Rosalee May Dunston

Rosalee May Dunston, 83 of Santee, South Carolina, passed away on Friday, April 10, 2026.

Born on November 5, 1942, in Arlington, VA Rosalee was a daughter of the late Mary Quaintance May and Cary May.

Rosalee always maintained a special place in her heart for the mesmerizing Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, spending as much time with her grandfather at his farm or visiting her mother in the Shenandoah Valley later in her life. It was within Virginia that she met her husband of 65 years, Jerry Dunston, when he was serving in the Navy. They eventually made their way to Illinois, Jerry's home state, where they raised their family, and she began her career. Rosalee will always be remembered for the kindness of her heart, particularly when it comes to children. She dedicated her career to child development, having served over 30 years working with children, including Director at the Faith Lutheran Child Care Center in Washington, IL.

Upon retirement in 1997, Rosalee and Jerry moved to enjoy lake life on Lake Marion in Santee. Her penchant to help others drove her to accept a position working with the Chamber of Commerce in Manning. This was followed by working at the Visitor Center off of I-95 in Santee, where she was known for going above and beyond to help visitors and travelers to the area. She even went out of her way to help a family in need, calling for assistance and waiting until long after the visitors' center had closed to ensure they received the help they needed. Her final role was working at the Lake Marion Golf Course, once again helping visitors to the area to create very memorable and enjoyable visits.

Rosalee's faith guided her throughout her life and eventually led her to our Father's Arms. 1 Corinthians 13:13 sums up her faith in life the best: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love." Rosalee was committed to her faith, having been a dedicated and involved member of the Faith Lutheran Church in Vance. Her faith guided her throughout her life as she filled the lives of others with unconditional love!

Rosalee is preceded in death by her parents, Mary Stewart Bain and Cary May, and her brother, Jim May.

Rosalee is survived by her husband Gerald Dunston; daughter Cindy Dunston; son Cary Dunston and his wife Martha; her sister, Carolynn Griffey, and eight nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her grandchildren from Cary and Martha, Leah and Logan, whom she absolutely adored and cherished.

Services will be held privately by the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hope Lutheran Church, PO Box 67, Vance, SC 29163

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at avingerfh.com/. 

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Avinger Funeral Home, 2274 Eutaw Rd, Holly Hill, SC 29059, (803)496-3434.

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