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Elizabeth “Libby” Anne (Watford) Gabel, age 73, of Hartsville, South Carolina, went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. Libby lived with her family in Hartsville until the age of 7, when she moved to Southern California for her father to establish a presence for Sonoco. She and William “Bill” Gabel met at Methodist Youth Fellowship in their local church and began dating when she was a junior in high school. They both attended Cal Poly Pomona, where she received her degree in education and married her high school sweetheart, Bill, in 1969. Libby raised three girls while working as the nursery school director at First United Methodist Church of Riverside. Later, she and Bill were active members of Victoria Community Church of Riverside (now known as The Grove Church). Libby and her family moved back to Hartsville in 1997, to be with her aging parents, where they joined First Baptist Church. Libby enjoyed making crafts for the annual Christmas Bazaar with her dear friends and the fellowship of the Knitwits. She and her husband loved working with children at their church. When her girls were young, Libby enjoyed camping, lake fishing, stargazing, hiking, and building campfires with her family in the High Sierra mountains. She also developed a love for gardening and later became a master gardener through Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Later on, when her grandchildren came along, she loved to vacation at Kiawah Island with her extended family. Her two eldest grandchildren went to Clemson University, and one of her greatest joys was cheering on the Clemson Tigers. Those who knew Libby knew her for her kind and helpful spirit, smiling face, and welcoming personality. Her family meant everything to her and she adored her grandchildren wholeheartedly. In Libby’s last days, she gave her family the greatest gift of all… precious time with family and friends of gathering together and leaning upon each other. She brought those who loved her back to what matters most. “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10. God worked through her to the end, and for that, we are eternally grateful. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Dan Watford, Sr., and Christine Stanton Watford, of Hartsville, and her brother, James Dan Watford, Jr., also of Hartsville. She is survived by her loving husband, William “Bill” David Gabel, of Hartsville; her sister, Jeanne Watford Garforth, of Clinton, MS; her sister-in-law, Linda Watford, of Hartsville; her daughters, Lisa Gabel Barrows (Colin) of Fuquay-Varina, NC, Laura Christine Gabel, of Hartsville, and LeAnne Gabel Norris (Cooper) of Travelers Rest, SC. She is also survived by her five grandchildren, Gabel and Caroline Barrows of Fuquay-Varina, and Hadley Mae, Hazel Anne, and Henry Norris of Travelers Rest. A Celebration of Life will be held at First Baptist Church Chapel, 104 E Home Ave, Hartsville, SC 29550, at 2:00 PM on Sunday, January 9, 2022, and Dr. Greg Boyd will officiate. The burial will follow on January 10, 2022, at 1:00 PM, at Mountain View Memorial Park, 7 Duncan Rd, Travelers Rest, SC 29690, officiated by Dr. Ryan Goodroe. Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Directors are caring for the family. The family would like to express their gratitude for the extraordinary care given by the SICU staff at MUSC-Florence. In lieu of flowers, friends may make donations in Libby’s name to First Baptist Church of Hartsville or Samaritan’s Purse.

Tributes

Mrs. Elizabeth "Libby" Watford Gabel

June 27, 1948 - December 21, 2021