Grace Lever Blanton, 79, of Newberry died Thursday, November 24, 2016 at White Oak Manor. Born on December 6, 1936 in Newberry, she was a daughter of the late F. DeWitt and Martha Willingham Lever. She retired from Whitten Center after 30 years of service as the Chief Administration Officer of the Day. Mrs. Blanton was a member of Glory Tabernacle and the S.C. State Employee's Association. She is survived by her daughter, Sheila B. Sugibayashi of Newberry; grandchildren, Amy Lynn Sugibayashi of West Columbia and Joshua Roy Sugibayashi of Newberry; and her great grandson Michael Sugibayashi. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Roy Blanton; siblings, Vernon Lever, Claude Lever, Carlyle Lever, Ellis Lever, Robert Lever, Ollie Lever, Mary Martin, Margaret Webb, and Betty Hall; and son-in-law, Kihachi Sugibayashi. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Sunday, November 27, 2016 at Glory Tabernacle by the Rev. Joel Mundy. Interment will be in Newberry Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 PM Saturday at the Whitaker Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Glory Tabernacle Church, 905 Pope Street, Newberry, SC 29108 or SC Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs, PO Box 4706, Columbia, SC 29240. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitakerfuneralhome.com. Whitaker Funeral Home of Newberry is assisting the family.