U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
BILLY J. ATKINSON
Funeral services for Billy J. “Buddy” Atkinson, 65, were held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, at First Baptist Church of Pine Ridge with the Rev. Billy Campbell officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery directed by Brown–Pennington–Atkins Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Disease Association, PO Box 7044, Columbia S.C. 29202.
Mr. Atkinson died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2002. Born in Darlington County, he was a son of the late Charlie and Louise McManus Atkinson. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Pine Ridge and retired from Sara Lee.
Surviving are his wife, Dianne Smith Atkinson of Hartsville; son and daughter–in–law, Bill and Derry Atkinson; sisters, Louvenia Hendrix of Hartsville, Betty Lou Gainey of Hartsville; and grandchild, Zachary Atkinson.
ROBERT JOHANSSON
Memorial services for Robert Ivar Johansson, 42, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2002, at St. Luke United Methodist Church directed by Rev. Ben Gafford. The family will receive friends after the service. Brown–Pennington–Atkins Funeral Home is in charge.
Mr. Johansson died Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002. Born in New York City, N.Y., he was a son of Ivar Victor and Mary Smith Johansson.
Surviving are his father and mother of Hartsville; sister, Tara Smith Davis of Florence; brother, John Eric Johanssen of Charlotte, N.C.; uncles and aunts, J. Roy and Verdie Smith of Hartsville, and Jule and Elizabeth Smith of Cheraw. He was preceded in death by his uncle, Charles Smith, and his aunt, Emma Mae Wadsworth.
GARCIA L. ALSTON
HACKENSACK, N.J. — Funeral services for Garcia Lunn Alston, 56, will be held in Florence at Trinity Baptist Church on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2002, with viewing at 12 p.m. followed by services at 1 p.m. Funeral services will also be held in Passaic, N.J. at Union Baptist Church on Wednesday, Sept. 25, with viewing at 5:30 p.m. followed by worship service at 7 p.m. Arrangements have been entrusted to Smith Funeral Home in Florence and Madonna Multinational Home for Funerals in New Jersey.
Mrs. Alston died Friday, Sept. 20, at home in Hackensack, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born the eldest daughter to the late Rev. D.J. Lunn and Gladys Bristow Lunn, and raised in Timmonsville, she played for several churches in and near Darlington County as a young adult, including Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, in Hartsville, Mt. Herman Baptist Church in Bishopville, and Savannah Grove in Effingham.
Mrs. Alston was a graduate of Mather Academy in Camden, and held a degree in music education from Benedict College in Columbia. She was a former member of Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, where she also served as the Minister of Music. She also taught in the South Carolina public school system.
Married to her college sweetheart for 32 years, James N. Alston (Society Hill), senior vice president of the United Negro College Fund, Mrs. Alston lived in Columbia, Atlanta, Ga., Passaic and Hackensack, N.J. For the past 10 years, she was a vocal music teacher and chorus director in the Hackensack Public School system.
For 15 years she assisted Minister of Music Emily Cissy Houston at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J. For the past 17 years, she was a member of Union Baptist Church in Passaic, Dr. Ronald W. Johnson, pastor, and served as minister of music. Mrs. Alston was a long–time member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA), a member of The National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Inc., Delta Nu Chapter of Bergen County, N.J., a national organization for educational professionals, and a member of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC).
Mrs. Alston leaves to cherish her memory the love of her life, her husband of 32 years, James Alston; her daughters, Melanie and Alisa of Hackensack, N.J.; her sisters (brothers–in–law), Mrs. Deborah (Reginald) Greene of Effingham, Mrs. Cheryl (Elston) Lewis of Greensboro, N.C., Ms. Rebecca S. Lunn, Ms. Renetha Lunn, and Ms. Andrea Lunn–Herring, all of Timmonsville; five nieces, Mrs. Regina Greene Pompey of Florence, Ms. Bonita Greene of Effingham, Ms. Morgan Amanda Lewis of Greensboro, N.C.; three nephews, Mr. David J. Lunn II of Timmonsville, Mr. Benjamin (Michelle) Heatley of Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Samuel D. Gray of Florence; four grandnieces and grandnephews, Miss Courtney and Master Joseph Pompey, of Florence, and Misses Jordan and Taylor Heatley of Charlotte, N.C.; an aunt (uncle), Mrs. Clyde (Reuben) Smith of Florence, along with a host of first cousins, other relatives, church family, sorors, colleagues, students and friends.
In lieu of flowers and at her fervent request, please make donations to the Union Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, 221 Myrtle Ave. Passaic, NJ 07055; or the Blue and Gold Scholarship Fund of Hackensack High School, Hackensack, NJ 07601; or the United Negro College Fund, 8260 Willow Oaks Dr. Fairfax, VA 22031.
DUNCAN D. McGREGOR
CHESTERFIELD — Funeral services for Duncan “Skeet” Douglass McGregor, 72, were held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Interment followed in McBee Cemetery with the Rev. James F. Leppard officiating, directed by Miller–Rivers–Caulder Funeral Home of Chesterfield.
Mr. McGregor died Monday, Sept. 23, at Chesterfield General Hospital. He was born in Wadesboro, N.C., and was the only child of the late Duncan Hardy and Sallie Berry Douglass McGregor. A graduate of Chesterfield High School, he received his BS in civil engineering from Clemson University in 1952 and his master's in civil engineering from Purdue. He was called to active duty as a first lieutenant in the Army Corp of Engineers and served in Panama during the Korean War.
Skeet began his career with the Aluminum Company of America “Alcoa” in 1956, serving as staff engineer in Badin, N.C., and Port Lavaca, Texas . He was transferred to Pt. Henry, Australia, in 1962 as construction engineer for the Pt. Henry Smelter and Fabricating Plant and stayed as operating superintendent. In 1965, he was transferred to Rockdale, Texas , as a project engineer, then became project manager for a 50 percent plant expansion and continued on as maintenance superintendent for the smelter and associated facilities, engineering manager, plant manager in 1972 and works manager in 1973. Mr. McGregor was transferred to the Alcoa Corporate Office in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1977 and was corporate engineer for Electrode Operations, assuming technical responsibilities for all international smelting operations. After managing the basic process design for all new smelters built by Alcoa in North, Central and South America, Canada, Europe and Australia, he was awarded the Chairman's Award for Technical Excellence in 1990 and was Alcoa's Corporate Chief Engineer until his retirement in 1992.
Skeet and his wife, Anne, moved back to Chesterfield in 1992 and he continued to provide technical consulting services to 12 major aluminum companies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Venezuela. He was an active member of many local Chesterfield boards and the St. Paul United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Anne Harmon McGregor, and daughters Sally and husband Lloyd David Rivers, of Taylorsville, N.C., and Jane McGregor and husband Greg Yulish of Calabasas, Calif.; three grandchildren, Lloyd Douglass, Hilary Jane Rivers and Matthew McGregor Yulish.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 305 West Main St., Chesterfield, SC 29709 and the American Cancer Society for the Chesterfield County Cancer Relay for Life in care of Kathy Treadaway, P.O. Box 897, Cheraw, SC 29520.
MARY TAYLOR
WILMINGTON, N.C. — Funeral services for Mary Helen Anderson Taylor, 93, will be held at 12 noon today, Sept. 27, 2002, in the chapel of Belk Funeral Home, Darlington, with interment following in Grove Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends today at the funeral home from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
Mrs. Taylor passed peacefully into the presence of her Lord Jesus Christ on Sept. 25, 2002, at the home of one of her sons in Wilmington, N.C. She was born Mary Helen Anderson on Jan. 17, 1909, near Timmonsville, the sixth of seven children of the late Bunyan Waterman and Sarah Watson Anderson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Harold Taylor of Greer in 1970.
Mrs. Taylor spent her early years in the Darlington–Timmonsville area. Her parents encouraged her avid enthusiasm with sports, especially foot racing, pole vaulting, and basketball. She graduated from Columbia College in 1933, after which she began teaching for the South Carolina school system, where her duties included coaching basketball as well as teaching.
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor lived in Franklinville, N.C., Latta and James Island, S.C. In addition to her work in education, she participated in the family business, maintained a very active community presence in her church, garden clubs, and other civic activities and, with her husband, raised twin sons. Mrs. Taylor was a past president of the garden clubs in Latta and James Island. Her own collection of azaleas and camellias was begun in the 1940s in Latta, was moved to her James Island home in 1956, and is now lovingly maintained by her daughter–in–law, Rita Taylor of Wilmington, N.C. Mrs. Taylor was a committed Christian. Her church communities include Latta United Methodist Church, Latta Baptist Church and James Island Baptist Church.
Mrs. Taylor is survived by her sons, Herbert A. Taylor of Wilmington, N.C., and Hubert H. Taylor of Thornton, Pa., their wives, Rita and Betty Taylor; three grandchildren, Molly, Mark and Andrew Taylor of Charlotte, N.C.; and two great–grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Mrs. Lurlene DuBose of Lamar.
ELIZABETH DOWDY
DARLINGTON — Funeral services for Elizabeth “Snookie” Doriety Dowdy, 57, were held at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Eugene Thomas, pastor, officiating. Burial followed in the church Cemetery, directed by Mitchell–Josey Funeral Home.
Mrs. Dowdy died Saturday, Sept. 21, in a Florence hospital after an illness. She was born in Darlington County, a daughter of Willie Dowdy Sr. and the late Ella Jane Coe Dowdy. She received her formal education in the Darlington County public schools. She was a life member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and was a homemaker and farmer.
Survivors include her father, Willie Dowdy Sr. of Darlington; two sons, Shephard Dowdy and Gregory Dowdy, both of the home; 11 brothers and sisters, Willie Dowdy Jr., James (Sarah) Dowdy, Eddie Lee (Annie Mae), Rosena Dowdy, Wilhelmenia Dowdy, Holly Dowdy, Walter Dowdy, Henry Dowdy, Mamie Dowdy, Mable Dowdy, Franklin Dowdy, all of Darlington; paternal grandmother, Mrs. Annie Dowdy; four uncles and two aunts; a special aunt, Callie O'Neal; nieces and nephews.
A brother and sister preceded her in death, Robert and Charlene.
JUDY BRUNSON
McBEE — Funeral services for Judy Drew Brunson, 62, will be held at 3 p.m. today, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002, at Middendorf Baptist Church. The Revs. Don Rhyne and Ed Griggs will officiate with burial in Green Hill Church of God of Prophecy Cemetery directed by Brown–Pennington–Atkins Funeral Home.
Mrs. Brunson, widow of John W. Brunson Sr., died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2002. Born in Marion County, she was a daughter of the late Edward L. and Virginia Smith Drew. She was a member of Middendorf Baptist Church.
Surviving are her sons and daughters–in–law, Allen and Jody Brunson of Patrick, John and Winnie Brunson of Pamplico, Donnie Drew of Charleston; daughters and sons–in–law, Jennie and Roger Winburn of McBee, Janet and Eddie Ronga of Hollywood, Fla., Linda Blackwell of McBee; sisters, Ann Dixon of Patrick, Gloria Tyner of Hartsville, Margaret Campbell of Darlington, Faye Icard of Lenoir, N.C.; brothers, Jack Drew of Bethune, Jimmy Drew and Dennis Drew, both of McBee; 13 grandchildren; and four great–grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother, Ronnie Drew.
DEZZIE JOWERS
JEFFERSON — Funeral services for Dezzie Jowers, 77, were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002, at Mt. Elon United Methodist Church. Burial was in the church Cemetery, directed by Young & Young Funeral Home.
Mrs. Jowers died Friday, Sept. 27, in Rock Hill. She was born in Chesterfield County, a daughter of the late Alexand and Mary Baker Jowers. She received her education in the public schools of Chesterfield County. She was member of Mt. Elon United Methodist Church.
Surviving are a daughter, Jenny Jowers (Craven) Bristow of Jefferson; two sons, Jerico (Lagatha) Jowers and Dyvone (Eva) Jowers of Jefferson; a sister, Cassie Mae (K.D.) Chambers of Peachland, N.C.; 13 grandchildren; nine great–grandchildren; four sisters–in–law, Naomi Jowers, Edell Jowers and Mattie Jowers, all of Jefferson and Eddie Jowers of Monroe, N.C.
CHRISTOPHER KIRKLAND
LYDIA — Christopher Eric Kirkland, 7, son of Machella Elliott, died Saturday, Sept. 28, at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center. The family will receive friends at the residence. Hines Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
