Community remembers life of Mt. Pleasant Councilwoman: ‘She was a gamechanger’

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Friends, family and members of the community celebrated the life of Thomasena Stokes-Marshall, the first and only Black woman to serve on the Mount Pleasant Town Council.

Her funeral was held on Friday at Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant after she died at the age of 79 on Jan. 7.

Pastors, past and present Mount Pleasant mayors and members from the many organizations that Thomasena Stokes-Marshall was part of spoke during her service.

One former Mayor of Mount Pleasant, Linda Page, used words such as trailblazer, leader, innovator and bold to describe her life.

“She had a tenacious desire to bring uncomfortable issues to the table, but she didn’t do it just to talk about it, she did it because she wanted to solve; how refreshing and how wonderful and I was so honored to serve with her,” Page says. “It didn’t matter about town council because if you’re here, you know and you were touched and impacted by something that she did, and those things will impact this region forever.”

Her casket was delivered on a horse-drawn carriage Friday morning with members of the Mount Pleasant Police Department ready to greet her before the service started.

While serving on town council for 17 years, she was also the co-founder of the African American Settlement Communities and founder of the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival Association.

Stokes-Marshall was on the Mount Pleasant Town Council until 2015 before Mayor Will Hayne began, but he says the town is better after her service than it was before.

“What I can express is what the theme of what I will always remember her for is that she worked on things, and championed things that didn’t depend on her still holding office to be important, and for people to keep in the forefront,” Hayne says.

In 2008, the town of Mount Pleasant senior center was named after her, where she championed all to stay active, take up extracurricular classes and art. Donna German with the center, says her work, service and life speaks volumes.

“She was not a stranger when it comes to hard work and dedication. Her time was immeasurable to many and it will always be remembered,” German says. “To the family, may you find peace and comfort as you reflect on the good times that you’ve shared with her.”

Since she founded the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival in 2005, the festival continues 19 years later and will continue the celebration of culture. Stokes-Marshall Virginia Stokes Watson worked with her on the festival and shares about her work ethic.

“She led the pack. So today yes, we will all miss her, but most importantly, I will miss her,” Watson says. “She was a gamechanger.”

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