Florence, SC Rilla Godbold Messick, 91, passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, at The Heritage Nursing Home, where she had been a resident since 2004. She was born in Marion County to the late Blake and Lola Bell Perritt Godbold. Rilla is predeceased by, in addition to her parents, her husband, Ellison Wilroy Messick, Sr.; brothers, Earl Godbold, EW Godbold, Marion Godbold, Robert Godbold, Neil Ray Godbold and Kenneth Godbold; and three sisters, Martha Godbold, Alice Godbold and Dorothy Godbold Bailey. Rilla and Ellison lived most of their lives in Sumter, SC, where he was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base. She was employed at Southern Life. When Ellison retired, they moved to Florence, where he was employed by the City Tax Department and she went to work for Life of Georgia, from which she later retired. She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and a member of the Jimmy McNair Sunday School class. She was a member of the Lenora Chapter 30 of the Order of the Eastern Star. She is survived by her son, Ellison W. Messick, Jr. and his wife Joyce, and two grandchildren, Ellison W. "Tripp" Messick, III and Ashley Garrett Messick; and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 pm on Thursday, December 18, 2014, at Cain Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, December 19, 2014, in the Florence Memorial Gardens Mausoleum Chapel with entombment to follow, directed by Cain Funeral Home. The family would like to thank the staff of Heritage Home for their love and kindness to Rilla over the years. Memorials may be made to the St. Paul General Fund, 1629 W. Palmetto Street, Florence, SC 29502.