U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Charles P. "Chief" Pruitt
January 22, 2004
Charles P. "Chief" Pruitt, 79, of 1241 Clarkson Ave., Newberry, died Thursday, January 22, 2004, at his residence.
Mr. Pruitt was a native of Williamston, he was born on February 26, 1924, but a resident of Newberry since the age of one. He was the son of the late Jack S. and Caroline Elizabeth Koon Pruitt. He was an Army Air Corp veteran of WW II. He was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer where he participated in the church choir.
Mr. Pruitt graduated from Newberry College in 1950. He taught at York High School from 1950 until 1956. In 1956, he returned to Newberry to establish the wind and percussion division of the Newberry College Music Department. He directed the concert and marching bands. The Newberry College Jazz Ensemble, originally called the College “N” Orchestra, was organized in 1957, one of the first of its kind in the Southeast. He also established the first South Carolina All-State High School Jazz Festival, which convenes annually. While serving as President of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Jazz Educators, he established the All-State High School Jazz Ensemble, made up of high school students who audition for a chair in the ensemble.
Mr. Pruitt was named one of the Outstanding Jazz Educators in the nations in 1975 by the National Association of Jazz Educators and, in 1986, was named the Outstanding Jazz Educator of South Carolina by the South Carolina Jazz Educators Association. In the summer of 1975, he established the first Jazz Workshop in South Carolina supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the South Carolina Arts Commission, and Newberry College.
Mr. Pruitt established the Summer Marching Band Camp program at Newberry College with four to five hundred band students participating from high schools over the state. He was awarded the Professor of the Year Award in 1972 by the Newberry College Alumni Association.
Mr. Pruitt was a full-time member of the faculty of Newberry College for 32 years and served as Chairman of the Music Department from 1984-1988. In 1988, the bandroom was named The Charles P. Pruitt Rehearsal Hall.
Mr. Pruitt was an honorary member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America and, before retiring, was the advisor for the local chapter of Phi Mu Alpha.
His personal performing experiences have been primarily in the jazz field playing with the bands of Billy Butterfield, Johnny Long, and Les Elgert, and recording with the Charlie Spivak Orchestra.
For 35 years, Mr. Pruitt was Bandmaster of the 246th Army Band of the South Carolina National Guard, reaching the rank of Chief Warrant Officer before his retirement in1984. In 1988, the newly constructed 246th Army Band Facility at the National Guard Headquarters in Columbia was named in his honor. He was a charter member of the 519th and 520th Army Air Force Bands, the National Guard Associations, the National Association of College Band Directors, and the National Association of Jazz Educators. He is listed in Who’s Who in Music in the South and Southeast.
He is survived by a niece, Jennifer Hass of Raleigh; two nephews, Kenneth Pruitt, Jr. of Seneca and Lee McHugh of Tallahassee, FL; one great niece, Erin Pruitt; and three great nephews, Glenn Hass, Kenneth Pruitt, III, and Landrum Pruitt. He was predeceased by a sister, Sybil Pruitt and a brother-in-law, Carl McHugh.
Funeral services for Charles P. Pruitt will be conducted at 2:00 P. M. Sunday at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer by the Rev. Steven Counts. The family will go to the Newberry College Music Building to receive friends following the funeral service.
Memorial may be made to Newberry College Music Department, 2100 College St., Newberry SC 29108..
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Pearl Lindoerforfer Moore
January 20, 2004
Pearl Lindoerfer Moore, 86, of White Oak Manor, widow of Ted Moore, died Tuesday, January 20, 2004.
Mrs. Moore was born on January 31, 1917 in Squim, WA, a daughter of the late Frederick H. and Lilla Pearl Tubbs Lindoerfer. She retired from the Naval Air Station in Alameda, CA and attended Bethel Baptist Church.
Mrs. Moore is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Brenda M. and Tony Celorio and Betty M. and Edumund H. Schneider, all of Prosperity; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
At the request of the family, services will be private.
Memorials may be made to Bethel Baptist Church, 2503 Bethel Church Road, Prosperity, SC 29127.
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Katie Lucile Shealy
January 21, 2004
Katie Lucile Shealy, 95, of Newberry, died Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at Springfield Place.
Miss Shealy was born on July 15, 1908 in Chapin a daughter of the late Henry L. and Alice Fulmer Shealy. She taught the 2nd grade for 42 years. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, the Mary Hipp Sunday School Class and the Miriam Circle.
Miss Shealy is survived by four great nieces, Lucy Anne Meetze of Newberry, Kate Wilson and Alice Shealy both of Columbia, and Lucinda Quick of Piedmont; and one great nephew, Luther Shealy III of Kansas. She was predeceased by a sister, Ethel Shealy, three brothers, Virgil Shealy, L. Floyd Shealy, Sr. and J.C. Shealy.
Funeral services for Katie L. Shealy will be conducted at 3:30 P.M. Friday at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer by the Rev. Steven Counts. Interment will be in Newberry Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Evangelism Outreach Program, PO Box 382, Newberry SC 29108.
Active pallbearers will be Michael Meetze, Howard E. Meetze, Luke Meetze, Jacob Meetze, Joshua Meetze, and David Meetze.
Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Mary E. Hipp Bible Class.
Agnes Adger Mansfield
January 20, 2004
Agnes Adger Mansfield, 96, formerly of Pendleton, SC died Tuesday, January 20, 2004 at the Lowman Home in White Rock, SC
Miss Mansfield was born on January 29, 1907 in Spartanburg, a daughter of the late Joseph W. and Margaret Ravenel Mansfield. She was a graduate of Converse College and she did graduate work at Peabody College. She taught in the public schools and was also a librarian at Clemson College for many years.
She is survived by two sisters and a brother-in-law, Elizabeth Ravenel Mansfield of Florence and Josphine Mansfield and Howell N. McGuire of Greensboro and a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two sisters, Margaret Mansfield Ervin and Barbara Mansfield and a brother, Edmund Ravenel Mansfield.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 P.M. Sunday at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Pendleton by the Rev. Thomas Davis. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Spartanburg.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church or to the Christian Children’s Fund 2821 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond,VA 23294 USA.
WIlliam J. Somerville, Jr.
January 20, 2004
William J. Sommerville, Jr. 80, of 1518 Coolbrook Dr., West Columbia SC died Tuesday, January 20, 2004 at the Lexington Medical Center.
Mr. Sommerville was born on August 6, 1923 in Boston, MA, a son of the late William J. and Ida Mae Bickerton Sommerville. He was an U.S. Navy veteran of WW II and the Korean War. He retired from the Navy as Lt. Commander. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association and was of the catholic faith.
Mr. Sommerville is survived by his wife, Lillian Gravina Sommerville of the home; his son and daughter-in-law, William R. and Eleanor B. Sommerville of Newberry; a sister, Helen M. Belton, of Weymouth, MA; six grandchildren and spouses, Dr. George L. and Jennifer Coppit of Nashville, Catherine C. and Anthony Minter and William James Coppit all of Chester, VA, Kelly and Jamie Schoot of Colonial Heights, VA, William B. Sommerville of Boston MA, and Margaret S. and Burke Porterfield of Beaufort SC; and five great grandchildren. He was predeceased by a daughter, Mary S. Coppit.
Funeral Mass for William J. Sommerville, Jr. will be offered at 10:30 A.M. Friday at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. Interment will be in Rosemont Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Thursday at the Whitaker Funeral Home. The family will be at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sommerville, 1937 McHardy St., Newberry
Memorials may be made to St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 928 Boundary St, Newberry, SC 29108 or to the American Cancer Society, % Helen Beebe, 181 Tailers Trail Leesville SC 29070.
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Guy Vanderbilt Whitener
January 19, 2004
Guy Vanderbilt Whitener, 100, of 3272 College St., Newberry, died Monday, January 19, 2004 at White Oak Manor.
Mr. Whitener was born on October 9, 1903 in Lincoln County, NC, a son of the late M. Luther and Ella Mae Sain Whitener. He was well known in the lumber business in the southeast, having been the owner and president of Whitener Lumber Company in Newberry. He was also part owner and vice president of Southwest Forest Industries. In addition, he owned and operated lumber mills in other areas of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. He served eight years with the South Carolina Forest Commission, six of these as chairman. He was appointed by the late Governor Olin D. Johnson to serve on his staff while in office. Mr. Whitener was instrumental in helping establish many of the S.C. parks that we enjoy today. He was an extremely active member of Central United Methodist Church in Newberry and was also a member of the Chesley Cannon Bible Class. He was also one of the trailblazers in establishing and building the Isle of Palms Methodist Church, where he spent his summers with his extended family.
Mr. Whitener is survived by his sister, Bonnie W. Hamrick of Newberry; a daughter-in-law, Anne Wilson Whitener of Newberry; a son-in-law, Olin H. Pate of Columbia; grandchildren, Stuart Whitener Kennemore of Greenwood, Leslie Ann Whitener of Hilton Head Island, Melody Pate Carlisle of Gilbert, Valery Pate Kaneft of Irmo, Tracy Pate Zach of Columbia, Olin H. Pate, Jr. of Elgin, Michael Guy Dwyer of Florida; seven great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Carrie Williams Whitener, daughters, Katheryn Whitener Dwyer and Marilyn Whitener Pate, and his son, Guy Vanderbilt Whitener, Jr.
Funeral services for Funeral services for Guy V. Whitener will be conducted at 3:00 P.M. Wednesday at Central United Methodist Church by the Rev. Dr. John Miller. Interment will be in Rosemont Cemetery, Springdale Section.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Tuesday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Central; united Methodist Church, PO Box 67, Newberry SC 29108.
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