Kathy Dewitt Belew

Kathy DeWitt Belew, 70, passed away Friday morning, May 27, 2022, in the McLeod Hospice House. The family will receive friends from 12:00 – 1:00 PM on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Stoudemire-Dowling Funeral Home and the service for Mrs. Belew will immediately follow in the chapel at 1:00 PM. Following the service Mrs. Belew will be laid to rest at 2:00 pm in the Florence National Cemetery. Kathy was born on June 21, 1951, in Florence, SC and lived in Florence for her entire life. She was the daughter of the late Aubrey DeWitt and Doris DeWitt Ohl and stepfather, Lt. Colonel Adam Phil Ohl. She attended public schools in Florence and graduated from McClenaghan High School, where she excelled in tennis, basketball, and art. She graduated with honors from the University of South Carolina with MSW, MPH. She retired from the State of SC SCDSS, H&R Block Premium, and Coker College. Kathy had a notable 35-year career with SC Social Services. In the 1990s she pioneered using the Internet to publicize information on children in the foster care system up for adoption where she developed and maintained websites for over 1000 service agencies. She published papers on child adoption that were read world-wide, and she was recognized for her work by the King of Sweden at a special event in Stockholm where she and her husband traveled to Sweden, and Johannesburg, South Africa, at the invitation of Nelson Mandela. She was an active member of COED10 Senior Sunday School Class at Florence Baptist Temple. Kathy loved spending time on their ranch, Florence Horse Center, riding her golf cart and spending time with her family and animals. Survivors include her loving husband, Jack Landon Belew of 38 years; stepsons, Ken Belew and Tim Belew (Janet); a step-grandson, Tyler Belew; sisters, Debbie DeWitt Lowder, Sonya DeWitt Smith, both of Florence, SC and Teresa DeWitt Dullaghan (Bill) of Summerville, SC; her close cousin who was like a sister, Cheri Warr Truluck (Ingram) of Florence, SC; many loving nephews and nieces; and her special Australian Shepard, Aussie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Aubrey DeWitt, Doris DeWitt Ohl, stepfather Lt. Colonel Adam Phil Ohl, a brother, Bruce DeWitt, and nephew, Gary Lowder, Jr. Memorial donations may be made to Florence Animal Humane Society, PO Box 4808, Florence, SC29502 or McLeod Hospice House PO Box 100551 Florence, SC 29502, or a charity of your choice.