Frances Elizabeth "Lib" (Croft) Gunnells

Frances Elizabeth “Lib” Croft Gunnells, 74, of Olar, SC passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2025. Funeral services will be held at two o’clock p.m., Friday, May 16, 2025 at Green Branch Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Reverend Timmy Gunnells and Bishop Darrell Croft officiating. Burial will follow in the Green Branch Pentecostal Holiness Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from twelve noon until the time of the service at the church on Friday and other times at the home of Andy and Eileen Gunnells, Barnwell, SC. Honored to serve as pallbearers are Wallace Gunnells, Brandon Hutson, Cody Lane, James Owens, Chris Sandifer and Nick Thenethamnao and Honorary Pallbearer Jonathan Croft. Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Heart Association, P. O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 or to the Breast Cancer Foundation, Susan G. Komen, Dept. 41831, P. O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX  75265. 

Born in Blackville, SC, she was a daughter of the late John Wesley Croft and Mary Emily Lang Croft and was married to the late William Carl “Shadow” Gunnells. She was a member of Green Branch Pentecostal Holiness Church where she formerly served as the Women’s Ministry Director. She retired from the Milliken Company after working for 40 years.  Lib was an avid softball player and an excellent seamstress. She loved flamingos, watching game shows and loved her church. She especially loved her family and children and was grateful for every moment that she got to spend with them. She enjoyed a variety of gospel music especially Guy Penrod.

Survivors include a daughter, Carol Hightower Rutland of Barnwell, SC; daughters-in-love, Maggie Tyson and Misty Maynard both of Ehrhardt; son-in-love, Chris Rutland; sons, Cody Lane of Barnwell, SC and Nick T. “Bubba”  Thenethamnao of Olar, SC; sisters, Phyllis (Paul) Sandifer of Bamberg, SC, Eileen (Andy) Gunnells of Barnwell, SC and Cindy (Johnny) Williams of Orangeburg, SC; brothers, Oneal (Sharon) Croft of Moncks Corner, SC, Wayne (Beth) Croft of Anderson, SC and Bishop Darrell (Mary) Croft of Bamberg, SC; a special friend, Wallace Gunnells of Olar, SC and a number of nieces, nephews, great and great-great.

In addition to her husband, Carl Gunnells, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Hightower Gunnells and a special nephew, Taylor Strock.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Frances Elizabeth "Lib" (Croft) Gunnells, please visit our Tree Store.