U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Elmer Truesdale III
KERSHAW — Funeral services for Elmer Lee “Dick” Truesdale, III, will be held Saturday, December 4, 2004, at 3:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Baker Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Camden, SC. Rev. Tony Barnes and Rev. Thomas Sullivan will officiate.
Mr. Truesdale, 60, died Wednesday, December 1, 2004, at his home. Born in Winnsboro, SC, he was the son of the late Elmer Lee Truesdale, Jr. and Edna Hornsby Truesdale, and married to Natalie Taylor Truesdale. He was a U.S. Army veteran having served during the Vietnam Conflict. He was also a member of V.F.W. Post 8990 Kershaw and a retired mechanic.
Surviving, in addition to his wife of Kershaw, are 2 sons, Dorman A. “Tony” Truesdale of Kershaw, Ricky Truesdale of Camden, SC, 2 daughters, Paula McCabe of Kingston, OK, Bridget Plexico of Lancaster, SC, 6 grandchildren, 2 sisters, Mittie Christie of Irmo, SC, Annette Balm of Floresville, Texas , and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Charles Kenneth Truesdale.
The family will receive friends Friday, December 3, 2004, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Baker Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Truesdale’s memory may be made to Hospice of Kershaw County, 2001 West Dekalb Street, Camden, SC 29020 or Open Arms Baptist Church, 5793 Lockhart Road, Kershaw, SC 29067, or the charity of one’s choice.
Baker Funeral Home is serving the family of Mr. Truesdale.
Jim Walker
HARTSVILLE - Service for James “Jim” Richard Walker, 30, “friend to all,” 4 p.m. Saturday: First Baptist Church Chapel. Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home is in charge. Born in Houston, Texas , to James and Rebecca Walker, he died Dec. 1, 2004. Surviving: mother; sister, Katherine Brooks; aunts and uncle, Patricia & George McCoy, Donna Wadsworth; grandparents, Richard Wadsworth, James and Gladys Walker.
Christell Campbell
CLINTON — A graveside service for Christell S. Campbell, 76, retired from Whitten Center, member of Lydia Presbyterian Church, widow of Horace Campbell, will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday in Pinelawn Memory Gardens. Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Gray Funeral Home. Born in Greer to Jerome Lee and Mamie Lee Sandlin Steading, she died Dec. 2, 2004. Surviving: son, Mike; grandchildren, Jay and Ginger.
Elizabeth Selecman
WEST COLUMBIA — Elizabeth Jane Selecman, 83, died Tuesday, December 1, 2004. Born in Hazzard, KY, she was the daughter of the late George and Jane Carter Saufley. Services for Mrs. Selecman will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
James Crosson
COLUMBIA — Visitation for James Allen Crosson, 56, will be held at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, on Friday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.
Mr. Crosson died Thursday, December 2, 2004. Born in Springfield, Mass., he was a son of the late Norman R. and Dorothy L. Combs Crosson. Mr. Crosson was a graduate of the University of South Carolina, a Vietnam veteran, and an avid U.S.C. fan.
Surviving are a son, Ted A. Crosson of Columbia; a daughter, Susanna R. Crosson of Columbia; a brother and sister-in-law, John and Laura Crosson of Anderson; and nephews, Jake Crosson of Anderson, and Adam Crosson of Columbia. Mr. Crosson was predeceased by a brother, William N. Crosson.
Charles Cullens
HODGES — A graveside service for Charles Benjamin Cullens, 64, Mason, Army veteran, Pirelli Cable Co. retiree, is 3 p.m. today in Greenwood Memorial Gardens, visitation 1-2:30 p.m. at Blyth Funeral Home, Greenwood. Born in Greenwood Co. to Charles and Edna White Cullens, he died Dec. 2, 2004. Surviving: daughters, Pam Randall, Phyllis Sheldon; siblings, Bertha Mae Nelson, Jerry Arnold; grandchildren.
Budlow Busbee
WAGENER — Mr. Budlow Bertrand Busbee, 79, entered into rest Wednesday, December 1st, 2004.
Mr. Busbee was born in Edgefield County. He was the son of the late Coy and Florida Ann Lamb Busbee. He was also preceded in death by his brother Harold Busbee. Mr. Busbee was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII where he served in an Engineering Battalion. He was a member of Bethcar Baptist Church and the Men’s Sunday School Class. He retired from the Clearwater Finishing Plant after 27 years of service.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Ruthie Mae Busbee, son and daughter-in-law Jimmy J. and Lois Ann Busbee, daughters and sons-in-law Janie Ruth and Douglas Shumpert and, Robin and Danny McCormick, grandchildren, Joseph Anthony Farkas and Dana and Mark Arbaugh, 5 great-grandchildren, sister, Margie Kneece, sister-in-law, June Busbee and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, December 3rd at Blizzard Funeral Home, 153 South Main St., Wagener (803) 564-5333. Funeral service will be Saturday, December 4th, at 3:00 p.m. in the Bethcar Baptist Church with the Rev. Chris Addy and the Rev. Olin Sizemore officiating. Mr. Busbee will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Bethcar Baptist Church at P.O. Box 546, Wagener, SC 29164.
Ethel Gordon
COLUMBIA — Funeral services for Dr. Ethel M. Gordon will be held 12 noon Saturday (viewing at 11 a.m.) at Brookland Baptist Church with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Wake services will be held 7 p.m. this evening at Brookland Baptist Church. Leevy’s Funeral Home, Taylor Street Chapel is in charge.
Ethel Mae McAdams Gordon, 1911-2004, Benedict College educator and psychology faculty (retired), departed this life peacefully from multiple stroke complications on November 27, 2004, in Providence Hospital near her Columbia, SC, home. Memorials may be directed to the Dr. Maxie S. Gordon, Sr. Scholarship Fund, First Calvary Baptist Church, Columbia, SC.
Born in Antreville, SC, Ethel M. Gordon was the only daughter of 8 children born to Olivia and Robert O. McAdams, Sr. She graduated with high honors from Reed Street High School, Anderson, SC, and in 1939 obtained a high honors A.B. degree from Benedict College. Ethel Gordon served as both principal and teacher in the South Carolina public schools as well as Benedict library assistant and bookstore manager. In 1955, she attended Temple University, completed her Masters of Education degree, and returned to Benedict to join the faculty as a teacher of psychology and elementary education. Ever a learner, Dr. Gordon attended Michigan State University and Harvard University for advanced study in communications and elementary education.
Travel stretched her educational reach; Dr. Gordon visited most of America, the major continents, and such countries as China, Japan, India, Italy, France, Germany, England, Greece, Sweden, Egypt, and the Holy Land. She sponsored and directed world travel tours to create several real-life opportunities for many others to develop and broaden their horizons.
Dr. Gordon held membership in a number of educational, religious, and civic organizations, including the: National Association of University Women; League of Women Voters; National Association of Ministers’ Wives; Eastern Star (Queen Esther Chapter No. 1); Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; NAACP Life Member; National Council of Negro Women; SC Council on Human Relations; and Women’s Auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc. (Historian). In 1975, Morris College of Sumter, SC, conferred its Doctor of Human Letters degree and subsequently invited Ethel Gordon to join its Trustee Board.
Dr. Gordon authored two books: Unfinished Business (1976) and Help! The Family is in Deep Trouble (1980).
In 1940, Ethel married the late Dr. Maxie S. Gordon, Sr., former Pastor, First Calvary Baptist Church and Benedict College philosophy/religion and French professor. From that 52 year partnership, the Gordons contributed mightily throughout state and national Christian service, academic, and civic life. They spent 47 years at First Calvary Baptist Church and 35 years at Benedict College.
Ethel Gordon gave birth to two sons, Maxie S. Gordon, Jr. and Thomas A. Gordon, and lived to know them and their spouses (Beryl and Gloria Jean) as adults. She felt blessed to have known her 7 grandchildren: Nina, Maxie, III, Keba, Alethea, Kali, Maya, Jamil and 4 great-grandchildren, Imani, Aminah, Nailah, Bryce.
Service would become her ultimate measure of life success. She taught and touched people from all walks of life, so that they might soar and succeed. She lived to educate and to serve.
James Alexander Sr.
CAMDEN — James Aubrey Alexander, Sr., 77, died Thursday morning at home.
Born March 14, 1927, in Atlanta, GA, he was the son of Brig. Gen. Thomas Loryea Alexander and Ellen Boykin Alexander. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, graduated from The Citadel, and had retired from DuPont. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Camden, serving on the vestry and as Senior Warden. He was a member of the Camden Art Association, Citadel Alumni Association, Boykin Hunt Club, and the Camden Gun Club.
He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Babbitt Alexander; 3 sons, James Aubrey Alexander, Jr., Thomas Loryea Alexander, III, Frank Kenneth Alexander; a daughter, Mary Alexander Stoudenmire; a brother, Thomas Loryea Alexander, Jr., 2 sisters, Ellen Alexander Beard and Meta Alexander Beard. He had 15 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, Isaac Newton Alexander.
A memorial service will be held 4 p.m. Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at Grace Episcopal Church, Camden.
Memorials may be made to Mayo Clinic, Neurological Research Dept., 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, or to a charity of your choice.
Ravenel Byrd
HARTSVILLE — Services for Albert Ravenel Byrd, 89, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke UMC with burial in Magnolia Cemetery. Visitation is 4-6 today at Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home. Born in Darlington Co. to John and Mattie Howle Byrd, he died Dec. 2, 2004. Surviving: wife, Lucille Griggs Byrd; children, Judith Talbert, Wayne Byrd, Eric Byrd; 6 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Sarah Byrd.
