Julia Elizabeth McCune

Julia Elizabeth “Betty” Birchmore McCune 85 passed from this life to the next on August 30, 2025 after a long struggle with dementia and a brief battle with cancer.

She was born on September 14, 1939 in Camden, South Carolina and was a long-time resident of Columbia. She attended Dreher High School and retired from the Veteran’s Administration Regional Office in Columbia in 1994.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Willis Birchmore and Julia Dezma Monroe Birchmore; her first love, Wilmot Trotti Riley III; and her beloved granddaughter, McKenzie Alana Kittrell. She has three daughters, Gwen Elizabeth Riley Lawson of Mars Hill, NC (husband Mark), Julia Eleanor Riley Eargle of Asheville, NC (husband Steve), and Susan Kelly Fulmer of St. Petersburg, FL and Mars Hill, NC. She has four grandchildren, Meredith Eargle Brooks (husband Wyatt), Brantley Elizabeth Eargle (husband Pasquale Roselli), and Andrew Stephen Eargle, all of Asheville, NC, and Dylan Alexander Kittrell of Philadelphia, PA. She also has 5 great-grandchildren, Josiah Casey Allen, Aiden Drew Allen, Wells Christopher Allen, Sveva Grace Roselli, and Julien Federico Roselli. Betty is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Julie Riley Algie (Jimmy) of Huntsville, AL and Dottie Riley Britton of Greenville, SC, and many life-long friends.

Betty was a resident of The Inverness at Spartanburg at the time of her death, and the family would like to thank the Agape Care Group and the staff of Inverness for their loving care.

A service will be held at the columbarium of Shandon United Methodist Church on 3407 Devine St. in Columbia. Arrangements will be announced at a later date.