Imogene Oelschig McDougal

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Celebrating the life of
Imogene Oelschig McDougalJune 27, 1915 - February 11, 2008

"Gene" Oelschig McDougal

SAVANNAH - Imogene "Gene" Keen Bethea Oelschig McDougal, 92, passed away Monday, February 11, 2008 at St. Joseph's Hospital. She is a descendant of "Devil" John Bethea, a patriot and fighter of note in the South Carolina militia during the American Revolution. Her great grandfather, Dr. Alfred Walker Bethea, was a signer of the 1860 Ordinance of Succession of South Carolina from the Union. Her grandfather, Dr. John F. Bethea served in the Confederate Army Medical Corps. She is the daughter of the late, Fitzhugh Lee Bethea and Bonnie Keen Bethea, born on June 27, 1915 at Rosedale, the Bethea family plantation, near Dillon, South Carolina. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Captain Carl H. Oelschig, Jr., USAF, WW II veteran killed in action, Korea, 1951; her second husband, Merlin Logan McDougal, 2000; and her two brothers, Fitzhugh Lee, Jr., and WWII veteran, former Representative in the South Carolina Legislature, Col. USAF Ret. Alfred William Bethea.
She attended Winthrop College. In 1948, she founded one of the first privately owned kindergartens in Savannah "Playmates", which she operated for ten years. She was one of the founders of the "Luther League" for youth at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Savannah. In 1951, upon the death of her husband, Carl, she became the owner and president of Oelschig Floral Shops, Inc., a position she held until her retirement in 1986. She greatly increased the size of the business and was active in many local, state and national florist organizations. Some of her accomplishments were: the State of Georgia Representative to the National Florist Telegraph Delivery Association, 1962 Woman of the Year of the American Business Women's Association, Board Member of: The Society of American Florists, the Women of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia State Florists Association, The Savannah Chapter of the American Red Cross. President of: The Allied Florists Association of Savannah, the Georgia State Florists Association, the Southern Retail Florists Association, Chairwoman of the National Foundation for Floraculture. In 1971 she directed the acquisition of Breckenridge Florist and merged it into the Oelschig Floral Shops Corporation. She was a longtime member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Lucile Bethea Whedbee of Wilmington, NC; her sister-in-law, Mrs. Jo-Anne Dellinger Bethea of Dillon, SC; her son, Lt. Col Ret. Carl H. Oelschig, III and his wife, Elizabeth Howard of Savannah; her daughter, Bonnie Oelschig Rudolph Todd of Orlando, FL; four grandchildren, and their spouses: Christopher C. Rudolph, Courtney Rudolph Baldridge, Pamela Jean Oelschig, Major USA Carl Stewart Oelschig, six great grandchildren, and her loyal friend and business partner for many years, Mr. Albert O. Gnann and his wife, Betty.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church conducted by Pastor Peter J. Hartmann at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 1, 2008.
A private burial service attended by family will follow at Hillcrest Abbey Memorial Park.
Remembrances, in her name to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 10 W. 31st. St., Savannah, GA 31401.
Please sign our on-line guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel

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Carl and Elizabeth, 'To live in the hearts of those we love is not to die.' Our LOVE to you both, Nick and Penny

- Penny and Nick Farley, Savannah, GA

My sincerest sympathies to your family. Irma Frech St. John

- Irma Frech St. John, Birmingham, AL

We are so sorry for your loss. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers.

- Rusty and Martha Waters, Savannah, GA

Dear Bonnie, Even though this is a sad time for you, you must be consoled by the fact that your mother was a vital part of your life for a very, very long time -- and you did your very best to make her long life a happy one. Love, Mary

- Mary Condon, New York, NY

I will always remember Aunt Gene for her vivacious personality, the sparkle in her eyes and her endless enthusiasm for life. She was a remarkable woman - a real jewel!

- Joanne Keen, Cedar Mountain, NC

Imogene was a wonderful and beautiful person. I knew her from St. Paul's Lutheran Church. My heart and thoughts are with the family. She will be missed by many.

- Doris Gravdahl, Savannah, GA

Bonnie, Carl and family, What a wonderful lady, and she was a lady. Aways a smile and so glad to see you. You are in my prayers. Louise Grotheer

- Louise Grotheer, Savannah, GA

My Deepest Sympathies to Gene's Family

- Mary Russell, Savannah, GA