Mrs. Lydia Padgett Dempsey

It is with sad hearts that the family of Lydia Padgett Dempsey, age 89, announces her passing. She went to her heavenly home on June 26, 2026, while at home surrounded by her loved ones. She was the daughter of Lawrence and Pauline Padgett. The Directors of Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home are caring for the family. A graveside service to honor her life will be at 11 o’clock on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Westview Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Beverly Kennedy and The Rev. Dr. Kevin Walters will officiate. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and other times at the residence, 209 Green Street, Hartsville, SC 29550. She shared a beautiful love story with her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Donald Dempsey, or as she called him, “Demp.” She has continued to carry his love and memory in her heart since his passing in 1984. She has now joined him, her heart no longer broken, as they happily stroll over heaven together. She was the heart of her family and cherished and loved dearly as “Mama” by her four daughters, and as “Granny” by her eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She had a special song she sang to all of her grands, “You Are My Sunshine,” and through the years, they embraced that song as a reflection of the love they felt for her. Her family was truly the sunshine of her life, and she was, in every sense, the sunshine of her entire family. We were blessed beyond measure to call her our Mama and Granny. Her favorite week of every year was the annual Dempsey family beach vacation during the last full week of June. She loved having her family under one roof, surrounded by love, laughter, and simply being together. For the past fourteen years, this treasured tradition has brought everyone together. It seemed only fitting that this year, she made her journey to her heavenly home the day before this special week, ensuring that her family was gathered together one last time. She loved the game of baseball and cheered hard for her all-time favorite team, the Atlanta Braves. She was so excited when the grands and great grands began to play ball! Needless to say, Granny was the biggest cheerleader for all the children in their special activities. She was a member of West Hartsville Baptist Church and attended faithfully until declining health prevented her attendance. She was a member of the JOY Sunday School class and loved all of her close friends, she shared this time with each week. She began her working career as a nurse’s aide at Byerly Hospital. Later in life, she was a kindergarten teacher at Emmanuel Baptist School, where she shared the love of Jesus and nurtured young minds. Oftentimes, she would see her “kindergarten children,” and they would always give her a hug and share that she was their favorite teacher. She also worked as a salesclerk at Coker’s Department Store, Minnie’s Giftique, and Belk. She loved helping her customers choose that special gift or outfit, and those customers often became her lifelong friends. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters: Donna (Mitchell) Sansbury, Debbie (Bobby) Pritchard, Gina Easterling (Jake Winburn), and Abby (Allen) Tyner; her grandchildren, Ashleigh Hogge (Danny), Meredith Sansbury (Casey), Daniel Pritchard (Brandy), Brett Pritchard, Erin Tiller (Josh), Donnie Easterling (Erin), Laura Privette, and Lee Tyner (Anna - Spencer); her great grandchildren; her sister, JoFrieda Kelley; one niece and two nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Dempsey, her parents, Lawrence and Pauline Padgett, and two nieces. The family would like to send a heartfelt gratitude to Crescent Hospice caregivers: Laken, Acey, Crystal, and Chaplin Joey. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Cody Kidd and Dr. Eric Bonno of Carolina Pines Medical Center. Memorials may be made in her memory to West Hartsville Baptist Church, Crescent Hospice, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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Mrs. Lydia Padgett Dempsey

March 16, 1937 - June 26, 2026