U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Lois B. Chockley
Lois B. Chockley, 53, wife of David Lee Chockley, died Saturday, April 7, 2007, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of Daisy Carroll Branham and the late John Edward Bartlette.
She attended New Start Church of the Nazarene.
Survivors besides her husband and mother, both of Manning, include three children, Lisa Romine of Manning, Rosa (Doug) Morris of Sumter and Jason Chockley of the home; sisters and brothers, Nancy (Hamp) Ard of Turbeville, Susie (Wesley) Goodwin and Betty (Ronnie) Morris, both of Sumter, and Cindy (Gary) Chockley, John Bartlette and Harvey (Joanne) Branham Jr., all of Manning; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Monday, April 9, 2007, in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Dale Turner officiating.
Burial was in Sumter Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, S.C. 29210.
Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter was in charge of arrangements.
Patricia Ann Lang
MANHATTAN, 
N.Y. – Patricia Ann Lang, 35, died March 30, 2007, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Manhattan, N.Y.
Born July 24, 1971, in Manning, she was a daughter of Mary Lang and the late James Junious. Her education was obtained in the public schools of Clarendon County. In her youth, she joined St. Mark Baptist Church. She was employed with Green Briar Nursery Home in New Jersey.
Survivors besides her mother, Mary Lang of Manhattan, include one son, Levan Lorenzo Lang of Summerton; two brothers, Mickey (Felicia) Junious of North Carolina and Gregory Junious of Sumter; two sisters, Wanda (Woodrow) Lang of Manhattan and Monique Junious of Summerton; and an adopted sister, Yvonne Lang of Summerton.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 7, 2007,at St. Mark Baptist Church, Silver, with the Rev. W.J. Chandler officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Summerton Funeral Services was in charge of the arrangements.
Shelton Jerome Ridgeway
Shelton Jerome Ridgeway, Sr., 65, died Saturday, April 12, 2008, in Manning.
Born June 27, 1942, in Sumter, he was a son of the late Albert and Zula Haley Ridgeway. He was a United States Army veteran paratrooper of the Korean War, married to the late Edna Clintworth Ridgeway, and was owner and operator of Shelton’s Backhoe Service. He was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving are a son, Shelton Jerome “Chip” Ridgeway Jr. of Manning; longtime companion, Frances Murray Duck and her daughter, Denise Scott of St. Stephen; three sisters, Valaree R. (Levi) Richburg of Manning, Irene (Fred) White and Sylvia Ridgeway of Sumter; two grandchildren, Megan and Sam Ridgeway of Manning.
Funeral services were held on Monday, April 14, 2008, in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home in Manning, with the Rev. David Carlson officiating.
Burial followed in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, S.C. 29210, or a charity of one’s choice.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Julius Collins
Julius Collins died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning, after a long period of illness.
He was born Feb. 26, 1917, in Clarendon County, a son of the late Harper and Ruth Brunson Collins. Julius left home early in life to pursue his dreams of travel and working abroad. In later years, he returned home to live and enjoy his family.
His memory will be cherished by a loving son, Roosevelt (Mattie) Collins of Sumter; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; 20 great-great-grandchildren; a brother, George (Melissa) Collins of Charleston; a sister, Victoria McFadden of Charleston; a sister-in-law, Hermenia Collins of Charleston; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline Sweat Collins; a daughter, Ruth Ann Bosier; a son-in-law, Roosevelt Bosier; and brother, Israel Collins.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Paxville, with the pastor, the Rev. Clifford Gaymon, in charge of the eulogy.
Interment followed in the Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery, Pinewood.
Sumter Funeral Service Inc. was in charge of the arrangements.
Ruth Touchberry
Ruth Touchberry, former postmaster of the Rimini Post Office, died Saturday, May 3, 2008, at her home.
Born in Manning on March 9, 1916, she was a daughter of the late Samuel Lee Touchberry and the late Lynwood Gibson Touchberry, both of Pinewood. Miss Touchberry graduated from Pinewood School in Pinewood. After graduation, she provided administrative services for a local physician’s office. In 1941, Miss Touchberry became postmaster of the Rimini Post Office. She provided services to the community as postmaster until her retirement 49 years later, in 1990.
Miss Touchberry was active in her church and community. As a member of Pinewood Baptist Church, she served as church treasurer, church secretary, Sunday school teacher, GA leader, Vacation Bible School coordinator, chair of the Communion Preparatory Committee, chair/member of the Bessie Ruth Group Circle, and prepared the church bulletin for many years. Miss Touchberry served her community as a member of the Pinewood chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary.
“Miss Ruth” enjoyed directing weddings, baking and decorating cakes for weddings and special occasions, and arranging flowers. She enjoyed fishing and other recreation with her nieces and nephews and their extended families.
Surviving are a brother, Robert W. Touchberry, of Ely, Iowa; a sister, Myrtle T. (Carl) Cleveland of Columbia; and 16 nieces and nephews and their extended families.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Roger M. Touchberry and Miles D. Touchberry of Sumter, and three sisters, Esther T. Hough of Isle of Palms, Corinne T. Scott of Madison, W.Va., and Hariet T. Mason of Rockville, Md.
Funeral services were held at Pinewood Baptist Church in Pinewood on Tuesday, May 6, 2008.
Burial followed in Evergreen Memorial Park in Sumter.
Memorials may be made to Pinewood Baptist Church, P.O. Box 176, Pinewood, S.C. 29125 or Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1178, Greenwood, S.C. 29648.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.
Thelma K. McElveen
OLANTA – Mrs. Thelma K. McElveen, 94, died May 5, 2007, at her home after an illness.
Born in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late McArthur Kennedy and Clara E. Hicks Kennedy Coker and stepdaughter of Bubby Coker.
Mrs. McElveen was a farmer and a member of Olanta Baptist Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, social chairman and was a member of the Lazelle Hancock Circle. She loved her flowers, her vegetable garden, and sharing her produce with her friends and family. She loved playing at the bridge club with her dear friends, was a member of the Rose Garden Club of Olanta, enjoyed concerts, theater, and loved to travel with tour groups where she met many lifelong friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, J. Wardell McElveen; two daughters, Jackie McElveen and Clara Dell McElveen; two grandsons, Jerry Wardell “Jay” McElveen Jr. and James Thompson “Jamie” McElveen; and a sister, McSwain “Mac” K. Ritchie.
Surviving are a son, Jerry Wardell (Kaye) McElveen of Olanta; a grandson, Johnny Keels (Heather) McElveen of Olanta; four great-grandchildren, Ashley Lauren McElveen, Jay Wardell McElveen, Jamie Moore McElveen and John Tyler McElveen.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 at Olanta Baptist Church.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Floyd Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Mary C. Jeter
Mary Chandler Felder Jeter, 71, widow of Willie Felder and Robert Jeter, died May 5, 2007, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center, Sumter.
Born Aug. 6, 1935, in Jacob’s community of Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late James and Emma Gamble Chandler. She received her education at Walker Gamble School, New Zion. She attended Mount Sinai AME Church. She was a homemaker and worked as a hospitality clerk.
Survivors include two sons, Bobby Felder and Nathaniel (Areatha) Jeter, both of the home; five daughters, Willie Mae (James) Prince, Mary (Trotter) Pruitt, Jeraldine Lee and Patricia (Eddie) Talley, all of Lynchburg, and Annie (Isiah) Brown of New Zion; three sisters, Sadie Hampton, Inez McDowell and Lula Bell, all of Lynchburg.
She was preceded in death by four sisters and two brothers.
Funeral services were held on Friday, May 11, 2007, at Mount Sinai AME Church, Shiloh community of Lynchburg, with the Rev. Clay Barrow, pastor, officiating, assisting the Rev. Edward Jeter, Evangelist Betty Jeter, the Rev. Dr. Andrew Gamble, Evangelist Betty Barber and the Rev. Alfred Bradley, presiding.
Burial was in Edwards Cemetery, Shiloh community, Lynchburg.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of arrangements.
Joseph James Sr.
PINEWOOD – Joseph James Sr., 86, entered eternal rest on Friday, May 25, 2007, at the Sumter Health and Rehabilitation Center in Sumter.
Born in Clarendon County on Sept. 22, 1920, he was a son of the late Edwin James and Ellen Billups James. He was the widower of Annie Blakely James. Educated in the public schools of Claren-don County, he was a member of Antioch AME Church, Rimini, where he was a class leader. He was also a member of Silver Lodge No. 35. He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged. After his military duties ended, he became a self-employed farmer for many years.
Survivors are a son, Joseph James Jr. of Sumter; eight daughters, Martha J. Dove, Mary Ellen Nance, Malvenia James, Rosa Mae Marshall, Annie Mae Young, Lucille James and Dorothy James, all of Pinewood, and Fannie Dingle of Fayetteville, N.C.; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and two great-great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, Joseph James Sr. was preceded in death by one son, Edwin James; an infant daughter; two brothers, Semon and Lucius James; one sister, Mary James Richardson; and a grandson, Kevin J. Nance.
Funeral services were held on Friday, June 1, 2007, at Antioch AME Church, Rimini, with the Rev. Georgiana Pringle, pastor.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Community Funeral Home of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.
Julia Janie P. Johnson
Julia Janie Palmer Johnson, 84, widow of Russell Johnson, died June 4, 2007, at Sumter Health and Rehab Center.
Born Feb. 16, 1923, in the St. Paul section of Summerton, she was the daughter of the late James Edward Palmer and Plummie Seals Palmer. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior and joined Liberty Hill AME Church at an early age. She later joined Oaks AME Church after marriage. At Oaks AME, she served as a member of the Missionary Society, choir member and teacher and secretary of the Sunday school. Later she returned to her home church, Historic Liberty Hill AME Church. She received her formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County and attended F.E. DuBose Vocational School in Manning. She was also a member of the YWCA and Spring Hill Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 263. She retired after 20 years with Clarendon County School District 1.
She leaves three sons, James Russell, Moses and Theophilus Johnson, all of New York, N.Y.; two daughters, Francenia (Leonard) Hopson of Riverhead, N.Y., and Marie (Herbert) Anthony of Montauk, N.Y.; two adopted daughters, Deloris Moore of Summerton and Rose Bennett of Manning; a son to her, Howard Nelson of Miami, Fla.; one sister, Gracie (Joseph) Richburg; one brother, James (Elosie) Palmer, all of Summerton; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Monday, June 11, 2007, at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church with the Rev. Melvin Capers, pastor, officiating.
Burial followed in the churchyard cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Ronald Parson
BRONX, N.Y. – Ronald “Ronnie” Parson, 45, died Monday, June 25, 2007 at his residence.
Born March 30, 1962, in Bronx, he was a son of Elanora Ragin Parson and Abraham “Bobby” Parson. He was the grandson of the late Alice Green Ragin and Robert Ragin and also the late Jimmie and Fannie Mae Richburg Parson of Summerton.
Ronnie was educated in the public schools of New York City and South Carolina. He traveled extensively. His travels led him to Africa, Tahiti, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam. Exploring the world was an adventure to Ronnie.
Those left to grow from his love are his parents; his only child, Sheeka Bonney Parson; three brothers, Robert (Deloris) Parson of Rahway, N.J., Anthony Darnell Parson of Sacramento, Calif., and James (Genevieve) Parson of Middletown, N.Y.; a longtime friend, Minnie Bonney of Alabama; a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral services for Ronnie were held on Thursday, July 5, 2007, at Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. William T. Johnson officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Summerton Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.
