One of the most successful girls’ basketball coaches ever, a top-notch guidance counselor, a first-class neighbor and friend, and a faithful church worker and servant of the Lord.

This his how people described Harriet Elizabeth “Boots” Bandy, of Johnston, who passed away Sunday after a fairly lengthy battle with cancer. A memorial service was held yesterday at 3:30 p.m. at Johnston First Baptist Church, where Bandy attended. She was buried at Overbrook Cemetery in McCormick.

“She was the kind of person who rarely spoke of her own problems but was genuinely concerned with the needs of others,” said the Rev. Tommy Barwick, pastor of Johnston First Baptist. “When I talked to people in the community, they’d sometimes say, ‘Oh, Boots called me and told me that so and so was sick or in the hospital.’ She was good about visiting those who were ill and would drive people to the doctor and look after them when they were home.”

Barwick said this characteristic was a trademark of Bandy’s.

“And it was a good testimony of her faith in the Lord and her love for others.”

Likewise, Margaret Edwards, whose yard joined Bandy’s for 45 years and who taught school and attended church with Bandy, spoke of her willingness to help others.

“She was always doing things for others and she was one of the best neighbors anyone could want,” she said. “She and I were on the first faculty at Strom Thurmond High School. I was a math teacher and she taught physical education and coached girls’ basketball.”

Edwards said the two were active together in church for many years.

“Boots never joined there. She was a member at the Methodist Church in McCormick. But we claimed her—she was ours. She sang in the choir and most people thought she was a member.”

Bandy was born in Wilson, N.C. and came to Edgefield County from McCormick after getting her B.A. degree from Winthrop University.

She coached at Strom Thurmond High School for 17 or 18 years and then, after getting her master’s in guidance from Clemson University, became a guidance counselor. She spent 50 years in the Edgefield County School System. She was a member of the Johnston Lions Club and numerous athletic and educational organizations.

While at Strom Thurmond High School, she built a basketball dynasty with a record of 277 wins, 79 losses and 3 ties. Her teams won six conference championships and two state championships, placing second once.

During her tenure at Strom Thurmond High School, she completed a master’s degree in guidance at Clemson University and a specialist’s degree in supervision at the University of South Carolina. She moved from teaching physical education to the position of school guidance counselor.

Numerous honors include two Principal’s Service Awards at Strom Thurmond High School, the Outstanding Young Educator Award, three additional education awards from the Jaycees, and a number of coaching awards.

In 1976, Boots was named National High School Coach of the Year. In 1998, she was inducted into the South Carolina Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Beth Byrd and Eleanor Priest Crim were two of her students.

‘She taught me P.E. in ’62 and ’63 and we were in the same Sunday School class,” Crim said. “She was a very generous and loving person. My husband was sick for 10 years before he died, and the last two years, she called him every other day. She saw my two children, Gene and Michael, and my now daughter-in-law, Pam, graduate before she retired.”

Byrd said her father, John Fitz Byrd Sr., was Bandy’s family dentist before she came to Edgefield to live.

“She was a wonderful coach and a compassionate, caring person,” she said. “She was also unassuming and humble when she won honors. She was not the type of person to call attention to herself.”

Winthrop University contributed to this report.  Photo Courtesy The Aiken Standard.