Cornelia DeHeer “June” Walpole Bentz Dickerson, 87, of Charleston, South Carolina, widow of John H. Bentz, Jr. and Robert Alexander Dickerson, entered into eternal rest Friday, November 15, 2013. Her Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, November 19, 2013 in The Chapel at Bishop Gadsden at 2:00 pm. Interment, Saint James Churchyard. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in The Chapel at Bishop Gadsden. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, DOWNTOWN CHAPEL. Cornelia was born June 21, 1926 to Cornelia DeHeer Porcher and Eugene Hay Walpole at Baker Sanitorium, Charleston, SC. She grew up on her parent’s farm, Sunnyside, Johns Island, Charleston County, SC. She was the oldest of seven children and learned to sing Jesus Loves Me on her mother’s lap. June was baptized when she was six months old, December 26, 1926 by Mr. Theodore A Beckett at the Johns Island Presbyterian Church. Both grandmothers and eleven uncles and aunts attended. She attended Sunday school at the Johns Island Presbyterian Church receiving perfect attendance awards and a New Testament for memorizing the Child’s Catechism and a Bible for memorizing The Shorter Catechism. June 1943, she graduated from St. Johns High School after attending Stono Elementary and Johns Island Elementary. She was a Hour H Club member, a Cheer Leader and an Honor Roll student. October 26, 1942 she married John Hutchinson “Jack” Bentz, son of Lois Earl Edwards and John Henderson “Maussa” Bentz of Wadmalaw Island, SC. Their first son, “Skipper,” was born March 20, 1945 while his father was serving in the Navy at the Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the Pacific during World War II. After the war they built a home on Locust Grove Plantation, the Bentz farm on Wadmalaw Island. They farmed and ran a Repair and Welding Shop. They were members of the Rockville Presbyterian Church and their four sons were baptized and attended Sunday School where June taught a class. They were also members of the Wadmalaw Island Yacht Club and participated in the Annual Rockville Regatta. When the youngest child started school and Jack worked at the Charleston Navy Yard, June began a sewing business; Bentz Slip Cover in which she went to people’s houses to cut out the cover and sewed them at home. When all the sons graduated from High School and were married and had their own homes, June, age 50, started working toward a teaching degree at the College of Charleston. While she was studying, both her parents and parents-in-law died. She graduated in May of 1981 with a BS in Elementary Education for Learning Disabilities on the Cistern at the College of Charleston wearing a white dress that she made that matched her hair and she was carrying red roses. She wore her class ring given to her by her six brothers and sisters. Her sons, their wives and three grandchildren were cheering for her. October 3, 1983, Cursillo #13, while serving on staff, June met Evelyn and Robert A “Dick” Dickerson. When Evelyn died six weeks later, June could empathize with Dick’s grief because her brother, Philip, had died in August of that year. Dick shared June’s joy as she graduated from the Citadel in May of 1984 with a Masters in Elementary Education. Dreaming of having her own school to help students with Learning Disabilities, she started The Helper, a tutoring service in her home at 172 Bull Street. At Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on April 3, 1991, Dick and June promised to love, honor and cherish each other and to serve God before their priest, Fr. Jeffery Kitterige, while his wife, Sylvia, played their favorite praise songs. After remodeling their home at 1451 Bexley Street, North Charleston, they took a cruise to the Caribbean. In 1993 they went to the Holy Land and the year following to Alaska. June 15, 1995, after several hospitalizations, Dick and June moved to Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community where they could receive help and nursing care. October 21, 1999, God took Dick home to Heaven. A monument in the Saint James Episcopal Church Cemetery pays tribute to their life and love for Jesus. Cornelia DeHeer “June” Walpole Dickerson is survived by her four sons, John “Skipper” Hutchinson Bentz, III of Wadmalaw Island, SC, Robert Reynolds Bentz (Pinky) of Charleston, SC, Thomas Eugene Bentz (Ellen) of Johns Island, SC and Charles Walpole Bentz (Lea Rita) of Conway, AR; eleven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren; two brothers, Eugene H. Walpole and John L. Walpole; two sisters, Mary W. Allston and Lucia W. Welch. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Edward Walpole and Phillip Walpole. Memorials may be made to the Bishop Gadsden Resident Assistance Fund, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston. Tags: CGC 1984
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