U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Buster Bennett
SHARON HILL, Pa. - Buster “Mr. B” Bennett, 73, formerly of Summerton, husband of the Rev. Queenie I. Bennett, died Friday, November 30, 2001, at his home.
Born in Summerton, he was the son of the late John and Corene Gibbs Bennett. He attended Summerton public schools. He was retired from Perlite Products of Primes after 41 years of employment.
Survivors besides his wife include six sons, Alonzo “Big Tank” Bennett and Buster “Bubble Gum” Bennett of Summerton, Jeremiah Bennett of Elizabeth City, N.C., Joseph Bennett of Newark, Del., Gregory Bennett of Baltimore, Md., and George Johnson of Willingboro, N.J.; five daughters, Geraldine Calloway of Summerton and Shirley Owens, Sandra Sims, Stephanie Evans and Iris Copeland of Sharon Hills; two brothers, Lawrence Bennett of Philadelphia, Pa., and Adam Bennett of Morton, Pa.; five sisters, Elizabeth Singleton, Pauline Bennett and 
Georgia Jones of Summerton and Daisy Bennett and Bertha Martin of Philadelphia; 37 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Services were 11 a.m. Friday at Mt. Zion CME Church.
Burial followed in Mt. Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hills.
A.J. Connor
LEXINGTON - A.J. Connor, 76, of Lexington, husband of Carolyn Connor, died Saturday, December 1, 2001.
Born in Florence County, he was the son of the late Judson L. and Janie Locklair Connor. He was semi-retired from Rice Music House. He was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Acacia Lodge No. 94 AFM.
Survivors besides his wife include a daughter, Susan Ardis of Manning; five sisters, Lee Merrithew and Jackie Moore of Charleston, Merlee Knight of Goose Creek, Joyce Reneau of Jacksonville and Betty Senn of Clemson; three grandchildren, Stacy Ardis, Carole Evans and Wil Ardis; and a great-grandson, Taylor Lee Evans.
Services were 11 a.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Thomas Funeral Home of Lexington with the Rev. Lloyd F. Brewer officiating.
Burial followed in Southland Memorial Gardens will full Masonic Rites.
Richard G. Ragin
Richard G. Ragin, 65, husband of Hattie Wilson Ragin, died Friday, November 30, 2001, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born Oct. 10, 1936, in Clarendon County, he was the son of the late Enoch and Hulena Ragin. He committed his life to Christ at an early age and united with Union State AME Church. He attended school in Sumter County and was a graduate of Lincoln High School, class of 1955. For many years he was employed as a foreman at Spectrum Fabric Warehouse and later became a full-time barber at McGill’s Barber Shop. He was also an automotive mechanic.
Survivors other than his wife include a son, Roger Ragin; two daughters, Igreta Ragin and Gale Ragin-Harper; a sister, Parniece Baxter; two brothers, Enoch Ragin Jr. and Louis Ragin; a granddaughter, Letuan Ragin; two grandsons, Trevor Ragin and Jeffery “Christian” Harper; and a great-grandson, Dasani Horton.
Services were 2 p.m. Monday at Union State AME Church with the Rev. Marvin Hodge officiating and the Revs. Sammie Simmons, Archie Temoney and O’Neal Miller assisting.
Burial followed in Hillside Memorial Park.
Alfred V. Smith
Alfred Vernell Smith, 59, died Friday, December 6, 2002, at his residence in New Zion.
Born May 21, 1943, he was the son of the late Mr. Wade Hampton Smith and Mrs. Isielene Eugenia McClary Smith. He received his former education training from the Lodabar Grammar School and was a 1961 graduate of Walker-Gamble High School. He continued his education at the Temple School of Business in Washington, D.C.
He was formerly employed as a data processor at Hahn’s Shoe Co. in Washington, D.C., and Merita Bakery in Florence, and retired from Model Dye in Sumter.
He was a member of Friendship Presbyterian Church (USA).
Survivors include a son, Mr. Aldric Smith of Lynchburg; three daughters, Mrs. Maria Smith of Washington, D.C., Mrs. Tracie Smith of Beltsville, Md., and Mrs. Ashley Wright and her husband, Jermaine, of Jacksonville, N.C.; a brother, Mr. Wade Smith Jr. and his wife, Ada, of New Zion; four sisters, Mrs. Gloria Frieson and her husband, Ulysses, of Florence, Mrs. Charlena Timmons and her husband, James, of Quinby, Mrs. Slyvia Ivey and Mrs. Mirian Smith, of New Zion; three grandchildren; an aunt, Mrs. Gertrude McDuffie of Kingstree; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Patricia Smith of New Zion; nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.
Services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, at Friendship Presbyterian Church (USA) in New Zion with the Rev. Stanley W. Jones officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Louise B. Billups
Louise Betrand Billups, 71, widow of Wesley Billups, died Saturday, March 16, 2002, at her home.
Born June 6, 1930, in Clarendon County, she was the daughter of the late Joshua Edward Betrand and Azalee Dingle Betrand. She was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where she served on the missionary society, served as coordinator of the culinary committee and was director of the youth department. She was a member of the Manning branch of the NAACP and Expo Committee. She was co-owner and operator of Mercury Cleaners for a number of years.
Survivors include a grandson she raised as her own, Derrick Billups of Manning; an adopted son, Tracy Morales of Sumter; six daughters, Pearline Tolbert and Azalee Blackwell of Sumter, Loretta Way of Paxville, Mary Alice Oxendine of Wedgefield, Bertha Hatcher of Summerton and Geneva Bookman of Columbia; two brothers, James Edward Bertrand of Manning and Lewis Bertrand of Charlotte, N.C.; two sisters, Bessie Robertson of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Ruby Parker of Camden; and 15 grandchildren.
Services were 3 p.m. Thursday at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Manning with the Revs. George Windley officiating, along with Jack Lewis Jr., Walt Phillips and the Rev. C. Richburg assisting.
Burial followed in the Mt. Zero Baptist Church cemetery.
Heyward Johnson
Atlanta - Heyward Johnson Sr., 76, widower of Eartha Lee Thompson Johnson, died Tuesday, August 27, 2002, at South Fulton Medical Center.
Born April 27, 1926, in Sumter County, he was the son of the late Cordosia and Eva Sweat Johnson. He was a Navy veteran. He retired from Korn Industry after being employed there for 45 years.
Survivors include two sons, Heyward Johnson Jr. of Atlanta and Roy Lee Johnson of Jonesboro, Ga.; four daughters, Gladys Clark and Eva Singleton of Sumter, Diane Johnson of Atlanta and Rose Marie Johnson of Peachtree, Ga.; three sisters, Evelyn Johnson, Vermil Cubit, and Erlene King of Manning; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Lee Edward Johnson.
Services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Salem Baptist Church with Bishop Jeffrey Johnson officiating.
Burial followed in Hillside Cemetery, Sumter.
Martha W. King
Martha Agnes Whack King, 81, widow of James King, died Thursday, September 12, 2002, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born March 6, 1921, in the Wilson community of Clarendon County, she was the daughter of the late Ben Whack and Nora Watson Whack. She attended the public schools of Clarendon County, and was an active lifelong member of Williams Chapel Christian Church until her health declined.
Survivors include a son, Darryl King and his wife, Deloris, of Manning; three daughters, Barbara K. Mitchum of the home, Linda K. Grant and her husband, William, of Alcolu and Diane K. Jones and her husband, Levi, of Columbia; a granddaughter she reared as her own, Kimberly Frazier of Charlotte N.C.; a foster brother, Charlie Whack of the home; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Rosa Williams and Mary Whack; and a foster brother, Leon Whack.
Services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Williams Chapel Christian Church, with the Rev. Emanuel Evans officiating.
Burial followed in the churchyard cemetery.
Nephew served as pallbearers.
Nieces served as floral bearers.
Dorothy H. Morris
Sumter - Dorothy Hardy Morris, 82, wife of John Wilbur Morris, died Saturday, September 21, 2002 at Tuomey Health Care.
Born in New Zion, she was the daughter of the late Leonard M. Hardy and the late Ethel Barrow Hardy.
Mrs. Morris was a retired supervisor from Crescent Tools, and she also worked many years with Pioneer Dress Company. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church, the Loyalty Sunday School Class, XYZ, Business Professional Women’s Organization, the Quakenbush Club at Santee and an avid bowler.
Survivors include her husband; one daughter, Kay M. Shugart and her husband, Charles, of Sumter; one son, John Phillip Morris and his wife, Shirley, of Santee; one sister, Eula Mae Prescott of Sumter; one brother, Leonard M. Hardy of Columbus, Ga.; one special brother-in-law, Julius Morris of Sumter; a special friend, Doris Thames of Sumter; and one granddaughter, Reita E. Shugart; two step-grandchildren, Kerry Filyaw and Angela Todd of Sumter.
Services were held at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the chapel of Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. James Chandler officiating.
Burial followed in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Lavender, Ray Prescott, Danny Prescott, Al Prescott, Jeff Miner, Spenser Miner, Tory Filyaw and Roy Todd.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class at Grace Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Association, Columbia Chapter, PO Box 7044 Columbia, S.C. 29202, or Grace Baptist Church 219 W. Calhoun St. Sumter, S.C. 29150.
Reatha H. Thames
Reatha W.H. Thames, 102, died Saturday, September 14, 2002, in Manning.
Born Jan. 11, 1900, in Manning, she was the daughter of the late January Wells and Carrie Lawyer Wells. She attended Clarendon County public schools and was a member of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as director of the youth choir, member of the senior choir and missionary society, and Sunday school teacher. She was a nursing assistant employed at Briggs Nursing Home, now known as Windsor Manor, for 42 years.
Survivors include five sons, Mark Huggins of the Silver community, Leroy Huggins and his wife, Bernice, of Aynor, Verno Huggins of Gaston, James Huggins and his wife, Lulalia, of Thomasville, N.C., and Ruben Huggins and his wife, Ernestine, of Miami; two daughters, Louise Paige of Aynor and Carrie Huggins of the Silver community; close friends, evangelist Dorothy Gaymon of Paxville and Louise Conyers of the Silver community; 110 grandchildren; 255 great-grandchildren; 50 great-great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-great-grandchildren and eight step-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by four sons, George, Jonathan and Sylvester Huggins, and Vernon Thames Jr.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church in Summerton with the Revs. W.J. Chandler and W.T. Johnson officiating, assisted by A. Riley,pastor, and Apostle P. Coleman.
Burial followed in Saint Mark Baptist Church Cemetery in Silver.
Peter Huggins, Paul Huggins, Cheyenne Paige, Joseph Pugh, Johnny Huggins and Carl Nixon served as pallbearers.
The Deaconesses from the churches in the community served as floral bearers.
