Della M. Zeigler (Cox)

It is with sadness and joy that we inform you of the passing of Mrs. Della M. Zeigler. 'Ms. Della' as she was known to family and friends, left us to be the The Lord, Tuesday, December 15, 2015 from her temporary home at Sweetgrass Memory Care in Mt. Pleasant, SC. She passed away peacefully at the age of 84, after enduring Alzheimer's and most recently, stomach cancer. Ms. Della was born on Wednesday, May 13, 1931 to the late Mary Ruth McGolrick Cox and Frank Lest Cox. She grew up on Sullivan's Island, with fond memories of 'Moultrieville' and graduated from Bishop England High School. She was baptized and attended Stella Maris Church on Sullivan's Island until moving to the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant, where she continued her faithful relationship with our Lord at Christ Our King Church. Along with her faithful presence at Christ Our King Church, she was best known in her role at Pitt Street Pharmacy in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant, where she 'held court' for nearly 60 years. She was predeceased by her first husband, Robert Edward Corker, and her second husband, Dr. Washington 'Wattie' Zeigler, pharmacist and owner of Pitt Street Pharmacy, that he established in late 1937. After Dr. Zeigler's death in 1982, Ms. Della continued running the Pitt Street Pharmacy with the help of Dr. Zeigler's faithful pharmacists friends, Gene Whitley and Lavern James. Perhaps because she had no children of her own, the drugstore became her baby, and she, Gene and Lavern continued the tradition of excellence that Dr. Zeigler had created. When Pharmacists Gene and Lavern decided it was time to retire, the first call was to fellow pharmacist, and current owner, Kim Richardson, who purchased the pharmacy from them in 1996. Ms. Della continued working with Kim, and introducing him to all the pharmacy patients and customers and teaching him many of life's lessons until 2014 when her Alzheimer's began to change her life. Ms. Della's time away from the pharmacy was very private and independent. However, she took great joy in helping her next door neighbor and dear friend, Rosa Lee 'Dodo' Donaldson until the time of her passing. She also loved her dogs, 'Honey' and 'Buttons' who were her constant companions until her later years when she out-lived them both. She also enjoyed doing yard work and refused help cutting her own grass into her late 70's. She is survived by a brother-in-law, James Johnston of Mt. Pleasant, and his children James 'Jimbo' Johnston, Jr., Linda Marie Jacobs (her husband, Leo and their son, Stephen) and Laura Annette Windham (her husband, Mark, and their girls, Krystle and Shannon Windham), all from Charleston. She is also survived by Dr. Zeigler's niece, and dear friend, Patsy Skinner of Charleston, along with many friends whose lives she touched in so many special ways. Kim and Katie Richardson and their sons, Will and Townes were among those blessed to have known this remarkable, loving lady, and would like to thank her caregivers at Sweetgrass Memory Court and Beacon Hospice for their excellent care on Ms. Della's behalf. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ Our King Catholic Church on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 10:30am with burial to follow in Magnolia Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Christ Our King Catholic Church, 1149 Russell Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 and Pet Helpers, 1447 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412. Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.McAlister-Smith.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to McALISTER-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, MT PLEASANT CHAPEL, 1520 RIFLE RANGE ROAD, MT PLEASANT, SC (843) 884-3833.