Jane Epps deWitt, 84, wife of Dr. John R deWitt, a retired minister of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, died unexpectedly in her sleep on Friday, February 3, at her home in Columbia, S. C.

She was born in Kingstree, SC on October 18, 1927 and attended Converse College. As a young widow she met her husband of 41 years, Dr. J. Richard deWitt while he was serving as the pastor of her Presbyterian church in Kingstree, SC in 1970.

From there she followed him in his ministry while serving as a professor of church history and systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, from 1975-1982, moving to be senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis from 1982-1992, then on to the Seventh Reformed Church in Grand Rapids from 1993 to 2000. At that time Dick and Jane retired back to Kingstree until he was called back to active service as senior minister at the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, where they served from 2002 until his second retirement in 2008.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. de Witt is survived by her children, Glenda H. (Duane) Shuler, Frank A. Brown, Gregory Epps (Kelli) de Witt; grandchildren, Jonathan D. (Amanda) Shuler, Elizabeth B. (Keith) Griffin, Alexandra Epps de Witt, Olivia G. de Witt; one great-grandchild, Charles Shuler Griffin.

The funeral service will take place at 1:00PM, Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church of Columbia. Current Pastor and Associate Pastor, Sinclair Ferguson and Derek Thomas will officiate. Following burial in the Churchyard, the family will greet friends in the church Hall.

Memorial gifts may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion St., Columbia, SC 29201. Shives Funeral home is assisting the family.