carolina Department of Revenue, from which she retired on Jan. 5, 2009, to care for her aged mother, Leona Skinner, who died July 4, 2011.
Liane is survived by her daughters: Carla Harman (Gary) Hardee of Columbia, Gloria Janece (Robert) Frazier of Boynton Beach, Fla., Joanne Elizabeth (Gregg) Johnson of Winter Springs, Fla., and Lesa Gail (Robert) Dietrich of Columbia; her sons: James Charlton (Bobby) Harman Jr. (Sarah) of Conway, S.C., and Thomas William Harman (Lara) of Columbia; her grandchildren: Taryn Shekitka-West, Steven Shekitka, Samuel Bradshaw, Charlton Harman, James Harman, Rebecca Harman, Elisha Harman, Jeffrey Johnson, Bethany Johnson, Peter Johnson, Abigail Johnson, Alyssa Johnson, John Dietrich, Jacob Dietrich, Kimberly Dietrich, Ella Harman and Ava Harman; and her great-grandchildren: Zoey Shekitka, Benjamin West, and Zachary Harman. She is also survived by a sister, Tina Skinner (Carl) Todd, and a brother, James E. Skinner Jr., their families and many other nieces, nephews and extended family members.
She was especially proud of her family and grateful for her friends. She was one of the biggest Gamecocks around, enjoying football, basketball and baseball.
The family would like to thank the staff of S.C. Oncology Associates and Tri-County Hospice for their care and support over the past 18 months.
The funeral service for Mrs. Harman were held 2 o’clock, Saturday, March 9, 2013 at Eau Claire Baptist Church, with The Rev. James A. Goudelock officiating. The family received friends at the church prior to the service beginning at 1 o’clock. Burial followed at Greenlawn Memorial Park after which friends and family were invited to the home of Taryn Shekitka-West, 1001 Elm Avenue, Columbia. Shives Funeral Home is assisting the family.
The family suggests memorials be made to Eau Claire Baptist Church, 4427 N. Main St., Columbia, S.C., 29203; or The Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 West Faris St., Greenville, S.C., 29605.
