Mary "Dougie" Douglas (Riley) Hope

Mary Douglas “Dougie” Riley Hope, 98, of Bennettsville, S.C. passed away on June 14, 2026, at her home surrounded by loving family.

Dougie was born in Bennettsville, the daughter of Angus Wilson Riley and Margaret Edens Riley. While growing up in “B’ville”, she had a wonderful small-town upbringing and fun adventures with her scores of friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, and especially her beloved sisters Nancy and Margaret. While in high school, she and another 12 friends formed the Yehudi Club (named after the popular phrase at the time, “Who’s Yehudi?” -- meaning popular violinist Yehudi Menuhin) and put on many shows to entertain themselves before television came around and had a grand time socializing together. In the early 1980s, she and the members of the Yehudis had annual reunions on Hilton Head Island as a fun lady’s group. She is the last surviving member of the group of friends that she cherished so.

She graduated from Bennettsville High School in 1945 and went off to attend the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., where she happily became a lifelong Chi Omega. She met and fell in love with John C. Hope of Columbia soon after in Ocean Drive, and they married on November 10, 1951, at First Presbyterian Church in Bennettsville. She and John had five wonderful children, who were her life’s joy, along with her subsequent beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to brag about all of them and beamed with pride in them always.

Dougie worked part-time while living in Cheraw, S.C. for the S.C. Dept. of Social Services, and then as a teacher’s aide at Sonovista Elementary School in Hartsville, S.C. when the family lived there in the early 70s, and then in that capacity at other Darlington County schools in Hartsville and Society Hill in the 1980s. She also worked part-time at the Marlboro Inn in Bennettsville during that time.

A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Old Cheraws - Pee Dee Chapter, Dougie was also an avid reader and enjoyed being a faithful member of a local book club. She was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal (now Anglican) Church in Bennettsville, and a volunteer at Marlboro Park Hospital as well during her later 45 years as a return resident of her hometown.

Dougie was known as a loyal friend who never let old friendships fade away. Her address book was brimming with her “cast of thousands” that she faithfully sent hundreds of letters and cards over the years, using her

beautiful flowing handwriting style. She was sentimental and loved to keep mementos, photos, and little keepsakes that her loved ones and friends gave and was such a thoughtful and generous gift-giver of the absolute best kind.

Dougie was also the life of the party who loved chatting, dancing (especially the Jitterbug and the Shag), joking around (cutting the fool), telling funny stories, recollecting, googling babies and animals, and was popular around town for her great storytelling. She loved to write poems for special occasions, each with witty rhymes and deep affection. Her love of music, especially Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, and Sarah Vaughn was tremendous, as well as classic movies with her favorites Bette Davis or Katharine Hepburn, or more recent ones with Sally Field.

Dougie fell in love with Pawley’s Island, S.C., and made annual pilgrimages there at every chance she could get, with family and friends in tow. There, she was a champion at rummy and Scrabble, loved good food as well as an occasional bourbon to go along with all the camaraderie. She was very patriotic of our U.S. of A., a proud South Carolinian and Bennettsvillian, a huge Gamecock fan--especially football and ladies’ basketball--and "proud to be loud" Hope matriarch! She was truly the glue that held the family together, and will be eternally missed, but also celebrated for her love of life. Her motto to “Keep On Keeping On!” will be our mantra.

She is preceded in death by her husband John C. Hope, parents Angus and Margaret Riley, sister Nancy McDaris, and beloved granddaughter Amanda Truesdale, as well as many beloved sisters- and brothers-in-law, cousins, aunts & uncles, nieces & nephews, and friends.

She is survived by her five children, Kathy Ingalls (George) of Cherry Grove, S.C.; Peggy Hope of Cheraw, S.C.; Christian Hope (Audrey), of Spartanburg, S.C.; Jay Hope (Joy), of Georgetown, S.C.; Dee Hope of Savannah,

Ga.; 7 grandchildren, Katie Dill (Rocky) of Greer, S.C.; Jacob Rogers of Greenville, S.C.; Trey Hope

(Justin Harris) of Spartanburg, S.C.; Eric Hope (Kathy) of Spartanburg, S.C.; John Hope (Mika) of Washington, D.C.; Wil Hope of New York City, N.Y.; and McCall Hope of Spartanburg, S.C.; six great-grandchildren, Cameron and Zane Truesdale of Columbia, S.C., Riley and Reese Dill of Greer, Aiden Rogers of Greenville, and River Hope of Spartanburg; sister Margaret Oliphant of Port Royal, S.C.; and many beloved and very special nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 4:00 PM at St. Paul's Anglican Church, 306 Fayetteville Avenue in Bennettsville, followed by visitation and celebration of life in the church parish hall. A private graveside service will follow at a later date. Her obituary and additional information will be posted on Burrough’s Funeral Home website, www.bfhbennettsville.com.

The Hope family would like to express their deepest appreciation for the expert care given to her by the professional and loving staff at Your Health Hospice, especially Keith Graham and Janet Cooper, and her loving caretakers over the last several years, Jessica Williams, Crystal Clark, and Brooke Freeman.

In lieu of flowers, tributes may be sent to Marlboro County Council on Aging, P.O. Box 1195, Bennettsville, S.C.29512, or to St. Paul's Church, 306 Fayetteville Ave., Bennettsville, S.C. 29512.

Online condolences may be made @ www.bfhbennettsville.com.

Burroughs Funeral Home is honored to assist the Hope Family.

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