Anderson, SC - Myrtle Davis Orr, wife of Elwood R. Orr for 66 years, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 20, 2014 at the Rainey Hospice House.
Born in 1927, Myrt was the daughter of a Baptist minister, the late Winfrey and Delsie Davis, and grew up in Georgia and the Carolinas. She was a graduate of Mars Hill College and Wake Forest College. After graduation, she and her new husband moved to Louisville, Kentucky where they both earned degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. They enjoyed fruitful ministries in Dalton, GA, Wilmington, NC, Forest City, NC, Anderson, SC and Lynchburg, VA. Myrt had a heart for God. She loved studying and teaching Sunday School and missions to children and adults.
In 1968, Myrt began teaching school at Nevitt Forest and later in Virginia. After she and her husband retired, they moved to Kitzingen, Germany for three years where they pastored an English-speaking congregation. They became grandparents to dozens of military children in their church and continue many happy relationships with the people with whom they worked. While living in Germany, they relished traveling throughout Europe.
On returning to the United States, they moved to Boiling Springs, NC where they welcomed friends from around the world. In 2004 they moved back to Anderson and returned to their beloved family of faith at Boulevard Baptist Church. Myrt was blessed by the great love and care that was shown to her by friends there.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, Mike Orr and wife, Sandra of Burnsville, NC; Judy Hamrick and husband, Terry of Asheville, NC; Scott Orr and wife, Susan of Greensboro, NC; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth Davis and his wife, Eloise.
A worship service celebrating the life and faith of Myrt Orr will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Boulevard Baptist Church conducted by Dr. Johnny F. McKinney. The family will receive friends from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. at the church prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Baptist Medical & Dental Mission International (BMDMI), 11 Plaza Drive, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402; Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM), P.O. Box 1136, Anderson, SC 29622; or Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621.