U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Hoit William Duke
1927-2009
Hoit William Duke, 81, widower of Ruby Jean Truett Duke, died Friday, January 30, 2009 at a local nursing center.
Born in Calhoun, Alabama, he was a son of the late Henry Clay Duke and Emma Duke.
Mr. Duke was a U.S. Army-Air Corps World War II veteran. He was formerly employed by Santee Print Works and was the owner and operator of Dukes TV Repair. He was fondly known as the “Auction Man”.
Surviving are two sons, Ray W. Duke and wife Kathy, Don B. Duke and wife Linda all of Sumter; two daughters, Nancy J. Molina of Sumter, June Cutter and husband Ricky of St. George; a daughter-in-law, Yasuko Duke of Sumter; two sisters, Louise Lewis of Texas and Orea Duke of Oregon; seven grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at 2 P.M. Sunday in the Wells Cemetery with Rev. Bobby Driggers officiating.
Grandsons will serve as Pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Saturday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at 235 Macy Street.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
Catherine Parish Brunson
1926-2009
Catherine Parish Brunson, 82, widow of Arthur F. Brunson, died Thursday, January 29, 2009 at the Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Maude W. Parish and the late Fred T. Parish.
Mrs. Brunson was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Surviving are two daughters, Esther Brunson of Cheraw and Ginger Brunson of Sumter; three sons, Glen Brunson, Rudolph Brunson, Michael Brunson and wife Leslie all of Sumter; one grandson Stephen Brunson; one granddaughter Elizabeth Brunson; a sister, Bonnie Barwick of Sumter.
She was preceded in death by three brothers and one sister.
Graveside services will be held at 11 A.M. Monday in the Sumter Cemetery with Dr. Clay Smith officiating.
The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 P.M. Sunday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Assisted Living, 1267 N. Main St. Sumter, SC, 29150.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
Constance "Connie" Mathis Spencer
1922-2009
Constance “Connie” Mathis Spencer, 86, widow of Melvin C. Spencer, died Friday, January 30, 2009 at the home of her daughter in Newton, North Carolina.
Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late James Frank Mathis and Macy Smith Mathis.
Mrs. Spencer was a member of First Baptist Church and the retired Director of Solomons Retirement Home.
Surviving are two daughters, Sara “Sallie” Nelle Spencer Abernethy of Newton, NC and Macy Spencer Terry of Sumter; five grandchildren, Austin Abernethy, Constance Swanson and husband Tim, Sara Terry, Helen Terry and Elizabeth Terry.
Graveside Services will be held at 3 P.M. Monday in the Sumter Cemetery with Rev. Charles Clanton officiating.
The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 P.M. Monday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of her daughter, 204 Mason Croft Drive.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 867, Sumter, SC 29151 or to the Solomons Home, 620 N. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
George William (Chip) Steele
1959-2009
George William “Chip” Steele, III 49, husband of Ana Strauss Steele, died Saturday, January 31, 2009 in Chester, SC.
Born in Sumter, he was a son of George William Steele and Betty Lee Steele.
Mr. Steele was a member of Providence Baptist Church and was a professional tandem sky diver instructor. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Surviving are his mother and father of Sumter along with his wife of Massachusetts; two daughters, Jodie Lee Steele of MA and Cheri Ray of Ohio; one brother, Chris Lee Steele of Sumter; two sisters, Sandy Fowler and Becky Hill both of Walterboro; and two grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 A.M. Thursday in Providence Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Harold Greene and Rev. Jim Williams officiating.
Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Chip’s fellow skydivers.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Wednesday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home, 3080 Tindal Road.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Sumter SPCA, 1140 S. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
Ruby Smithwick Galloway
1938-2009
Ruby Smithwick Galloway, 70, widow of William Galloway, died Friday, February 06, 2009 at Tuomey Regional Health Care System.
Born in Georgetown, SC she was the daughter of the late Freeman Lambert and the late Violet Johnson Lambert.
Surviving are four daughters; Linda Smithwick, Donna Smithwick, Sherry Shelley and Denise Lewis all of Sumter; two sons William Henry Smithwick and Keith Smithwick both of Sumter; six granddaughters Jennifer Smithwick, Melissa Walker, April Nelson, Keeleigh Lewis, Alex Lewis, and Amber Shelley; one grandson Trey Griffin all of Sumter; two great-granddaughters Angel Smithwick and Katherine Conley; two great-grandsons Tony Barfield and Joseph Walker; three sisters Lillian Gainey of Sumter, Juanita Morris of Andrews and Connie Mae Elliot of Georgetown; and a special neice Sheila Faye Gainey.
She was preceded in death by a daughter Debra Kay Smithwick; one son David Earl Smithwick, Jr. and one brother Thurmond Lambert.
Graveside Services will be held at 2 P.M. Sunday at the Sumter Cemetery with the Rev. Billy Lewis officiating.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 P.M. Saturday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of her daughter, 230 Lakewood Dr..
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
Marie Dorothy Kohler
1928-2009
Marie Dorothy Kohler, 80, widow of George W. Kohler, died Friday, February 6, 2009 at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Philadelphia, PA she was the daughter of the late Walter Schoell and the late Wilhelmina Schoell.
Surviving are two daughters; Donna Gerner of Sumter, and Joanne Goodenough of Douglassville, PA; one son, Wayne Kohler of Philadelphia, PA; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren; and two brothers, James Schoell of New Jersey and George Schoell of Philadelphia, PA.
Funeral services will take place at a later date in Pennsylvania .
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 520 Gervais Street, Suite 300, Columbia SC, 29201.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of arrangements. (803) 775-9386.
Beverly "MeMe" Howell Eargle
1942-2009
Beverly “MeMe” Howell Eargle, 66, wife of Raymond Eargle, died Friday, February 6, 2009 at the Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Brady and Olga Gertrude Wilkerson Wilson.
During the Vietnam Conflict, Mrs. Eargle served in the “Waiting Wives” Association of Sumter County and was instrumental in initiating shipments of toys, clothing, and hygiene items to Vietnamese orphans.
Mrs. Eargle was owner and founder of Care-A-Lot Day Care Center in Dalzell which received The Item’s 2007 “Reader’s Choice” as best day care center in Sumter and surrounding counties. She also received the United Way/Success By 6 “2004 Director of the Year” award. She devoted the last 26 years of her life in caring and loving children in the Sumter County area.
Surviving are her husband of Sumter; three sons, Bobby Howell and Roy Howell of Sumter and Brian Eargle of Ashwood; a daughter, Paula Durham of Wedgefield; a stepson, David Eargle of Sumter; her twin brother, Brady L. Wilson; a brother, Rocky Wilson and a sister, Susan Price all of Sumter; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Sumter native, SFC Robert Lee Howell who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1970 and also a step-daughter, Debbie Collins.
Funeral services will be held at 3 P.M. Monday in the Chapel of the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with Rev. Dr. Clay Smith officiating.
Burial will be in the Sumter Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Robert Howell II, Trae Baxley, Kurtus Howell, Sean Howell, Jamie Baxley, John Eargle, Davey Eargle, Jesse McCoy, Jimmy Wilson and Mickey Price.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 P.M. Sunday at the Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home, 67 Nandina Drive.
Memorials may be made to the Ashwood Fire Department, P. O. Box 87, Bishopville, SC 29010.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.
