Southern Belles feature
Story by Marti Miller-Willoughby • Photographed by Laura McBryde Gainey
Miss Jewell
McRae Carmichael
It is nearly impossible to contain in one article
the many rich layers of love, grace, and humor
needed to adequately describe the impact one
sweet and slightly sassy Southern belle has had,
and continues to have, on those blessed enough
to have crossed her path. After even a brief
encounter, one would likely choose to remain
permanently within the reach of her life’s circle.
Jewell McRae Carmichael was born on July
5, 1921, the fifth of six children born to the late
Mr. and Mrs. John Carmichael of Dillon, South
Carolina. She remembers being called the “knee
baby” when her baby brother took the treasured
place in her mother’s arms, and she moved to her
mama’s knee. From her earliest memories, her
family has been the guiding force of love in her
life. When it came time to decide on her future,
Miss Jewell, with a twinkle in her eye, described
how she first thought she might become a doctor. After all, she had taken four years of Latin at
Dillon High School, and doctors must know Latin! Instead, Miss Jewel graduated from Winthrop
University with a BS degree in Physical Education
and began her esteemed career at Zion in Marion County. She fondly recalls singing the hymn,
“Marching to Zion,” as she prepared to take on
her first assignment many years ago. That early
faith-filled march into her career moved her successfully through many increasingly responsible
assignments in South Carolina education – from
Zion to Nichols, Hartsville, Conway, Columbia,
and Florence, where she retired in 1983 from the
District Office of Vocational Education.
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JULY 2016
SHEMAGAZINE.COM