U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
H. Francis Blalock
CLINTON — H. Francis Blalock, age 87, of 506 S. Adair St., died Tuesday, Feb. 1st, in Laurens County Hospital.
Mr. Blalock was a lifelong native of Clinton and a Presbyterian College Alumnus, graduating in 1938. He served for 5 years in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II and continued to serve his country in the National Guard for 20 years, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.
Mr. Blalock was the owner of Sunshine Cleaners in Clinton from 1945 until his retirement in 1983. Upon his retirement he served as Mayor of Clinton from 1986 to 1994. He was active in many civic groups including the Lion’s Club, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CNNGA, served on the Board of the Citizen’s Federal Savings and Loan and later the Board of South Carolina National Bank.
He was a dedicated lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church serving on the board of Deacons, as an Elder and had been active on numerous church committees throughout his life.
Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Eloise Von Hollen Blalock of the home; two sons, H.F. Blalock, Jr. and his wife Janice of Atlanta, GA, Henry Blalock and his wife Beverly of Clinton; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, Feb. 3rd at 3:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. The family will greet friends following the service in the church parlor.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 410 E. Carolina Ave., Clinton, SC 29325.
Gray Funeral Home of Clinton
Vadis Boatwright
MONETTA — Services for Vadis Hartley Boatwright, 70, will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday at Bethlehem Baptist Church with the Rev. Richard Ryals officiating. Burial will follow in Ridge Crest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Barr-Price Funeral Home, Historic B-L Chapel. Memorials may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church Building Fund, 607 Bethlehem Rd., B-L, SC 29006.
Mrs. Boatwright died Monday. Born in Batesburg, she was a daughter of the late Elton C. and Ruby Whittle Hartley. She was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church, the church choir, Senior Citizens Group, taught Sunday School and retired from Burlington as a Secretary.
Surviving are sons and daughters-in-law, Michael (Ann) Boatwright of Lexington and Bryan (Pam) Boatwright of Monetta; daughter and son-in-law, Jeanette (Greg) Sides of Monetta; stepbrother, Joe Hartley of Irmo; sister, Rae Baker of Wilmington, NC; 3 grandchildren, Joshua Caughman, Justin Boatwright, and Zachary Sides; 1 great-grandchild, Ashton Caughman. She was predeceased by her husband, Lawrence Boatwright and 2 brothers.
Esther Hamilton
DILLON — Esther Roberts Hamilton, 88, died Tuesday, February 1, 2005, in McLeod Medical Center in Dillon.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Dillon Second Baptsit Church with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery, directed by Cooper Funeral Home. Visitation will be 7-9 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.
Born in Dillon County, March 6, 1916, she was the daughter of the late Edd and Ida Roberts. She was a member of Dillon Second Baptist Church where she was a member of the choir for many years, was a retired Cafertia Superintendent, and was the widow of the late Lonnie Austin Hamilton, Sr.
Survivors include her sons, Carroll (Evelyn) Hamilton and Reid (Jane) Hamilton all of Dillon; step-sons, Marion (Evelyn) Hamilton of Dillon and Gerald Hamilton of Andrews; 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Hamilton was preceded in death by her son, L.A. Hamilton, Jr.; brothers, Ernest L., Leo B., Legrande, and Franklin D. Roberts; and a sister, Clara Hardison.
Elizabeth Copeland
CHERAW — Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace Copeland, age 77, died Monday, January 31, 2005. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 3, 2005, at Brock’s Mill Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 2, 2005, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home.
Mrs. Copeland was born in Chesterfield, SC, a daughter of the late Henry Eugene and Eva Brock Wallace. She had retired as a Sales Associate from Edward’s Sales Co. and was a member of Brock’s Mill Baptist Church. Mrs. Copeland was married to the late Curtis W. Copeland for 56 years and was also preceded in death by 2 brothers, Cecil Wallace and Henry E. Wallace, Jr.
Survivors: 2 sons, Roy Copeland and wife Gloria of Cheraw, SC, and Sammie Copeland and wife Alice of Chesterfield, SC; 5 grandchildren, Christy Reep, Beckie Pate, Chad Copeland, Micha (Patrick) Moss, and Casey Copeland; 5 great-grandchildren: Ashley Pate, Chandler Pate, Tristan Reep, Ava Moss and Drew Copeland; brother: Donald Wallace of Cheraw, SC; aunt: Ruth Clark of Cheraw, SC.
Memorials: Hospice of Chesterfield County, P.O. Box 293, Chesterfield, SC 29709.
Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home is serving the Copeland family.
Fred Hill
GADSDEN — Memorial services for Mr. Fred Columbus Hill, 56, of Gadsden, SC, will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, February 3, 2005, at Eason Memorial Baptist Church in Eastover, SC, with Reverend Howard Price and Bishop Theodore Myers officiating. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Greenlawn Funeral Home Chapel. The family is requesting that, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Fred C. Hill Memorial Fund, c/o Eason Memorial Baptist Church, P.O. Box 564, Eastover, SC 29044 and/or Lower Richland Masonic Lodge #406, c/o Mike Dailey, 1631 Old Eastover Road, Eastover, SC 29044. Condolences may be sent to ww.mem.com. Greenlawn Funeral Home is in charge.
Mr. Hill died Monday, January 31, 2005. Born in Columbia, SC, he was the son of Sara Godwin Hill and the late Harold C. Hill. Mr. Hill was lifetime resident of the Eastover Community. He was the owner of Hill’s Community Grocery Store and a farmer. Mr. Hill was a member of Eason Memorial Baptist Church and was also a member of the Mason and Shriner’s.
Surviving are his loving and devoted wife, Betty Newman Hill of the home; daughters, Kathy Carswell and her husband, Glenn of Hopkins, SC, Alice, Terri Jo, and Susanna Hill all of Columbia, SC; stepson, Ron Bonnette of Columbia, SC; his mother, Sara G. Hill of Eastover, SC; sisters, Carol H. Hunter and her husband, Gerald of Pawley’s Island, SC, Ann Poston and her husband, Doyle and Nora Wilkes and her husband, Ricky both of Eastover, SC; brothers, Heath Hill and his wife, Christi, John Hill, and Ray Hill all of Eastover, SC; two granddaughters, Emily and Katie Carswell.
Known for his willingness to help others and sense of humor, Fred will be greatly missed by all of those who knew and loved him.
Mary Myrick
FLORENCE — Mary Alice Myrick, 39, died Feb. 1, 2005, at her residence following an illness.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
She was the daughter of Earl Lynwood “Lyn” and Linda Graham Myrick of Florence. Miss Myrick graduated from North Greenville Baptist College. She attended Ebenezer Baptist Church. She was a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Choir, taught pre-school Sunday School and was involved in many activities of the church. She was a Project Coordinator for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of S.C.
She is survived by her parents of the home in Florence; 2 brothers, Earl Lynwood Myrick, III (Jennifer) of Florence, Robert Lawton Myrick (Mindy) of Salisbury, Maryland; one niece and three nephews, Hannah, Jacob, Ethan and Ryder Myrick; her maternal grandmother, Annie Lou Graham, Olanta. She is also remembered by some very special friends, Renee Anderson, Krista DeBrew, Pam Steen, Rugenia Keefe, Melissa Fulbright, Cheryl Bailey, Paige Huber, Jeannie Hanna, Shawn Huggins, Michelle Smith. She was predeceased by maternal grandfather, Charlie Graham, and paternal grandparents, Myrtle and Lynwood Myrick.
Memorials may be made to the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 224523, Dallas, Texas 75222-4523 or Ebenezer Baptist Church Building Fund, 524 S. Ebenezer Rd., Florence, SC 29501.
Visitation will be today (Wednesday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Layton-Anderson Funeral Home, 4210 W. Palmetto Street, Florence.
James Robards
COLUMBIA — A memorial service for James Woodward Robards, 66, is 3 p.m. Saturday: Blyth Funeral Home, Greenwood. Born in Oxford, N.C., to Henry and Sybil Parrant Robards, he died Jan. 30, 2005. He had been a member of the Army National Guard and formerly employed by Greenwood Mills. Surviving: daughter, Dana Henderson; brother, John Robards; sister, Betty Robards; 3 grandchildren; 2 stepgrandchildren.
Frank Ward
TATUM — Services for Mr. Frank S. Ward, 93, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Sunset Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, PO Box 627, or the Family Readiness Group, PO Box 594, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Whitner-Evans Funeral Home is in charge.
Mr. Ward died Tuesday. Born in Asheville, NC, he was a son of the late William Harley and Kate Self Ward. He attended Biltmore College, Asheville, NC, and Duke University, Durham, NC. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving tours in Hawaii and the Philippine Islands. He was formerly employed with J.L. Powers Grocery and the Marlboro Gin Company in Tatum. He served as Marlboro County Veteran’s Affairs Officer from July 1, 1965, until August 30, 1991. He had lived in Tatum since 1946. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Marlboro Shrine Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a member and past president of Marlboro American Legion Post #60. He was married to the late Louise Hubbard Ward.
Surviving are: nieces, Diane McMeekin, of California, Beth Noble, of Versailles, KY, and special friends, Wayne and Angie Usher and family.
Bill Voiselle
NINETY SIX — Services for William Symmes “Bill” Voiselle, 86, 11 a.m. (visitation 9-10:30 a.m.) Thursday: Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood. Burial: Elmwood Cemetery. Born in Greenwood to Claude and Della Voiselle, he died Jan. 31, 2005. He had been a major league pitcher for the N.Y. Giants, Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs. Surviving: wife, Virginia Bowlware Voiselle; brothers, James and Claude Voiselle.
