Miriam Hiott Beach of Walterboro, a resident of the Methodist Oaks in Orangeburg, passed away Monday evening at the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg after a brief illness. She was 99.

Mrs. Beach was born in Round O, April 21, 1917, a daughter of the late Cleveland C. Hiott Sr. and Florrie O'Neal Hiott. She graduated from Walterboro High School, and attended Limestone College. She was a homemaker, and was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Walterboro, where she was formerly active in both the WMU and the Essie Loper Circle. She sang in the church choir, and was also a former member of the Pink Star Garden Club. Mrs. Beach had been married to her late husband, Norwood Jerome Beach, for 52 years at the time of his passing in 1988.

She is survived by two daughters, Pamela Beach Harter (Lee) of Orangeburg and Miriam Norwood "Mimi" Beach Vallentine of Walterboro. There are five grandchildren: J. Gray Vallentine IV (Debbie), Jennifer Beach Yates (Rory), Jeffrey Norwood Vallentine, Joseph Austin Harter, and William Andrew Harter. There are four great-grandchildren: John Hunter Vallentine, Matthew Vallentine, Ethan Yates, and Jade Yates. Mrs. Beach was preceded in death by four brothers and one sister, and leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews.


Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 11:00 in the chapel of Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home, 117 Paul Street, Walterboro, SC. Burial will follow in the Live Oak Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services at the funeral home, and in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church, 12898 Round O Road, Round O, SC 29474.