By Lise Sundrla
For more than 50 years, Beth Grace was one of Beaufort’s most steadfast guardians. Her decades of service to Historic Beaufort Foundation not only championed and preserved our architectural treasures but also safeguarded the stories, traditions, and sense of place that make Beaufort unlike anywhere else.
On Aug. 29, Beth passed away, and Beaufort should take pause to appreciate what this marvelous woman gave to our City.
To Beth, preservation was never about nostalgia alone; it was about weaving Beaufort’s heritage into its future.
I first met Beth in 1988 when I moved to Beaufort to manage the Main Street Beaufort program. We quickly formed a friendship built on our shared love of Beaufort that I have treasured these many years. She represented HBF on the Main Street Board of Directors while being a devoted wife to Gene and mom to her two daughters, Katherine and Chilton.
Early on, Beth recognized the critical importance of sustaining a vibrant downtown core to ensure a healthy community and quality of life. Historic Beaufort Foundation was a driving force behind Beaufort’s SC Main Street designation and Beth worked to ensure that the program, which continues today, was successful.
Her leadership within HBF has been marked by a rare combination of vision and practicality. She promoted restoration projects that others deemed too ambitious, she rallied volunteers for grassroots efforts, and she worked tirelessly to secure funding for preservation initiatives.
Whether advocating for the protection of Beaufort’s neighborhoods and architectural legacy or guiding educational programs for HBF, Beth understood that heritage is only as strong as the people who carry it forward.
Last year, Beth and Gene gave a sizable gift to HBF to support our Preservation Revolving Fund and our recent purchase and planned stabilization/renovation of the Mary M. Dunbar property at 1001 Greene Street. The funds were in tribute to HBF’s long-time former executive director Cynthia Jenkins upon her retirement.
Cynthia shared this about Beth: “From researching and selecting the wallpaper in the entrance and stair hall of the Verdier House to creating the successful formula for the Lafayette Soirée, Beth was involved. A southern girl through and through.
“Beth’s marriage to Gene was meant to be from the start as her ‘new’ name was exactly who she was – kind, elegant, merciful and always, always giving generously of her time and knowledge to everyone,” Cynthia said.
Beyond her role with the Foundation and Main Street, Beth’s impact radiated through Beaufort’s cultural and civic life. She was a mentor to young preservationists, a trusted voice in city and county planning discussions, and a constant presence at community events.
Her work helped ensure that Beaufort’s National Historic Landmark District remains not just a tourist attraction, but a living, breathing neighborhood where history is part of the everyday landscape.
In an era when development pressures often threaten to erase the past, Beth Grace was a reminder that progress and preservation can – and must – co-exist. Her legacy is written not only in the restored facades and protected streetscapes of Beaufort, but in the pride of all of us who know our history is in good hands.
Rob Montgomery, chair of HBF’s Board of Trustees and a Beaufort architect, shared this: “Beaufort lost a beautiful and extraordinary advocate this past weekend. Beth Grace’s love for Beaufort was made apparent through the many adopted causes she supported throughout her life. It was a special honor for me to serve alongside her at Historic Beaufort Foundation, and her strong yet compassionate voice will be missed. Be assured her guidance, influence, and legacy will live on for many years to come at HBF and throughout our community. Rest in peace, Beth.”
A few years ago, I asked Beth to write a quote to be included on the HBF website, and her words reverberate today.
“There have been many historians who say that we cannot know where we are going unless we know who we are and from where we came. All the threads of Beaufort are woven together into a magnificent quilt through our shared history. We become stronger through learning our own history and HBF is the conduit.”
Her legacy shows us that preserving a place is really about preserving its soul. And Beaufort’s soul is stronger because of Beth Grace.
Lise Sundrla is the Executive Director of the Historic Beaufort Foundation.