U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Mary D. Strange
Mary “Decky” Dobson Strange, 71, widow of Oscar Rivers Strange, died Friday, December 7, 2001, at the home of her sister in North Myrtle Beach.
Born in Alcolu, she was the daughter of the late Howard Drexel Dobson and Mary Alderman Dobson. She was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a son, David Strange of Sumter; three daughters, Mary Anne Brown and her husband, Mike, of Virginia, and Beth White and her husband, Scooter, and Gingi Dooley of Sumter; two sisters, Jean Gulledge and her husband, Lucius, of North Myrtle Beach and Betsy Richardson and her husband, Robert, of Sumter; eight grandchildren, Toby Brown, David White, Jimbo Brown, Fran Ricks, Brian White, Garet Strange, Heather Dooley and Mary Beth Dooley; and a great-grandchild, Woods White.
She was preceded in death by a son, Buddy Strange.
Services were 3 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home with the Revs. Jack Rowan and Ron Richardson officiating.
Burial followed in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Mercy Hospice of Horry County of the Bible Fellowship Baptist Church of North Myrtle Beach.
Carrie A. Auten
Carrie Ard Auten, 74, of Rock Hill, died Friday, December 14, 2001, at White Oak Manor.
Born Jan. 30, 1927, in Greeleyville, she was the daughter of the late Zingle and Frances Gibbons Ard. She retired from Rock Hill Printing and Finishing Co. and Lowenstein. She was a member of First Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Joy Choir, Senior Adult Ministry, Senior Adult Sunday School Class and Women’s Missionary Union.
Survivors include a son, Keith Auten of Rock Hill; a daughter, Sheila A. Brown of Fort Mill; four brothers, James David Ard of Indian Land, Zingle Ard and Vernon Ard of Rock Hill and Luther Ard of Dinuba, Calif.; two sisters, Vera Ard Culp and Laura Ard Westmoreland of Rock Hill; and three grandchildren, Shannon Joy, Amy Auten and John Reidell.
Services were 11:30 a.m. Monday in the Rock Hill Chapel of Cauthen Funeral Home with the Revs. Steven Hogg and Larry Sizemore officiating. Burial followed in Rock Hill Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Journey by Faith Building Fund or to the Church Bus Fund, 215 East Main St., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730.
Hilliard Brown
Hilliard Brown, 85, husband of Elizabeth Cantey Brown, died Wednesday, December 12, 2001, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born July 15, 1916, in Summerton, he was the son of the late Sam Jones and Tinette Brown.
He was educated in the public schools of Clarendon County. Having been born and reared in a Christian environment, he accepted Jesus Christ and distinguished himself as a Christian through his affiliation and support of Mt. Pleasant RUME Church, where he once served diligently as a member of the trustee board. He was a member of the YMCA.
Survivors besides his wife include two sons, Henry J. Brown and Richard Brown Sr. of Brooklyn, N.Y.; three daughters, Mary Lee Brown-Sanders of Jamaica, N.Y., Comilla Leasa Brown of Brooklyn and Mabel R. Brown of Pinewood; 13 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Maxine Brown-Adger.
Services were 3 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Pleasant RMUE Church with the Rev. Powell Hampton Jr., pastor, officiating and the Revs. Ronald Wine, Daniel Green, Ernest Brunson, Thomas Junious and Roosevelt Boyd assisting.
Burial followed in Brown’s Cemetery in Pinewood.
Bessie G. Gordon
Bessie Gamble Gordon, 77, widow of Johnny Ervin Gordon, died Sunday, December 16, 2001, at Mariner Health.
Born May 10, 1924, in Manning, she was the daughter of the late Edward Gamble and Irene Brown Gamble. She was a devoted member of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, where she served faithfully on several auxiliaries including the deaconess board, Sunday school and Missionary Society, where she served as president for a number of years.
In 1993, the church recognized her outstanding devotion, contributions and service by naming her Woman of the Year. She was very active with the Black River Association and the Woman’s State Convention, having served as a delegate to several conventions. She was a member of the executive board of the Black River Woman’s Convention and board member ambassador with the Black River Sunday School Convention. In later years, she retired as queen of the Black River Missionary Convention, having held that title for several consecutive years.
In civic affairs, she was equally effective as an ardent worker and supporter of the Manning branch of the NAACP and served as a member of the executive committee and woman of the year committee for a number of years. Other affiliations included membership in the YWCA Lodge and the National Council of Negro Women.
Survivors include two sons, Johnny Gordon and his wife, Margaret, of Manning and James L. Gordon of Santee; two daughters, Beulah G. Roberts and her husband, Joe, and Gwendolyn G. Nelson and her husband, Wayne, of Manning; a sister, Eleanor Coubatrous of Sumter; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Henry Eugene Gordon.
Services were 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church with the Revs. George P. Windley Sr., Clarence Hilton, Mitchell Adger, Michelle Holland, Henry McCray and Minister Leroy McElveen officiating.
Burial followed in Manning Cemetery.
Ashley A. Hayes
Ashley Andrew Hayes, 24, died Monday, December 17, 2001.
Born in Florence County, he was the son of Raleigh Andrew Hayes and Syble Linda Floyd Hayes of Lake City. He was an electrical technician and a member of Lake City Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors besides his parents include his wife, April Barfield Hayes of Olanta; and his great-grandparents, Emerson and Earline Hayes of Scranton.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, James Ed and Lucille Floyd.
Services were 2 p.m. Thursday at Lake City Pentecostal Holiness Church. Burial followed in Lake City Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to Turbeville Free Will Baptist Children’s Home, P. O. Box 229, Turbeville, S.C. 29162.
John C. McCoy Sr.
John Clifton McCoy Sr., 58, husband of Ruby Effler McCoy, died Friday, December 7, 2001, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Lamar, he was the son of the late Leon McCoy and Nancy Ann Lynch McCoy. He attended Pocalla Holiness Church and was a retired self-employed mechanic.
Survivors besides his wife of Sumter include two sons, John Clifton McCoy Jr. of Sumter and William T. McCoy of Clarendon County; a daughter, Connie Ann Malott of Missouri; four brothers, Leon McCoy, Tim McCoy, Glenn McCoy and Melvin McCoy of Sumter; two sisters, Patsy Frye of Sumter and Myrtle Ann Gibbons of Turbeville; and seven grandchildren.
Services were 11 a.m. Monday in the chapel of Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home with the Revs. Donnie Collins and Tim Hudson officiating.
Burial followed in Evergreen Memorial Park.
Paul Welch
Paul Welch, 82, husband of Vera Barfield Welch, died Thursday, July 12, 2001, at a Florence hospital after an illness.
Born in Clarendon County, he was the son of the late Samuel Clem Welch and Mamie Barfield Welch. He was a member of Pine Dale Pentecostal Holiness Church and was a retired farmer.
Survivors besides his wife of Turbeville include three sons, Donald Welch, R.W. Welch and Richard Welch of Turbeville; two daughters, Christine Miles of Scranton and Vela Mae Lee of Turbeville; a sister, Lillie Mae Floyd of Kingstree; 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by five brothers, Mike, Sam, Will, June, and Silas Welch; and three sisters, Sue Welch, Mary Miles and Taster Barfield.
Services were 2 p.m. Sunday at Pine Dale Pentecostal Holiness Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Heyward M. Coker Sr.
COLUMBIA - Heyward M. Coker Sr., 81, husband of Louise W. Coker, died Tuesday, November 27, 2001, at Dorn Veterans Medical Center.
Born in Clarendon County, he was the son of the late James Madison and Annie Leola Jane Coker Coker. He was an active member of Maple Street Southern Methodist Church, where he was an honorary lifetime member of the Board of Stewards. He was a U.S. Marine veteran of World War II and a retired home builder and carpenter.
Survivors besides his wife include a son, Heyward M. Coker Jr. and his wife, Brenda, of Columbia; three stepsons, Francis Watts and Ralph Watts of Turbeville and Lavern Watts of Columbia; four stepdaughters, Vivian Thigpen of Lake City, Nancy Mangrum of Manning, Irene Hardy of Turbeville and Nell Harrington of Kingstree; two grandchildren, Lydia A. Coker and Angie M. Coker; step-grandchildren; step-great-grandchildren; and step-great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Esther Huggins Coker; and two brothers, James Hue and Horace Elliott Coker.
Services were 2 p.m. Thursday at Maple Street Southern Methodist Church.
Burial followed in Greenlawn Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to Maple Street Southern Methodist Church.
Harriet Gaymon-Ellison
Harriet “Recie” Gaymon-Ellison, widow of Nathaniel Ellison, died Sunday, September 23, 2001, at a New Jersey hospital.
Born in Panola, she was the daughter of the late Dolphus A. and Susanna Bates Gaymon.
Survivors include a son, Daniel Spann Ellison of Trenton, N.J.; a sister, Cally “Good Looking” Brailsford of Sumter; eight grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services were 3:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church with the Revs. W.J. Chandler and J.H. Pringle officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Emory N. Lane Sr.
Emory Neil Lane Sr., 63, husband of Ruby Richburg Lane, died Monday, September 17, 2001, at a Florence hospital after an illness.
Born in Williamsburg County, he was the son of the late Joseph Eston and Sadie Duke Lane. He was a member of Eastside Christian Church, was employed by Carolina Supply House and was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors besides his wife of Florence include a son, Emory Neil Lane Jr. of Darlington; a daughter, Connie Lane Driggers of Florence; two brothers, J.E. Lane Jr. and Lloyd R. Lane of Kingstree; three sisters, Carolyn L. McConnell and Grace L. Robinson of Kingstree and Miriam L. McCain of Effingham; and five grandchildren, Garrett Driggers, Justin Driggers, Shawn Driggers, Taylor Lane and Cameron Lane.
Services were 2 p.m. Thursday at Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home.
Burial followed in Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Eastside Christian Church.
