Rebecca Fannie Dawkins of West Columbia has passed away.
News of her passing was posted on the Facebook page of Turner Memorial AME Church, Tuesday. Click here for a link:

The post read: “It is with mixed emotions that we share with you the home-going of 103 year old Sis Rebecca Fannie Dawkins. She was blessed with longevity. A long and rich life God blesses her with. We will miss her on this side, but I’m sure she has been welcomed by the Angels in Heaven. Please pray for the family and The Turner Memorial AME Church Family!”

Dawkins celebrated her 103rd birthday in February: Link to her birthday article.

She was also honored by the City of West Columbia and was believed to be its eldest living resident.

“She is a sweet, God-fearing woman,” said West Columbia Councilman Mickey Pringle in a 2019 interview. “She would help any one she could.”

Dawkins was a cosmologist in West Columbia for 40 years. Until recently, she lived for 70 years, in the same house off of 12th Street, that was built by her father.

Born in Fairfield County in 1917, Dawkins went to New Brookland High School and Clinton Junior College. She obtained her cosmetology license from Pope Beauty School.

In a 2017 interview, Dawkins said “living right,” was her explanation for her long life. She also said she prays every day for everybody in the community.

Dawkins comes from a family of 13 children. Her grandfather, Milton Meadows, lived to be 106.

“When he died, there was nothing wrong with him, except he said his foot hurt,” Dawkins said in her 2017 interview.