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Pastor Elder Mary Louise Govan

Funeral services for Pastor Elder Mary Louise Govan, 56, of 128 Devine Court, Orangeburg, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2008, at Beulah Refuge Tabernacle Church of Our Lord and Jesus Christ, Landfill Road, Orangeburg, with Elder David Smith Pastor and Apostle Willie C. Stroman officiating. Burial will be in the Belleville Memorial Gardens.

Pastor Govan died Thursday, July 17, at the Regional Medical Center following a brief illness.

She was born October 18, 1951, to Mr. Albert Dixon and the late Mother Louise Gissentanna in Orangeburg. Pastor Govan was reared in the home of Elder Joseph and Mother Katie Dash. As a child, she attended Nix Elementary School, Sharperson Middle School and graduated from Wilkinson High School. She was also a graduate of Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, South Carolina State University and a graduate student of Lesley University. For several years, she taught second grade at Denmark-Olar Elementary.

Pastor Govan's walk with Christ began at Mount Calvary Church of God at the age of 12. At the tender age of 14, she was called into the ministry and never looked back. Pastor Govan was married to the late Brother Eugene Govan Jr. To this union, five children were born. While in Orangeburg, she was a faithful member of Gospel Holiness Church, where she served as Assistant Pastor for several years under the leadership of Mother Arnesa Clark. She was later worshiped with Powerhouse of Prayer, Pastor George Scott.

In 1983, Pastor and Brother Govan moved to Hinesville, Ga., where she was a faithful member and evangelist at Mount Sinai Holiness Church. After returning to Orangeburg, she was Assistant Pastor of St. Sinai Holiness Church No. 3 of North and then became the Pastor of this assembly. In 2006, she became a member of Non-Denominational Church of Deliverance under the leadership of Apostle Willie C. Stroman. She was a dedicated assistant to Apostle Stroman as well as a faithful prayer warrior. Here she served diligently as a giver. She gave of herself in time and financially.

Pastor Govan dedicated her life to serving God and touching everyone's life that she met through the ministry of Jesus Christ our Savior. Her grandparents, Elder Joseph Dash and Mother Katie Dash, preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were her mother, Louise Gissentanna, her husband, Brother Eugene Govan Jr., her sister, Missionary Elaine Gissentanna and a brother, Albert Dixon Jr.

She leaves to cherish her memory, five children, Kelvin Govan of North Charleston, Sister Kimberly Govan of Jacksonville, Fla., Rodney Govan of Orangeburg, Sister Kendera Govan of the home and Elder Robin Govan of the home; her father, Brother Albert (Inell) Dixon; three sisters, Missionary Rutha Dash, Pastor Mary Dixon and Ms. Keisha Dixon, all of Orangeburg; five brothers, Pastor Michael (Doreen) Gissentanna of Freeport, N.Y., Mr. Christopher (Grace) Dixon of Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Freddie Lee Dixon, Mr. Stanley Dixon and Mr. Travis Dixon, all of Orangeburg; one granddaughter, I'Jahnae Fuller of Orangeburg; two special sisters in the Lord, Elder Catherine Sweet and Pastor Mary Walker, both of Orangeburg; one sister-in-law, Ms. Patricia Govan; two brothers-in-law, Mr. Monroe (Ernestine) Govan and Mr. Melvin (Marie) Govan of Neptune, N.J.; one uncle, Deacon David Gissentanna of Orangeburg; one god-daughter, Ms. Angela Walker; a host of nieces, nephews, special cousins, cousins and many, many close friends.

Friends may call at the residence and at Glover's Funeral Home of Orangeburg.

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