Mary Tatum Quin

Mary Risher Tatum Quin

Mary Risher Tatum Quin, widow of Col. John M. Tatum, Jr, wife of Dr. Louis DuBose Quin, died Thursday, August 25, 2022. She was 92.

Born on Oct. 31, 1929, in Bamberg, S.C., she was the daughter of Emma Jane Varn Risher and Col. James Franklin Risher of Bamberg. A graduate of Columbia College, she taught piano there after graduation until her marriage to John.

Mary and John would enjoy numerous adventures for the next 34 years, living many different places during John’s military career. Their marriage was blessed with four children, John III, Sara, Susan, and James. Upon John’s retirement from the Army, they moved to Camden, S.C. in 1973, where they became involved in numerous community activities. When John passed away in 1986, Mary continued to live in Camden, staying active and engaged, until her decision to move to Durham, N.C. in 2007. It was in Durham that, by happy serendipity, she reunited with a family friend from many years before, Dr. Louis D. Quin. They married in 2014 and remained a devoted, loving couple until her passing.

Mary was a strong, wise, supportive, and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmotherwho took deep interest and great delight in her progeny’s activities and accomplishments.

Mary lived life fully and fearlessly, with faith, love, joy, and gratitude; with a servant's heart and adventurer's spirit; staying inquisitive and engaged as much as she could. She was an accomplished pianist, performing many recitals and concerts over the years. She was a much beloved piano teacher for many years -- virtually all of her students would say that playing the piano was the very least of what she taught them. In the late 1980s, she and several friends launched Histoury Tours, a local historic tourism business known for innovative, creative ideas, such as the popular Ghost Bus Tours. She also worked for several years as a real estate agent.

She served in many community roles with several organizations, including the Camden Music Club and Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County. She served on the advisory board for the S.C. State Museum and played a key role in raising the funds to buy a state-of-the-art telescope for the museum’s planetarium and observatory. As a long-time supporter of the Fine Arts Center, she handled many roles, including deep involvement with the planning, organization and launch of the first MAD (Music Art Drama) Festival in Camden. Later in life, she served a pivotal role in purchasing a concert grand piano for the FAC's Wood Auditorium, enjoying the added thrill in meeting and playing for Henry Z. Steinway, great grandson of the company founder and the last member of the Steinway family to run the company. 

A woman of deep faith, she was a long-time and faithful member of Trinity Methodist Church in Bamberg; Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Camden, where she sang in the choir for many years and served as an Elder; and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Durham, N.C.

She was quite the raconteur, entertainer, and hostess, well known for her quintessential Southern hospitality and epic ability to tell a story.

Mary visited Europe four times throughout her life, living in Berlin, Germany when John was stationed there. Daughter Susan was born in Berlin and Mary and John later visited Susan when she was studying in Austria during college. Still later, when she was in her mid 70s, she took off with daughter and niece on a two-week jaunt across Italy. She made her fourth visit in her mid 80s, with spouse, Louis, enjoying a trip to Hungary and a cruise down the Danube River. 

In addition to her spouse, Mary is survived by a brother, Col. Lanning Parsons Risher of Camden; children, John May Tatum III (Mary Esther) of Beaufort, S.C, Sara Tatum Pottenger (David) of Durham, N.C., Susan Connor Tatum of Arlington, Va., and James Risher Tatum (Holly) of Tryon, N.C.; grandchildren, John May Tatum IV (Jenny-Gray) of Beaufort, S.C., Christine Dargan Tatum of Columbia, S.C., Tatum Elizabeth Pottenger McCandless (Amos) of Davidson, N.C., Megan Pottenger of Durham, N.C.; and great grandchildren, May Tatum and John Craig Tatum of Beaufort, S.C..

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, John May Tatum Jr.; siblings, James F. Risher Jr., Sarah McTeer Risher Watford, William Rhett Risher, and Eugene Varn Risher.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, September 1 at Westminster Presbyterian Church 3639 Old Chapel Hill Road, Durham, N.C. A graveside service will be held in Quaker Cemetery, Camden, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Bethesda Presbyterian Church, the Arts Center of Kershaw County, the Croasdaile Village Benevolent Foundation, or a charity of choice.

Hall-Wynne Funeral and Crematory Service, Durham

www.hallwynne.com