Mary Jo Reese Brodie

Mary Jo Chreitzberg Reese Brodie, 96, died March 29 in Greenwood, S.C. She was married to the late Rev. David W. Reese Jr., with whom she had four children, and was later married to the late George H. Brodie. A lifelong Methodist, she was a pastor’s wife for 47 years and loved talking about her faith and the history of Christianity. Until recently, she was an avid reader and loved listening to classical music and watching baseball on television. Mrs. Brodie was born March 21, 1920 in Spartanburg, S.C. to the late Augustus M. Chreitzberg and Cema Sitton Chreitzberg. She graduated from Spartanburg High School and Converse College in Spartanburg, where she was a member of the tennis team and studied English, history and Latin. In 1942, she married Rev. Reese and, in her words, “began a longtime challenge of making a church- and home-life through many, many scene changes.” The scenes included Navy postings in New York and Virginia as wife of a ship-based chaplain during World War II to ministerial postings in Greenville, Holly Hill, Rock Hill, Columbia and Lancaster, all in S.C. While raising their children, she was active in church work, Bible studies, garden clubs and as a community volunteer. The Reeses initially retired to Travelers Rest, later moving to Lake Junaluska, N.C. and in 1989 to Wesley Commons, a continuing care retirement community in Greenwood, S.C. Rev. Reese died there in 1990. She married Mr. Brodie, also a Wesley Commons resident, in 1994. He died in 1998. Survivors include four children: Margaret (Peggy) Reese MacBean of Greenville; Anne Chreitzberg Reese Doyle of Easley, David A. (Gus) Reese of Falls Church, Va., and Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Reese Cravey of Orange Park, Fl.; eight grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren. A private graveside service will be at a later date at Fews Chapel United Methodist Church in Greer, S.C. In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to Wesley Commons, 1110 Marshall Road, Greenwood, S.C. 29646 (www.wesleycommons.org) and HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 West Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, S.C. 29646 (www.hospicepiedmont.org). Harley Funeral Home and Crematory (www.harleyfuneralhome.com) is in charge of the arrangements.

Mary Jo Reese Brodie

March 21, 1920 - March 29, 2016

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