COLUMBIA – A service to celebrate the life of Gerald Wayne Stover, Sr., 74, will be held on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church. The Rev. Walter Ballenger will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Mr. Stover died peacefully on Monday, January 26, 2015. He was born on February 2, 1940 in Kershaw, S.C. He was the son of the late George Columbus Stover Sr. and Ruth Miles Stover of Kershaw. Gerald graduated with honors from Kershaw high School, received his B.A., M.B.A., and completed coursework towards his Ph.D. all from the University of South Carolina. Gerald served active duty in the United States Army at Fort Still, Oklahoma and reserve duty with the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade “Airborne” referred to as the “Thurmond Brigade”. His home church was Hanging Rock UMC in Kershaw and he was a former member of First United Methodist in Winnsboro, S.C., Trenholm Road UMC in Columbia, and Union UMC in Irmo, S.C. He was currently a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Columbia. His career included time with Springs Mill, Lancaster, S.C, Uniroyal, Winnsboro, S.C. and the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Gerald was an avid Gamecock fan, passionate woodworker and lifelong golfer. Gerald is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda Gardner Stover (formerly of Bishopville, S.C.); sons, Gerald Wayne “Jerry” Stover Jr. of Columbia and Craig Nathaniel Stover (Hilary) of Tega Cay, S.C.; three grandchildren, Kathryn Abigail and Benjamin Rowan of Columbia, and Sally Michele of Tega cay, S.C.; two brothers, George Columbus Stover, Jr. of Kershaw, S.C. and Ralph Stover (Ann) of Monroe, N.C.; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Grady Stover of Kershaw, S.C.; and his daughter-in-law, Stacie Dennin Stover of Columbia.