U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Dorothy Ferrell
GILBERT — A graveside service for Mrs. Dorothy Eleanor Ferrell, 85, of Gilbert, will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Serenity Gardens. Active pallbearers will be Robbie Smothers, Billy Smothers, Mitchell Coursey, Dwayne Coursey, Joey Goff and David Shirey. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening at Greenlawn Funeral Home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. The family has entrusted Greenlawn Funeral Home for the arrangements.
Mrs. Ferrell passed away Sunday, April 17, 2005, in Providence Hospital. Born and raised in Augusta, GA, she was a daughter of the late Ollie B. Coursey and Vernie Blackstone Coursey. She resided at 346 Glenn Avenue in Columbia for 50 years, and was a homemaker. she will be deeply missed by her family.
Surviving are her daughters, Dale Mottern of Jonesboro, TN, and Patricia Smothers of Cincinnati, OH; a son, Bobby E. Pridgen of Gilbert; two sisters, Catherine Atteberry of Macon, IL, and Earline Swint of Martinez, GA. Also ten grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and a special niece, Tina Girardeau. Mrs. Ferrell was predeceased by her husband, Richard Ferrell, and a son, Lester Coursey.
Jerry Best
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Jerry Haviland Best died Monday the 11th peacefully at his home in Corvallis, Oregon. He was 58 years old. Jerry was born in Mullins, South Carolina, to Fred and Dorothy Best.
Jerry entered the Marine Corps at 20 years old. For 18 months he served his country on the front lines of Vietnam. This experience would indefinitely shape his life forever. After fulfilling his duty overseas, Jerry found comfort in traveling and exploring the country that he had so earnestly defended. This would eventually lead him to Arizona where he met the love of his life, Margaret Mudgett. The two were married March 15th, 2003, in Mesa, Arizona, where they had met. They then moved to Corvallis, Oregon, July 1st of 2004.
Jerry loved so much to be in the outdoors. When he was fishing, prospecting, or riding his beloved Harley with Meg, he was always living his life to the fullest.
Jerry will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to spend time with him. The world will never be the same without him. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Dad, we’ll miss you.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Meg Best, of Corvallis Oregon; son, Don Haviland Best of Seattle, Washington ; stepchildren, Amber and Thomas of Mesa, Arizona, McKenna of Corvallis, Oregon; and mother, Dorothy Best and father, Fred Best of McClellanville, South Carolina.
Services will be held at the new Wappetaw Presbyterian Church at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 24th, 2005.
Frances Sineath
CAMDEN — A Funeral Mass for Frances deTournillon Sineath, 84, will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with burial to follow in Quaker Cemetery. Rev. Francis Travis will officiate. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 19, 2005, from 4-6 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with the rosary to be recited following the visitation at 6 p.m. Memorials may be made to Kershaw County Hospice, 2001 W. DeKalb Street, Camden, SC 29020.
Mrs. Sineath died Sunday, April 17, 2005. Born in Charleston, she was the daughter of the late Eugene and Rebecca Murray deTournillon. Mrs. Sineath was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church where she was a former member of the Parish Council, a past president of the Woman’s Deanery, a former member and past president of the Camden Kirkover Hills Garden and a volunteer with the Girl Scouts of America.
Surviving are her husband, Randolph Sineath; daughters, Marie Held and her husband, Clifford, of Port Richey, FL, Betty Amodio and her husband, Robert, of Mooresville, NC, and Patricia Truesdale and her husband, Mike, of Heath Springs; daughter-in-law, Pam Sineath of Palm Bay, FL; 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, Randy Sineath, Jr., and sister, Ellen Montgomery; brothers, Eugene, Phillip and Ernest deTournillon.
Alvin Yates
WEST COLUMBIA — Mr. Alvin Yates, 85, of Hulon Green Retirement Community, died Saturday, April 16, 2005, at 1:30 a.m. in the Agape Assisted Living Facility in Irmo.
Mr. Yates was born October 5, 1919, in Equality, Illinois. He was the son of the late James Hazel and Amanda Fuller Yates. He was married to Helen Hudock, March 14, 1970. She preceded him in death September 21, 1992. Mr. Yates served his country as a Merchant Marine during World War II.
Mr. Yates retired to South Carolina from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his late wife in 1992. Prior to retirement, he worked as a manufacturer’s representative to several Mid-Western states, for the mirror and glass industry.
Mr. Yates was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, and by a brother, Floyd Ralph Yates. He is survived by brothers, James Richard and wife, Terri Yates, of Torrance, CA, William Hobart and wife, Lois Yates of Green Bay, WI; sisters, Dorothy Jones of West Plains, MO, LaVerne Schwappach of Alton, IL, Della Meyer of Midland Park, NJ; and sister-in-law, Sue Nave of Equality, IL.
He is also survived by cousins, Larry and Sondra Yates, and Lyndell and Nancy Yates of Columbia; as well as several nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 22, 2005, at the Vickery Funeral Chapel in Equality, IL. The family will receive friends 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Rev. Annie Cooper
NEWBERRY — Homegoing Services with burial for Rev. Annie Cooper will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Providence AME Church, Chapin. Bostick-Tompkins Funeral Home, Columbia, is in charge. Born in Chapin to Amos Meggett and Ella Hook, she died April 14, 2005. Surviving are husband, O’Neil Cooper; children, Paul, Mary, Juray, Evelyn, Annette, Sharon, Malinda, Melissa, Paula; eight siblings.
Thomas J. Griffin III
CAYCE — Funeral services for Ret. Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Griffin, III, 62, of Cayce, S.C., will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday at Greenlawn Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor James Lee officiating and full military honors to follow. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to www.mem.com. The family has entrusted Greenlawn Funeral Home with the arrangements.
Mr. Griffin passed away on Monday, April 18, 2005. Born in Mississippi, he was the son of the late Thomas J. Griffin, II and Erminia Guerre. Mr. Griffin retired from the U.S. Army after 25 years of dedicated service in which he served in the Vietnam War. He then attended MUSC and earned his Registered Nursing degree with honors in 1995. Mr. Griffin worked for Dorn Veteran Hospital and DHEC. He retired from DHEC in 2002 upon his diagnosis of lung cancer. Mr. Griffin was a member of The Korean Community Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of The Amateur Radio League and The American Legion.
Surviving are his loving and devoted wife, Mrs. Song Ja Griffin; a daughter, Sandra Frutchey and her husband Mark of Orlando, Florida; a son, Richard “Andy” Rogers and his wife Jill of Columbia, S.C.; and three grandchildren, Marky, Ava, and Ericka.
Lt. Col. Willard K. Mincey
MULLINS — Lt. Colonel Willard Kay Mincey, USAF (Ret.), 64, husband of June White Mincey, died Sunday, April 17, 2005.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the chapel of Cox-Collins Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Cedardale Cemetery, directed by Cox-Collins Funeral Home.
Lt. Col. Mincey was born January 9, 1941, in Loris, a son of Geraldine Cox Mincey and the late Kirby Mincey. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, having served as a fight pilot during the Vietnam War. He was also a businessman and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
Surviving Lt. Col. Mincey, in addition to his wife of the home, are his mother, Geraldine Cox Mincey of Augusta, Ga.; three daughters, Rhea Moore and her husband, Clinard, of Mullins, Christy Gray and her husband, Lonnie, of Mullins and Victoria Gray and her husband, Chuck, of Mullins; 8 grandsons; 1 granddaughter; and 2 sisters, Sylvia Cooler and her husband, Joe, of Atlanta, Ga., and Wanda Rowe and her husband, Jack, of Augusta, Ga.
Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Visitation will be held Tuesday evening from 7 til 9 p.m. at Cox-Collins Funeral Home.
Janice Maria Gilmore
ORANGE, N.J. — Miss Janice Maria Gilmore, 45, of 422-A Carroll Street, Orange, New Jersey, formerly of Vance, S.C., died April 15, 2005, at her residence in Orange, N.J., after an extended illness.
Funeral services for Miss Gilmore will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at Live Oak AME Church in Vance, S.C., the Reverend E.T. Jones, Jr., pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Miss Gilmore was born in Fort Dix, N.J., a daughter of the late McNair Gilmore and Sarah Brown Gilmore. She grew up in Vance and attended the public schools of the area, graduating from Holly Hill High School in Holly Hill, S.C. She was a graduate of South Carolina State College where she received a B.S. degree in Counselor Education. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
In her youth, she attended Live Oak AME Church.
Her survivors include two sisters, her twin, Joan (Donovan) Gilmore of Irvington, N.J., and Cynthia Gilmore of Sugar Hill, Ga.; one brother, Charles (Rosa) Gilmore of Irmo, S.C.; aunts, Ferdenia (Vincent) Haywood, Georgia Brown and Carolyn Wigfall; uncle, David (Mamie) Brown; nephews, Shane and Chase Gilmore; and nieces, Kili and Andrienne Gilmore.
The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, at Shuler-Marshall Funeral Home of Holly Hill, S.C.
Friends may call at the residence of Mrs. Carolyn (Neomi) Wigfall, 10527 Old Number Six Highway, Vance, S.C., and at the funeral home.
John Rabon
LUGOFF — Funeral services for John Lee Rabon, 91, will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2005, at 11 a.m. at Pine Grove Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Rev. Richard Cameron will officiate. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 19, 2005, from 6-8 p.m. at Kornegay Funeral Home, Lugoff Elgin Chapel. Memorials may be made to Pine Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 836 Pine Grove Road, Lugoff, SC 29078 or to a charity of one’s choice.
Mr. Rabon died Sunday, April 17, 2005. Born in Lugoff, he was the son of the late John Samuel and Maggie Branham Rabon. Mr. Rabon retired from the University of South Carolina.
Surviving are children, Donald L. Rabon and his wife, Gerri, of Blythewood, Carolyn R. Henderson and her husband, Charles, of Florence, Clifton L. “Pete” Rabon, and his wife, Anne, of Lugoff, and Brenda Fuller and her husband, Jeff, of Columbia; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; sister, Edna Hornsby of Lugoff; sister-in-law, Mozelle Rabon of Lugoff. Mr. Rabon was predeceased by sisters, Annie Branham, Janie Barfield, and Nellie Rabon; brothers, Frank, Nick, and George Rabon.
Gladies Clarkson
FLORENCE — Services for Gladies P. Clarkson, 83, Darlington County Schools retiree, 2 p.m. Wednesday: Union Baptist Church, Darlington. Burial: Mulberry Cemetery. Job’s Mortuary, Sumter, is in charge. Born in Sumter to Dewey and Bessie Shaw Potts, she died April 15, 2005. Surviving: sisters, Grace Perry, Martha Foster, Daisy Conyers, Lillie Cotton; godchildren, Sarah Bonaparte, Damon White.
Catherine P. “Kitty” Smoak
COLUMBIA — Catherine Hunt Paulling “Kitty” Smoak, 90, of 1001 Wildewood Downs Circle, Columbia, died Monday morning, April 18th in Providence Hospital Northeast. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 21st at First Baptist Church, Elloree, with Rev. Clark McCrary officiating. Burial will be in Jerusalem United Methodist Church Cemetery, Elloree. Pallbearers will be Russell Smoak, Doug Smoak, Phil Monson, Chris Monson, Michael Monson, Chris Marcolini, John DeMars and Robbie DeMars. Dukes-Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Mrs. Smoak was born in St. Matthews, a daughter of the late John Marion and Roberta Inez Mack Paulling. She had retired from the South Carolina Department of Education. Mrs. Smoak was a long time member of Elloree First Baptist Church and a member of North Trenholm Baptist Church, Columbia. She was the widow of Robert A. Leroy Smoak, Sr.
Survivors: son, Mr. Robert L. (Martha) Smoak, Flat Rock, NC; daughter, Mrs. Sylvia (Jon) Monson, Columbia; 7 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Dukes-Harley Funeral Home. At other times, friends may call at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to: Make A Wish Foundation, 726 C. Lownds Hill Road, Greenville, SC 29607.
