11 debutantes presented at Coterie Club of St. Matthews’ Holiday Debutante Ball

The Coterie Club of St. Matthews, founded in 1956, held its Holiday Debutante Ball on Friday at the Orangeburg Country Club. Members and guests were greeted in the ballroom by Mrs. Alec Boyd McLeod III, president of the Coterie Club, and her husband, along with the sponsors of the debutantes.

Seven daughters of Coterie members made their formal bows to society:

Virginia Gray Edmunds, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Blake Edmunds Jr., was escorted by Mr. James Joseph Union IV of Orangeburg.

Caroline Blake Gantt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Hay Gantt III, was escorted by John Austin Watts of St. Matthews.

Isabella Catherine Reed, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Reed and of Ms. Kimberly Wood Reed, was escorted by William Weimortz Sutcliffe III of Columbia.

Mary Ruth Rickenbaker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Rickenbaker, was escorted by William Alexander Clarkson of St. Matthews.

Lauren Elizabeth Roland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Lee Roland, was escorted by Andrew Charles Gatch of Columbia.

Julia Taylor Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Taylor Smith, and granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Marion Smith, also members of Coterie, was escorted by Wyatt Jeffcoat Rucker of St. Matthews.

Elizabeth Daisy Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Christopher Williams, and granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Joseph Williams, also members of Coterie, was escorted by Aaron Calhoun Strickland of Orangeburg.

Four granddaughters of Coterie members also made their formal bows to society:

Elizabeth Bailey Conger, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. William George Peterkin III and daughter of Mr. Allen Willard Conger and Ms. Amy Elizabeth Peterkin, was escorted by Hunter William Carson of Cameron.

Sara Elizabeth Culclasure, granddaughter of Mrs. Thomas Percy Culclasure, niece of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Percy Culclasure Jr. and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Todd Culclasure, was escorted by Thomas Jack Round of Simpsonville.

Alexandra Warren DuBose, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gressette Felder Sr. and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terrence Edmundson DuBose and Mr. and Mrs. John Gressette Felder Jr., was escorted by Matthew Tucker McGee of St. Matthews.

Kailee Kissam Flinton, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Woods Flinton Jr. and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stier Flinton, also members of Coterie, was escorted by Justin Dean Hood of St. Matthews.

Four sons and one grandson recognized as attending their first Coterie Debutante Ball were Jackson Kenneth Fleming, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kenneth Fleming Jr., accompanied by Miss Shannon Elizabeth Julian; Matthew Tucker McGee, son of the Honorable and Mrs. Randall Edward McGee, accompanied by Miss Alexandra Warren DuBose; William Cooper McGee, son of the Honorable and Mrs. Randall Edward McGee, accompanied by Miss Madison St. Clair Rhame; Gregory Marion Smith Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Marion Smith and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Marion Smith, also members of Coterie, accompanied by Miss Sarah Kathryn Clark; Gressette Loadholt Felder, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Gressette Felder Sr. and son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Carroll and Mr. and Mrs. John Gressette Felder Jr. accompanied by Miss Kelsey Lynn Crawford.

A large number of family and friends were invited to the 60th annual Coterie Club Holiday dance:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Joseph Coble Jr., Miss Catherine Moore, Mrs. Allison Townsend Reaves, Miss Joesy Lane Ott, Miss Abby Miles, Mr. and Mrs. David Hooper, Mr. and Mrs. John Bishop, Miss Jordan Kahn, Mr. Matt Hawse, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Weeks Stroman, Ms. Bennie Wooten, Miss Julia Gossett, Mr. Dawson Abrams, Mrs. Vicky Ware, Mr. Eddie Lee, Miss Emily Peterkin, Miss Savannah Barker, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Trent Ziemke, Dr. and Mrs. John B. DuBose, III, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hampton Thornton, Mr. and Mrs. Barry Dean Hood, Miss Lauren Betts Culclasure, Mrs. Gerald Sage Bradshaw, Mr. Gene Gibbon, Mrs. Rebecca Turberville, Mr. and Mrs. Miles Loadholt, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Fleming, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Hank Rhame, Mr. and Mrs. George Laing.

Co-chairman of the Coterie Ball were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kenneth Fleming Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Porth; debutante committee chairman was Mrs. Jonathan Daniel Mangum; and debutante figure was Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Goodwyn Reid Jr.

This story was originally published December 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM.