Virginia Elwell

Virginia "Ginger" Lutz Elwell, of Sycamore Court, died Thursday, August 13, 2009, at her home. Born December 10, 1939, in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late Eli Russell and Mildred Maddox Lutz and the beloved wife of the late Robert Harvey Elwell. She was first married to Townsend Mikell Belser, Jr. and then to the late Honorable James Barnett Stephen. A graduate of The Potomac School (1954), The Madeira School (1957), and Sweet Briar College (1961) with a B.A. degree in history, she was a former administrative assistant to Lt. Gov. W. Brantley Harvey. She also worked with the South Carolina Heart Association and the American Alumni Council in Washington, D.C. Ginger was a member of The Episcopal Church of the Advent, South Carolina Legal Auxiliary, Spartanburg Legal Auxiliary, D.A.R. - Ann Pamela Cunningham Chapter, Columbia Ski Club, Columbia Sailing Club, Elizabeth Heath Book Club, Spartanburg Garden Club, Shortia Garden Club, Country Club of Spartanburg, Fortune Investment Club, and The Piedmont Club. She was an active volunteer with the Sweet Briar Alumnae Council, serving as Chapter President and Area Representative, the Junior Leagues of Columbia and Spartanburg, and on the Board of Director's for Planned Parenthood , Multiple Sclerosis Central Carolina Chapter, Richland County Heart Association, Mental Health Association of SC, and the National Society to Prevent Blindness. Ginger is survived by her children, William Burney Belser and his wife Eleonor Buglosa of Okinawa, Japan, and Elizabeth Belser Kistler and her husband James Eagle Kistler, Jr. of Spartanburg; her step-children, Susan Stephen Bergmann and her husband Lawrence H. Bergmann of Columbia, Katherine Stephen McCart and her husband John McCart of Spartanburg, James Goodwin Stephen and his wife Janis Azar Stephen of Pleasanton, CA; Susan Elwell Smith and her husband James Ayers Smith of Charlotte, NC, Amy Elwell Harris of Spartanburg, and John Robert Lawson Elwell of Louisville, KY; grandchildren, Lauren Davis Kistler and Samuel Mikell Kistler, both of Spartanburg; and step-grandchildren, David Carl Bergmann and Rachael Ann Bergmann, both of Columbia, Sara Frances McCart and Katherine Marie McCart, both of Spartanburg, Christine Nicole Stephen of Pleasanton, CA, Richard Ballenger Harris, III, Lawson Elizabeth Harris, and Paige Garland Harris, all of Spartanburg. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20, 2009, at The Episcopal Church of the Advent conducted by the Rev. J. Edward Morris and the Rev. Susan Perrin. A reception will follow at 4:00 p.m. at The Piedmont Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Episcopal Church of the Advent Foundation, 141 Advent Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302; or to a charity of one's choice. The family is at the home. Floyd's North Church Street Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Virginia Lutz Elwell please visit our Sympathy Store.