U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Franklin E. Watts
FLORENCE – Franklin E. Watts, husband of Joyce Coleman Watts, died on April 28, 2008.
He was born on Nov. 1, 1935, in Ashwood, a son of the late Edmond Bernard and Annie Bell Robison Watts. He was reborn in the Holy Spirit in November 1959. He lived in Florence since July 1960. He was a U.S. Army veteran and retired in 2001 from Superior Machine Co. after 32 years as a professional trucker. He was a charter member of West Florence Baptist Church that was organized in 1972 and a charter member of Berean Baptist Church that was organized in 1999. He was an avid deer hunter and charter member of the “Sportman’s Hunting Club.” In his retirement years, he loved to garden and give produce away to friends and neighbors. His motto was “to live by the side of the road and be a friend to man’ and was always giving to others.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Robert B. Watts and his wife, Louise, James E. Watts and his wife, Gertie, and W. Othell Watts and his wife, Mary Lou; and brothers-in-law, Carlyle Nesbitt and S.W. Prescott.
Surviving are his wife, who he married on June 14, 1959; son, Scott R. (Janet) Watts and their children, Caleb and Anna, of Florence; daughter, Amanda Lin (Greg) Breeden and their children, Zach, Katie and Abby, all of Raymond, 
Maine; brothers, E.B. (Ruby) Watts Jr. of Mayesville, John Milton (Uldene) Watts of Laurens and Wyman Harold (Grace) Watts of Mayesville; sisters, Lorena Nesbitt of Lynchburg, Mildred (Euston) Green and Gladys (S. Bruce) Buddin, both of Turbeville, Elma Prescott of Alcolu, Sara Bell (Loy) Hendricks of Huntsville, Ala., Mary Elizabeth (J.H. Jr.) Moore of Olanta and Patricia (Richard William) Auburn of Kokomo, Ind.
Memorials may be made to Berean Baptist Church, P.O. Box 5596, Florence, S.C. 29502 and to McLeod Hospice House, 1203 E. Cheves St., Florence, S.C. 29506.
Funeral services were held on Thursay, May 1, 2008, in the Berean Baptist Church in Darlington County.
Burial followed in the Florence Memorial Gardens.
Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home of Florence was in charge of the arrangements.
Julius E. Davis Jr.
DALZELL – Julius Elbert Davis Jr., 88, widower of Helen Cain Davis, died Monday, April 30, 2007, at his home.
Born in Davis Station, Clarendon County, he was the oldest son of the late Julius Elbert Davis and the late Altha Galloway Davis. Mr. Davis moved to Sumter County, where he graduated from Hillcrest High School. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years, serving in the Pacific, where he participated in the search for Amelia Earhardt. After World War II, he joined his father in farming, where they established the largest turkey growing and processing plant in South Carolina. He was active in the S.C. Turkey Federation and served as a director of the National Turkey Federation. He was a member of the S.C. Market Commission and also served as assistant manager of the State Farmers Market and later as manager of the Florence Farmers Market.
He was a lifelong Methodist and was former member of the Dalzell United Methodist Church, where he served in many capacities as a Sunday school teacher and member of the board of trustees. For the past three years, he was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. He served on the Sumter County Board of Education. He was instrumental in the founding of Thomas Sumter Academy and also served as chairman of the board of trustees.
He was devoted to his family and his home, Orange Grove. His hobby was gardening and he enjoyed planting flowers until his death.
Surviving are a son, Julius Elbert (Joye) Davis III of Dalzell; two daughters, Patricia D. (Julius) Smith of Atlanta and Jenny D. Dennis of Dalzell; six grandchildren, Charlotte D. Smith, Shannon D. McCutchen, Julia H. Davis, Daniel M. Dennis IV, Davis C. (Vanessa) Dennis, and Jenny-Lee Dennis; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his brother, James Meynardie, and two sisters, Myrtis and Ruth.
Graveside services were held on Thursday, May 3, 2007, at the Sumter Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Reginald Thackston and the Rev. Mickey Bell officiating.
Pallbearers were James R. Davis, John M. Davis, Richard E. Davis, Tommy Laney, Billy Joe Langston and Steve Morris.
Honorary pallbearers will be H. Curt Edens, Robert Galloway, Dr. Lea Givens, Carl Livingston and Bobby Sigley.
Memorials may be made to Epworth Children’s Home, P.O. Box 50466, Columbia, S.C. 29205.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.
Daniel J. Mims
Daniel Julius “Dan” Mims, 86, widower of Mary Lydia Richburg Mims, died Friday, May 11, 2007, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.
Born June 12, 1920, in Williamsburg County, he was a son of the late Edward William and Janie Eliza Coker Mims.
He was a retired mechanic with Prothro Chevrolet from 1951 to 1989, a World War II United States Army veteran Tech 5, serving in Tunisia, Italy, France, Austria and Germany. He was active in the VFW, DAV and Williams-Burgess American Legion Post No. 68. He was an active member of Manning First Baptist Church, where he was a former deacon and Sunday school teacher.
Surviving are a daughter, Danette (Lyle) Briggs of Dover, Del.; a sister, Martha M. McElveen of Sumter; two grandchildren, Paula Marie (Robert) Piccoli and Daniel Regan Briggs; a great grandson, Matthew Piccoli; and a host of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by three sisters, Effie G. Robinson, Ruth Mims and Molly Morris; and three brothers, Needham J. Mims, Norman M. Mims and Edward W. Mims.
Funeral services were held on Monday, May 14, 2007, in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home in Manning with the Revs. Jerry Cottone, Needham Jefferson “Jerry” Mims Jr. and Morris Smith officiating.
Burial with military honors followed in Clarendon Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers were Steven Bryant, Dan Bryant, Wayne Christmas, Calvin Christmas, David Ayers and Scott Conant.
Memorials may be made to Manning First Baptist Church, 49 W. Boyce St., Manning, S.C. 29102, or to the Animal Shelter of Clarendon County, P.O. Box 414, Manning, S.C. 29102.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning, was in charge of arrangements.
Ruth W. McAllister
Ruth Walker McAllister, 54, died Thursday, May 31, 2007, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.
Born Nov. 16, 1952, in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late James E. “Zeke” McAllister and the late Janet Greene McAllister. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Sumter.
Surviving are a sister, Kathy McAllister of Manning; a niece, Jessica Irene Hales; and aunts, Linnie Mae Weeks and Frances Hill of Manning, Aires Mitchum of Port Orange, Fla., Valerie Wilder of Umatilla, Fla.; and numerous cousins.
A memorial service was held on Saturday, June 2, 2007, at Little Star Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Rev. Morris Smith officiating.
Burial was private.
Memorials may be made to Little Star Pentecostal Holiness Church, P.O. Box 391, Manning, SC 29102.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning was in charge of arrangements.
James H. McCutchen Jr.
James Hugh “Hubie” McCutchen Jr., husband of Nancy Foxworth McCutchen, died Sunday afternoon, May 27, 2007.
Born in Kingstree, James Hugh was reared in the warm and loving home of the late Hugh and Genie McCutchen. He was a graduate of Kingstree High School and Erskine College and was an agent for State Farm Insurance in Bennettsville for 22 years. He was a member of Summerton Presbyterian Church, where he taught Sunday school and was a vital part of their praise and worship service. He had served as a deacon and elder in Williamsburg Presbyterian Church and loved and served his Lord faithfully. He was a former member of Bennetts-ville Presbyterian Church, where he also taught Sunday school. “Hubie” was a past president of the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce, the Bennettsville Rotary Club and was a member of the Sports-man Hunting Club. He was a loving and devoted husband, father and “Poppy,” and he took an active part in each community in which he lived. He leaves behind many friendships.
Surviving in addition to his wife of 40 years, Nancy, are their children, Jim (Missie) McCutchen of Kingstree, Jon (Billie Jo) McCutchen of Ben-nettsville and Gina (Jeff) DeRusha of Midlothian, Va.; his sister, Ann (Toby) Swasko of Traveler’s Rest; his brother, Willie (Sheryl) McCutchen of Kingstree; and nine wonderful grandchildren, Hugh, Grace, Elise and Will McCutchen, Marion and Evan McCutchen, Hannah Miller and William and Mabel DeRusha.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 30, 2007, at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in Kingstree.
Burial was in Kingstree Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Summerton Presbyterian Church, 16 S. Cantey, Summerton, S.C. 29148.
Williamsburg Funeral Home of Kingstree was in charge of the arrangements.
Thomas Myers
Thomas Myers, 80, husband of Bessie Williams Myers for 59 years, departed this earthly life on Saturday, May 26, 2007, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia.
Born in Clarendon County on Dec. 19, 1926, he was a son of the late Creighton Myers and Adeline Doney Myers. At an early age, he attended Rosa Wall School in Alcolu. He joined Mount Nebo Baptist Church and later became a member of Bethel AME Church. After retiring from Korn Industrial Co., Thomas enjoyed his days either fishing or hunting. He was also known as the man that knew a little about everything. Mr. Myers was not only a caring husband, father, grandfather and uncle, but was a great mechanic, carpenter and gardener.
He leaves to cherish precious memories: a loving wife of 59 years, Bessie Myers of the home; one daughter, Lillie McGee of Sumter; four grandchildren, Victor (Stacy) Pear-son of Sumter, La’Trealle (David) Smith of Georgia, Wayne Pearson and William (Dolores) Maple Jr., both of Pennsylvania; 10 great-grandchildren, Victor Jr., Rekiesha, Ryan, Darius, Lajewel, Ste-phen, Corey, Latisa, Danielle and Brian; three special nieces, Adrena Moses and Jazie “Daisy Mae” Brunson, both of Darlington, and JoAnn Johnson of Baltimore, Md.; two special nephews, Joe Lewis Wheeler and Christo-pher Myers, both of Darling-ton; a host of other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by all of his siblings and one grandson, Corey Maple.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 2, 2007, at Bethel AME Church in Sumter, with the Rev. Davie Brown, pastor, eulogist, the Rev. Robert E. Galloway, presiding, assisted by Minister Rashon Carraway.
Pallbearers were Lafayette Armstrong, Ronnie Carraway, Bobby Flowers, Christopher Myers, Purdy Myers and Earle Robertson.
Floral bearers were Jazie Brunson, Debra Williams, Sabrina Jones Williams, Tanya Wilson, Patricia Rogers Robertson and Rosa Lee Jones.
Burial was in Evergreen Memorial Park.
Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.
Geneva M. Richburg
Geneva Mitchum Richburg, 96, widow of Rubin R. Richburg, died Monday, May 28, 2007, in Clarendon Memorial Hospital.
Born June 21, 1910, in Manning, she was a daughter of the late DesChamps and Eliza Kelly Mitchum. She was a member of Deep Creek Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Surviving are three daughters, Pauline (W.E.) Horton of Manning, Ruby Lane of Florence and Ann Farley of Charleston; six grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two children, Hummie Tobias and Evelina Ardis.
Graveside services were held on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Russell Riggs, Raymond Alsbrook, Robbie Elmore, Neil Lane Jr., Ken O. Tobias and Gregg Driggers.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning was in charge of arrangements.
Barbara Jean Carter Roberson
Barbara Jean Carter Roberson, 77, widow of Clyde Alvin Roberson, died Tuesday, June 5, 2007, in Lake Marion Nursing Facility in Summerton.
Born July 18, 1929, in Manning, she was a daughter of the late Jessie Weston Carter Sr. and Mamie Elease Griffin Carter. She was a retired clerk and member of Manning First Baptist Church.
Surviving are one daughter, Jane Marie (Doug) Wolfkill of Huntersville, N.C.; two sons, Mike Roberson of N.C. and Pat Roberson of Manning; two sisters, Linda Craft and Ann Coleman of Sumter; four brothers, Herman Carter, Cecil Carter, J.W. “Junior” Carter, all of Manning, and Russell Carter of Tennessee; three grandchildren, Addison Wolfkill, Morgan Wolfkill, and Carter Roberson.
Funeral services were held on Friday, June 8, 2007, in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home, with the Rev. Greg Allday officiating.
Burial followed in Manning Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Doug Wolfkill, Jeff Carter, Joey Carter, Robbie Rowe, Carter Roberson and Jimmy Ridgeway.
Memorials may be made to Manning First Baptist Church, 49 W. Boyce St., Manning, S.C. 29102, or to the Alzheimers Association, Midstate S.C. Chapter, P.O. Box 7044, Columbia, S.C. 29202.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
