Josie Charline Thrift Lovelace of Shelby and North Myrtle Beach, SC passed away at her home in Shelby on April 5, 2018 at the age of 87.

A native of Cleveland County, Charline was born on August 28, 1930 to the late Charlie and Mae Thrift. She is preceded in death by her sweetheart and husband of 61 years, James Dazile (JD) Lovelace and son, Jimmy Lovelace and sons-in-law, Gary Turner, Joe McLamb and Bryon Rippy. Charline also had three beloved sisters, Helen Williams, Betty Rudicil and Mary Wilson, as well as their spouses, and a half-brother, Bobby Thrift.

She is survived by her devoted daughters, Gwen Lovelace Turner and Sue Lovelace McLamb Rippy, and grandchildren, including Karin Turner Cook and husband Clinton, Mark Turner and wife Miranda, Allison Durbin and husband Kenneth, Sally Whichard Averette and husband Vance, Garrett McLamb, Phillip McLamb and Michael McLamb. Survivors also include great grandchildren Madison Bower, Carleigh Turner, Ford Turner, Dylan Turner, Turner Cook, August Cook, Zeric Durbin and Cody Durbin, Madison Averette, Annabelle Averette and Sawyer Averette. Charline also had an extended family of half brothers and sisters, including Norma Martin, Steve Thrift and Vickie Pruett. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Shelby, NC and First Baptist Church of North Myrtle Beach, SC.

As Charline's mother died when she was seven years old, she and her sisters were brought up during the Great Depression by her father, Charlie, grandparents Allen and Mary Thrift and her Aunts Kate and Ophelia. Despite the hard times, she foldly recalled memories of being raised by a large, loving family and often shared antics of her childhood with grandchildren. She was a masterful storyteller.

One of Charline's greatest accomplishments was graduation at the top of her class from Gardner-Webb College's very first class of Registered Nurses. This was not easily achieved, as she was unable to complete high school, as a teenager, due to farming obligations; her high school and college graduations coincided with that of daughters, Gwen and Sue.

Charline worked at both Shelby Memorial Hospital and Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. She retired as Head Nurse of the Grand Strand Coronary/Intensive Care Unit in the late 1990s. Beyond her children and grandchildren, she was most proud of her "R.N." designation and often promoted the value of education and hard work to her family.

She and her husband, JD, were owners and operators of Sea Sand I and Sea Sand II, as well as the Sea Aire Motel in the Crescent section of North Myrtle Beach. They operated their motels for approximately 30 years and during that time enjoyed the company of visitors from around the world. When retirement beckoned, they returned to Cleveland County and enjoyed their remaining years home with family.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, April 9, 2018 at 11:00am in the Chapel at Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home & Crematory with Rev. Marcus McGill officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00am-11:00pm and at other times at the home of Gwen Turner. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Research Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family of Mrs. Hayes.

Guest Registry is available at www.cecilmburtonfuneralhome.com