Alma Waldrop (Pierce)

Please note services will be live streamed by visiting https://www.facebook.com/NewHopeAbbeville/

Alma P. Waldrop, 94, of Abbeville, SC, passed away on Wednesday evening, September 15, 2021, at the residence of her daughter, Deb Syms, where she lived since April 2018.

Alma was born on June 22, 1927 to Gordon N. and Etta P. Pierce in Homestead, Florida. The family moved from Homestead to Adel, GA when Alma was an infant and then back to Homestead where Alma graduated from Homestead High School in 1945. Following graduation, she began working as a telephone operator with Southern Bell Telephone. It was as an employee there that she met her husband, James L. Waldrop, who was a telephone repairman in Miami/Homestead. They were married on Alma’s 20th birthday, June 22, 1947.

Alma was the loving mother of Jim’s two children, James Randall and Gwendolyn Diane; as well as their four daughters, Linda Gail, Dawn Lilette, Deborah Louise and Robin Deanne.

She enjoyed playing basketball in high school. Alma learned to sew at an early age. She was a very talented seamstress who outfitted her entire family in clothing from work shirts, neck and bow ties and suit coats for her husband to all clothing for her children from infancy to adulthood. Alma made play and school clothes, prom dresses, wedding attire for all the attendants, as well as the bride, cheerleading and majorette uniforms, and clothing for other clientele. At one time, she even drove a flat-nosed school bus in Miami. Her family was amazed at the quiet, shy woman taking a job such as that, but Alma became a godly influence in many of the children’s lives and received letters from some of those students telling her how much they loved her. Alma was an avid gardener, also. She enjoyed working in the yard, probably more than inside the house; however, she was a fabulous Southern cook.

Alma and Jim were faithful members of several Baptist churches over the course of their married life. She also taught Sunday School to children and adult women for many years. They were members of Sylvania Heights Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, First Baptist Church of Crescent City, Florida and Laurel Baptist Church in Greenville, SC.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Gwendolyn and four siblings, Annalou, W.R., Reba and Nadine.

Alma is survived by a son, James Randall (Patricia) of Satsuma, FL, son-in-law, Barney William Cumbess (husband of the late Gwendolyn Diane), Linda W. Thomas (Earnest) of Huntsville, AL, Dawn L. Stevenson (Alan) of Greenville, SC, Deborah L. Syms (wife of the late Rev. George J. Syms) of Abbeville, SC and Robin D. Gerardi (John) of Abbeville, SC; sixteen grandchildren, twenty-seven great-grandchildren and eighteen great-great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends 1:00PM - 2:00PM, Tuesday, September 21, 2021, in New Hope Presbyterian Church fellowship hall. Funeral services will begin at 2:00PM on Tuesday in the church sanctuary with Rev. James Norris officiating. Burial will follow in Robinson Memorial Gardens, 1425 Powdersville Road, Easley, SC 29642.

Memorial contributions, in memory of Mrs. Waldrop, may be sent to Samaritan’s Purse, Attn: Donor Ministries, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.

The family is at the home in Abbeville, SC.

A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.

Harris Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Abbeville is assisting the Waldrop family.