U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Thelma S. Billups
Thelma Sweat Billups, 72, widow of Willie Luther Billups Sr., died Aug. 29, 2004, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning.
Born Aug. 29, 1932, in Manning, she was a daughter of Sarah Whack Sweat and the late Wheeler Sweat Sr. She received her formal education in the Brogdon School of Sumter County. She was a lifelong member of Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church, serving as a member of the missionary society and trustee wives.
Survivors besides her mother, Sarah W. Sweat of Sumter, include two sons, James “Bo” (Sharon) Billups of Manning and Kevin (Barbara) Billups of San Antonio; two brothers, Lishead Sweat and Wheeler (Mosetta) Sweat Jr., both of Sumter; two sisters, Gladys Lemon and Annette (Sammie) Robinson, both of Sumter; and five grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons, two sisters and a brother.
Funeral services were held on Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, at Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Old Georgetown Road, Manning, with the Rev. Dr. Leon Winn, pastor, officiating, assisted by the Rev. Emanuel Evans and Minister Ethel W. Sweat.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of arrangements.
Lillie F. Francis
Mrs. Lillie Franklin Francis, 81, widow of Mr. William Francis, died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center, Sumter.
Born Oct. 22, 1922, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of Mr. Guy B. Franklin and Mrs. Elizabeth Meyers Franklin. Her education was obtained in the public schools of Clarendon County. She was a devoted member of Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church and sang with the senior choir. She was also a member of the YMCA Lodge. For several years, she was employed with Coughman’s Department Store in Pittsburgh, Pa., prior to returning to Alcolu in 1966.
Survivors include one son, Mr. Lee Franklin (Brenda) of Sumter; one daughter, Mrs. Cassie Blackwell (Henry) of Alcolu; two brothers, Mr. Robert Blackwell (Bessie) and Mr. Alonza Blackwell (Bertha), both of Sumter; one sister, Mrs. Queen Monroe of Alcolu; six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by nine sisters, two brothers and one grandson.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, at Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church in Alcolu with the Revs. Dennis C. Brock, Johnathan Anderson and Terry Franklin.
Burial was in Francis Cemetery.
Fleming and DeLaine Funeral Home of Manning was in charge of services.
Edna Arnette Griffith
Mrs. Edna Arnette Griffith, 80, widow of John W. Griffith Jr., died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004 at Lake Marion Nursing Facility in Summerton, S.C.
She was born July 2, 1924 in Robeson County, N.C. a daughter of the late Mack K. Arnette and Vallie Page Arnette. She was a retired executive secretary from Dillon County Chamber of Commerce and member of Main Street United Methodist Church in Dillon.
Surviving are children Carol Griffith (Michael E.) Lane of Greeleyville and John W. (Lisa C.) Griffith III of Bowman; five grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Nellie A. Nemetch of Hampton, Virginia and Ellen A. Herring of Aiken; a brother, Wade C. Arnette of Moncks Corner.
She was preceded in death by brothers, Gerald M. and Albert J. Arnette.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004 at Main Street United Methodist Church in Dillon with the Rev. David Taylor and the Rev. Will Brown officiating.
Burial followed in Evergreen Perpetual Cemetery.
Kannaday’s Funeral Home of Dillon was in charge of arrangements.
Ingram Rush
Olanta – Ingram “Hambone” Rush, 77, husband of Beatrice O’Neal Rush, died Saturday, May 31, 2003, in the Lake City Healthcare Center in Scranton.
Born Nov. 25, 1925, in Clarendon County, he was the son of the late Wesley Williams Rush and Vermell McFadden Rush. He attended the public schools of Clarendon County. He was a farmer all of his life. He was a lifelong member of Oak Grove AME Church, where he was a former member of the steward board.
Survivors include two sons, Felix (Jackie) Singletary of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Stanley (Elthean) Fulmore of Olanta; one sister-in-law, Itlean McElveen of Olanta; three brothers-in-law, Bill (Barbara Ann) McDowell of Oxford, N.C., Keith Rose of Sumter, and Clarence White of Philadelphia; four sisters, Nancy McFadden and Mozell S. Rose of Olanta, Bessie Lee White of Sumter and Lucille (Harry) McKenzie of Turbeville; and two grandchildren.
Services were at 3 p.m. June 5 at Oak Grove AME Church on Burnt Branch Road in Turbeville. The Rev. Oliver Davis, pastor, officiated, assisted by the Rev. Samuel Burgess and Evangelist Minnie Pearl Johnson.
Burial followed in Old McFadden Cemetery.
Baby Marissa E. Lewis
Baby Marissa Elizabeth Lewis, 6 days old, died Sunday, June 29, 2003, at MUSC, Charleston.
Born June 23, 2003, at MUSC, Charleston, she was the daughter of Michael Lewis Jr. and Nyetta Hill Lewis.
Survivors, besides her parents, include one sister, Porsha Lewis of Charleston; grandparents, George and Elizabeth Hill of Sumter, Maxine Pearson of Manning and Michael Lewis Sr. of Bronx, 
N.Y.; great-grandparents Bertha Hill of Sumter, Willean Hilton of Manning and Sarah Lewis of Albany, Ga.; and a host of other special relatives.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Jamar Lewis; and one sister, Monique Lewis.
Services were held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 2, at Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, SC 29154.
W. Craig Bagnal
William Craig Bagnal, 16, son of Billy Bagnal and Sharon Dukes Bagnal Brinson, died Tuesday, July 15, 2003, at his home in Manning.
Craig was born Aug. 6, 1986, in Charleston, and was a member of Home Branch Baptist Church.
Survivors, besides his mother and stepfather, Anthony Brinson, of Manning, and his father of Southside, Tenn., include a sister, Audrey Elizabeth Bagnal of Manning; maternal grandparents, Harold and Naomi Geddings Dukes of Manning; maternal great grandmother, Mrs. Mamie Geddings of Manning; and special aunt, Tami Dukes Wynne of Manning.
Services were held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, July 17 in Home Branch Baptist Church. The Rev. John Hall officiated the service.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Home Branch Baptist Church, 2348 Home Branch Road, Manning, SC 29102.
Lula M. Thames
Lula Mae Barnes Thames, 88, widow of Ben Oliver Thames, died Friday, July 11, 2003, in Hopewell Healthcare in Sumter.
Born June 28, 1915, in Wilson, she was the daughter of the late David Dinkins Barnes and the late Katherine Tucker Barnes. She was retired from Valdese Weavers in Valdese, N.C., and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Mildred Thames of Valdese, N.C.; a grandson, Robert Allen Thames of Valdese, N.C.; a brother, Clyde Barnes of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; three sisters, Ada Hodge of Ninety-Six, Dora Lee Ardis of Wedgefield, and Jeanette Hardy of St. Stephens; and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Ben Oliver Thames Jr., and a daughter, Mary Emma Thames.
Clara D. Prince
Clara Comilla Dow Prince, 70, widow of Charlie Prince Sr., died Saturday, July 5, 2003, at Tuomey Regional Hospital in Sumter.
Born May 24, 1933, in the Bloomville section of Clarendon County, she was the daughter of the late Charlie and Mary Gilyard Dow. She received her formal education at Goodwill Parochial School. At an early age, she sought the need for a personal savior and joined Goodwill Baptist Church. She was a very caring and loving person.
Survivors include three sons, James Prince (Sarah) of Manning, Isiah Prince (Minnie) of Alcolu and David Prince (Crystal) of High Point, N. C.; four daughters, Mary Samuels (Frankie Lee) of Sumter, Ernestine Wilson (Michael) and Yvette Prince, of Alcolu, and Sellerstine Prince of Augusta, Ga.; two brothers, Harry and Jimmy Dow, both of Manning; two sisters, Susan Richardson (Alfred) of Columbia, and Dorothy Dingle (Moses) of Manning; 15 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two grandchildren that she reared as her own, Kendall Prince and LaShara Y. Felder, of the home. One daughter, Almeta Prince; three brothers, Esau, Thomas and Charlie Dow Jr.; and one granddaughter, Sarah Denise Prince preceded her in death.
Services were held at 3 p.m., Thursday, July 10, at the Hayes F. Samuels Sr. Memorial Chapel, 114 N. Church St., Manning. The Rev. Jonathan Anderson officiated the service, assisted by the Revs. Dr. Leon Winn and Northern Miller and Evangelist Dorothy Miller. Burial followed in Hilton Cemetery in the Jordan community of Manning.
Pallbearers were her grandsons.
Floral bearers were her granddaughters.
Dr. James J. Lewis Jr.
Dr. James Jefferson Lewis Jr., 80, husband of Mildred DuBose Haley Lewis, died Tuesday, July 8, 2003, at his home in Manning.
Born Jan. 18, 1923, in Florence, he was the son of the late James Jefferson Lewis Sr. and Margie Sears Lewis. He was a retired dentist, having practiced in Charleston and Manning, a WWII Army veteran, and a member of Manning United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife of Manning; four stepdaughters, Eleanor H. Selph of Myrtle Beach, Hazel H. Dupre of Carmi, Idaho, Mavis H. Holliday of Sumter and Brenda H. Flora of Columbia.
Graveside services were held at 4 p.m., Friday, July 11, in Manning Cemetery. The Rev. Bennie Turner officiated the service.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
JoAnne F. Hoppes
JoAnne Frierson Hoppes, 50, died Saturday, June 21, 2003, in Andrea, Penn. Born on Jan. 5, 1953, in Manning, she was the daughter of Flander “Bogan” Frierson and Lee Haley Frierson.
Survivors include her parents; two sisters, Janice Carter and Maxine Ridgeway of Manning; three brothers, James, Jerry, and Marion Frierson of Manning.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 19, at Clarendon Church of God in Manning, Hwy 301, at 2:30 p.m. The Rev. Donnie Newton will be officiating the service.
Joseph Gaymon
Joseph Gaymon, son of the late David L. and Rosa L. Boyd Gaymon, was born on Aug. 18, 1951, in Clarendon County. On Thursday, July 3, 2003, after a short illness, Gaymon entered into eternal rest at the Castle Point Veteran Hospital in West Chester, N.Y.
He attended Manchester High School in Pinewood, and later moved to Port Chester, N.Y., where he completed his education. He was a veteran of the U. S. Navy.
Survivors include a daughter, Devetta Threadgill (Anthony) Tanner Jr. of Richmond, Va.; four grandchildren, Tasia, Tamara, Anthony T. and Torrance Tanner; two brothers, David Gaymon of Jacksonville Fla., and Marion Gaymon of Mercerville, N. J.; two sisters, Willistine Gaymon of Riverside, Calif. and Juanita Mitchell (Johnny) of Jacksonville. A brother, Edward L. Gaymon, preceded him in death.
Services were held on Friday, July 11, 2003, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Community Funeral Home in Sumter. The Rev. Willie Green officiated the service, assisted by the Rev. Roosevelt Boyd.
Burial followed in St. Mark Baptist Church Cemetery in Silver.
Thelma B. Furse
Thelma Broadway Thomas Furse, 95, widow of Benjamin B. Furse, and first married to the late John S. Thomas, died Thursday, July 10, 2003, in Tuomey Regional Hospital in Sumter.
Born Sept. 13, 1907, in Paxville, she was the daughter of the late Judson F. and Maude Hilton Broadway Coskrey. She was a former secretary and retired buyer for Capital Department Store in Sumter, and a member and choir member of Summerton Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Billie Bradham of Sumter and Helen T. Owen of Florence; a son, John E. Thomas of Sumter; a half-sister, Mary Bell of Hartsville; eleven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren. A son, James D. Thomas, preceded her in death.
Services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 13, in Summerton Baptist Church. The Revs. Rob Pierce and Thomas Mellette officiated the service.
Burial followed in Summerton Evergreen Cemetery.
Pallbearers included the grandsons and a great-grandson.
