Bartlene Faye McCormick McMillan, 92, of Mullins passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, August 10, 2018. She was born on July 15, 1926 in Algood, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Luther Bartlett McCormick and the late Amelia Meredith Sussner McCormick. She married James Keith McMillan on August 3, 1947, and together they made Mullins their home where they raised their three children.

Bartlene was a graduate of Mullins High School. She attended Winthrop College for two years and graduated in 1947 from the University of South Carolina, where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She also attended Coastal Carolina for two years to study organ, choral directing and voice. With a desire to join the family business, she studied journalism through correspondence courses at Francis Marion College. Bartlene joined the Mullins Enterprise as an associate editor until it was sold and combined with the Marion Star. She continued to work with the paper until her retirement.

A member of Mullins First Baptist Church, Bartlene served her Savior and her church as pianist, teacher, as a member of the WMU, interim choir director, and organist for almost thirty years. She was a member and past president of the Mullins Choral Club and member and past president of the Tussie Mussie Garden Club. Bartlene loved Mullins and it was because of that love that she served on the boards of the Mullins Chamber of Commerce, Marion County Library System, Mullins Centennial Celebration, and Mullins Tree Commission. She also served other churches as a substitute musician when needed and also served as a docent for the South Carolina Tobacco Museum.

For her service to her community, Bartlene received many honors including the Community Service Award 1973 by Mullins Chamber of Commerce and Community Service Award in 2001 for the book "History of Mullins" published in 2000. She was honored by the Blue Savannah-Swamp Fox DAR chapters as one of three women recognized for leadership roles in Marion County. The women were honored at a tea at the Marion County Museum in April 2015.

Bartlene was predeceased, in addition to her parents, by her beloved husband, Keith.

She is survived by her sons, James Keith "Jim" McMillan (Jenny) of Sumter and Luther Tate McMillan (Carol) of Florence; a daughter, Amelia Meredith "Amy" Lane (Johnny) of Mullins; eight grandchildren, Shawn McMillan, Jason McMillan, Bradley McMillan, Meredith McMillan Augustine, Keith McMillan, Langdon McMillan, Matt Lane and Meredith Lane and eight great-grand children.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, August 12, 2018 in the chapel of Meares Funeral Home in Mullins. The family will receive friends at the funeral home following the service.

If you would like to remember Bartlene, the family suggests that memorials be made in her memory to Mullins First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 443, Mullins, South Carolina 29574 or to a charity of one's choice.

An online guestbook is available at www.mearesfh.com.