Pauline Diana Willingham

Pauline (Paula) Diana Willingham, 77, passed away on July 20, 2018, at home in Bluffton, SC. She was the widow of Johnnie Willingham. They shared over 53 years of marriage together. Paula was born in O'Fallon, Illinois, the youngest of eight children to Dollie and John Schmiskie, on July 21, 1940. Although her family was not regular at attending worship services, she began attending an Evangelical Church with school friends when she was 11 years old. In 1953 she was baptized and received her First Communion by herself, beginning an active life as a Christ-follower. She married Johnnie Willingham, in 1957, and transferred to the Methodist Church. Johnnie’s career in the US Air Force took them all over the United States and to England before they settled in Texas, then later moved to Bluffton, SC. Most of the time for Paula was dedicated to her husband and raising her two sons and one daughter. Paula is survived by two sons, Mark Willingham, and his wife, Sheila, of Panaca, Nevada; and, Joe Willingham, and his wife, Lecia, of Fort Worth, TX; and daughter, Leigh Ann Willingham Moore, and her husband, Marvin, of Bluffton, SC; grandchildren, Scott Willingham, Johnny Willingham, and his wife Susan; Teri Willingham Frank and her husband Nick; Joey Willingham; and Justin Willingham; and several great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Paula was a member of the Hardeeville United Methodist Church where she regularly attended worship, Sunday School and Bible study up until her final illness. She and her husband, Johnnie served many leadership positions in the United Methodist Church including the Walk to Emmaus, Aldersgate Renewal Ministry, Lay Witness Missions and more than 20 years as lay speakers in both the Central Texas and South Carolina Annual Conferences, sharing their individual and joint witnesses as well as ministering together in music. A memorial celebration of her life will be held at Hardeeville United Methodist Church, 111 Main Street, Hardeeville, SC, on August 2, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. Paula's remains will be laid to rest beside her husband in the cemetery in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to Hardeeville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1110, Hardeeville, SC 29927 to honor her life.