SILVERSTREET — Gertrude Elizabeth “Cricket” Blair Force, 94, widow of Grady W. Force, died Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012, at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.

Born on May 17, 1918, in Silverstreet, she was a daughter of the late John Chessley and Nancy Elizabeth Dominick Blair. She was a homemaker and had worked for Waldrop Brothers-Central Soya. Mrs. Force was a member of Silverstreet Lutheran Church where she was a longtime choir member and a member of WELCA. She served as a volunteer leader of the Silverstreet Girl Scouts and was a member of the Silverstreet High School Alumni Association.

Mrs. Force is survived by her daughters, Suzannah (Alton) Smith of Greenville and Trudy (Gordon) Brown of Anderson; grandchildren, Rhett Force (Pam) Long and Heidi Long (Andy) Boulware and great-grandchildren, Wilson, Maggie and Grady Long and Caroline and Emily Boulware.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at Silverstreet Lutheran Church by the Rev. Harry Crout and Rev. Rodney Gunter. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5–6:30 p.m. at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Silverstreet Lutheran Church, 120 Long Street, Silverstreet, SC 29145.

The family would like to extend sincere thanks to Angel Care, the staff of Springfield Place, the third floor staff at NCMH and Dr. Thomas Bradberry for their loving care.

McSwain-Evans Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements. A memorial message may be written to the family at www.mcswainevans.com.