Rosemary Dyal Martin

Rosemary Dyal Martin, 94, widow of the late Thomas Ward Martin Sr., left this earth to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on Sunday, July 5, 2026. Rosemary was the daughter of the late Oregon Farris Dyal Ginn, Earl Dyal, and Dietrick (Dee) Peterman.

Rosemary was born in Savannah, Georgia, and lived in many cities there before turning 16 years old. After her father passed away in a tragic accident her family moved to her mother’s homeplace of Grays, South Carolina. Here Rosemary met the love of her life and husband to be; a high school English and Math teacher, Thomas (Tom) Martin. Tom and Rosemary lived in Pinewood, South Carolina, where he continued to teach. At the end of the school year in 1951, they moved near Tom’s parents in Eutawville, South Carolina and he began working for the government. Here they bought a beautiful home to start a family. After Tom’s passing in 2014, Rosemary moved to Elloree, SC to be closer to her children.

Rosemary leaves to cherish her memory, her two children whom she loved dearly--Cynthia Rose Martin South-Ott of Santee, SC, and her son, Thomas Ward Martin Jr. (Diane) of Elloree, SC. She also leaves a large family including a sister, Barbara Dyal Brewton of Chattanooga, Tennessee; and one grandson, Warren Jeffery South (Maia) of Sydney, Australia. She is also survived by five step grandchildren, 11 step great grandchildren; and 4 step great, great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also leaves behind a special friend, Bill Urban, of Summerton, SC.

Rosemary was very involved in the community. She had a long-life career of being a master cake baker. As an independent businesswoman, she specialized in wedding cakes and catering receptions with self-designed appetizers such as petit fours. Baking from home from her personal kitchen, the home always smelled delicious where she labored for hours over painstakingly ornate icing decorations on every type of cake imaginable. She continued this catering spirit by becoming co-owner of the Parrish House Tea Room in Eutawville. Here she worked along with her friend Toni Scott, the Episcopal minister’s wife, until its closing. Rosemary held great pride in showing off pictures from her wedding cake portfolio over the years to those who came to visit.

Rosemary was also a small-town politician having served as the Municipal Judge, on the Eutawville Town Council and she even served as the Mayor for one year when her husband decided to retire from the Mayor position. Rosemary participated in the planning of the Bicentennial Celebration for the Town of Eutawville and was invited to be Mistress of Ceremonies for many local parades. She also chaired the committee to implement the first Annual Eutaw Village Festival, which was held annually on the July 4th weekend and continued for many years thereafter. She loved working with her many friends in the community, especially at her base in the Eutawville Baptist Church.

In addition to her family and the community, Rosemary Martin hands down loved the Lord. She took go tell it on the mountain to heart and witnessed people she did not even know on the streets of Elloree. You very likely could also catch her sitting on the porch reading her Bible in the mornings or evenings. She was a lover of nature and animals. Many know her as the mother of pets taking in and caring for lost strays much of her life. She saw the miracle of beauty in the world and was never afraid to share it with others. Growing flowers in her yard, she looked forward to preparing them to adorn the church sanctuary lighting up Sunday mornings.

Rosemary was always very energetic, loud, proud, and free to speak her mind. Anyone who knew Rosemary immediately recognized her strong yet light-hearted personality. She loved playing with the neighborhood children outside in softball and basketball games. She could stand on her head, do a backbend, and turn a cartwheel even in her 60’s. She played on the Eutawville/Holly Hill Ladies basketball team along with her local lady friends (including special friend Jinx Hinnant) in the 60’s for several years; and even played in a basketball game against the Holly Hill High School girls basketball team of which her daughter Cindy was a member.

Rosemary was a jack of all trades with many careers in her lifetime outside of her cake catering business. She worked for the Holly Hill Insurance Agency for about 20 years and was a private secretary for Mr. William Clark, owner of Clark’s Restaurant in Santee. She sold Mary Kay cosmetics and enjoyed going to the homes of friends and family and performing facials and socializing. One year she and fellow Mary Kay consultants rode to Jacksonville FL in a pink Cadillac to catch a plane to Dallas to the company’s big convention where she actually saw Mary Kay herself. This was her first and only flight on a plane. Rosemary also worked briefly for the Santee Resort and Marina and at Lakeside Landscaping tending the flowers they sold. She also served as the secretary for the First Baptist Church in Eutawville for several years while Rev. Trey Rhodes was Pastor.

Rosemary was a member of the Eutawville Baptist Church for over 50 years, where she and Tom were always involved in church work. She and Tom’s favorites were working with the Royal Ambassadors (RA’s) and Girls Auxiliary (GA’s). As GA Leader, Rosemary arranged the first coronation for the GA’s at the Eutawville Baptist Church in the early 60’s and loved teaching the students to memorize Bible verses. In addition to the GA’s, she served as Sunday School teacher, Sunbeam leader, Bible Study leader, Treasurer, and President of the WMU. If there was a need at the church, she and Tom were always ready to lend a hand. Many years later, she later joined the Eutawville Methodist Church and then after Tom’s passing moved her membership to the First Baptist Church of Elloree to be closer to her children. She remained here for the last 10 years of her life.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Eutawville Baptist Church, 507 Factory Street, Eutawville, SC 29048. A Celebration of Life service will follow immediately at 11:00 a.m. Rosemary will be laid to rest next to her husband at the Bethlehem Southern Methodist Church, 229 Bethlehem Rd., Holly Hill, SC 29059. Friends and family may call on Rosemary’s children at (Cindy) 19 Peter Collinson Rd., Santee, or (Tommy and Diane) 413 Sorin Circle, Elloree, SC 29047.

The family would like to thank the staff of Edisto Hospice, Magnolias of Eutawville, and the Department of Oncology at the Medical University of South Carolina for the kind and compassionate care extended to Rosemary during her illness. Also, to everyone who visited her during her illness with love, music, food, cards, and flowers.

Honored to serve as Pallbearers are Tommy Hill, Noah Hill, Braxton Ott, Dr. Walter Rose, Mike Martin, and Marty Martin. Honorary Pallbearers will be Calvin Mims, Gerald Wynn, Tony Kennedy, Robert Gilbert, and Warren Jeffery South.

Memorials may be sent to Saving Animals Southern Style (SASS). Visit rescuewithsass.org or to the Elloree First Baptist Church, PO Box 387, Eutawville, or to a charity of one’s choice.

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.