Mention the name Ann McDonald in Mullins, S.C., and residents will likely respond with smiles. She is 75, twice-widowed and going strong as the owner of Webster Manor, a five-star restaurant/bed and breakfast inn located one block from her church, First Baptist of Mullins.

She had a challenging childhood. “I grew up very, very poor. In the hardest times, we had tomatoes but could not afford the mayonnaise for tomato sandwiches,” she recalled. Her dad was married four times. “I had 11 half brothers and sisters. Only one is living today. I have nieces and nephews older than me,” she said. She professed her faith in Christ at age 13, and her dad died the following year. She said, “Everything in life has a reason behind it. Sometimes it is hard to accept. I have to work on not having pity parties. I don’t know how anyone gets by without God. It is so important to love one another. You can’t accomplish anything without it.”

Bonnie Strickland, ministry assistant at the church, lost her husband to cancer and incurred high medical bills. Ann started the practice that continues today of allowing her to eat free at Webster Manor. When Bonnie’s floors were being repaired, Ann gave her two weeks’ free lodging at the bed and breakfast. She has fed the homeless, donated to charity, supplied food to grieving families, regularly visits nursing homes, and faithfully supports her church.

Ann was a widow the first time at age 38. During that 23-year marriage, she and her husband adopted three children. She said, “Life changed completely when he passed away.” Within a short period, a friend’s brother wanted to call Ann for a date. She dated Kenneth McDonald the first time on a Thursday and almost every evening after that. In three and a half weeks, they were married. He had two children. She noted, “Within two weeks of our marriage, we consolidated everything. We legally adopted each other’s children.” Her second marriage continued for 31 years until Kenneth died in 2009.

Kenneth ran a grocery store, and she started her restaurant career with a hot dog machine in the rear of the store. The menu expanded from hot dogs to other sandwiches and vegetables. In 1986, the couple bought Webster Manor Boarding House and turned it into a bed and breakfast inn. She closed the restaurant twice before she found that the Monday-Friday lunch schedule was her best business model. Initially, she served 40 people lunch. Today, 200 people eat lunch on Monday and Tuesday, with more than 400 coming on Thursday and Friday. Thanksgiving lunch brings out more than 900 diners. “I like helping people,” Ann said. “Seeing people have a good time makes me feel happy. I see showers of blessings in crowds of people.”

The restaurant has gained popularity as a five-star dining establishment. The lunch buffet menu changes daily. Her specialties are buttermilk pie and fried chicken; however, her patrons insist everything is delicious. People often arrive on church buses and tour buses. Because of the close proximity to the beach, it is not unusual to see license plates from several different states. The church allows buses to park in its lot.

She is impeccable in her approach to good food served with a wholesome family-type atmosphere. Her daughter, Missy White, who works in the restaurant, stated that her mother is a stickler when it comes to cleanliness. “She often goes behind us after we have cleaned, with her own cleaning cloths. When she gets to heaven, she is going to tell the angels, ‘You missed a spot.’ ”

Chadwick Ivester began his ministry as pastor at Mullins First Baptist in December 2013. Ann’s warmth, generosity and hospitality impressed him. “She exudes the grace of God and the joy of the Lord,” he observed. “She is stellar. During our trial sermon, we stayed at Webster Manor, and she shared her testimony with us. She has been a great encouragement to us.”

Robbie Baxley, a deacon in the church and lifelong resident of Mullins, said, “She is the epitome of a Southern lady. She has been through a lot, but she is rock solid in the church and community. I see Jesus in her. Her walk is what talks. Her faith has been strong. When I go there to eat, it’s like going to Grandma’s house — a warm, down-home atmosphere.”

Several of her friends and fellow church members emphasized her generosity and her untiring ability to help others. Everyone interviewed spoke of the great food at Webster Manor. In fact, if you’re heading to the beach and want a fine meal in a family-friendly atmosphere, it’s worth the time to drop by Webster Manor. You may even get to meet a welcoming and friendly Christian lady named Ann McDonald. If you do, you will be doubly blessed.