Mother Brenda Tynes Bethea

Brenda Shirlan Tynes Bethea, 70, of Columbia, SC, beloved widow of the late Larry Bethea, entered heaven on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Prisma Health Richland Hospital.

Born in New York, a daughter of the late Shirley Tynes Williams and Robert Tynes and former resident of New York, Alabama, and South Carolina. She had been a resident of Columbia, SC for the last 42 years.  In 2014, she retired from Richland Northeast High School, where she worked in the attendance office. 

From a young age, Brenda loved to give her energy to others and had a beautiful smile everywhere she went. She spent most of her life in service of others as a nurse, a substitute teacher, a foster parent, and a nursery teacher at Sherwood Forest Presbyterian Church. She also spent part of her years working for RC McEntire Produce where she worked as an executive secretary for the McEntire family.  She worked with students and staff at the Army Education Center on Fort Jackson helping them further their educations as well.

She loved to spend time with her family enjoying food, activities, and trips.  She spent every morning talking on the phone with her best friend from her childhood Mary “Panky” McGill. 

Brenda and her family are members of Columbia Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church.  She enjoyed education and graduated from Midlands Technical College and Limestone College with degrees in Business and Criminal Justice.  She was also a certified Notary in the State of South Carolina.

In addition to her late husband and late parents, family members include her children Smifeccia Tynes, Lashelle Bethea, Izell (Kanika) Bethea, siblings Jerri Tynes, Cynthia (Kenneth) Pickens, Richard (Kathleen) Tynes, the late Robin Williams, the late Linda Bradley, the late Charles Tynes and the late Michael Tynes. Grandchildren Brendane, Lashelle, Richard, Bearen (Mona), Tristan and Kendrick, great grandchildren and nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. 

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