U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Edith R. Henderson
Edith Ragin Henderson, 80, widow of Everett King and John Henderson, died Sunday, February 3, 2002, at her home.
Born May 4, 1921, in Summerton, she was the daughter of the late Thomas “Gip” Ragin and Malissa Briggs Ragin.
She attended Clarendon County public schools and received a degree in education from Allen University.
She was a member of Liberty Hill AME Church and taught school at St. Paul Elementary in the 1950s. In her later years, she moved to Washington , D.C.
Survivors include a son, Nasser Omar; and a sister-in-law, Deloris Ragin of Sumter.
Services were 10 a.m. Saturday at the Historic Liberty Hill AME Church with the Rev. Malachi Duncan, pastor, officiating, and the Rev. Henry Mitchell assisting.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Joseph A. Maye Sr.
Joseph Arnold Maye Sr., 78, husband of Ruth Haring May, died Wednesday, February 13, 2002, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Asheville, N.C., he was the son of the late William W. Maye and Ollie Smith Maye. He was raised in Oswego and was a graduate of Edmunds High School. He was a member of Paxville Baptist Church, the American Legion and the VFW. He was a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant and a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He retired as Sumter County maintenance supervisor in 1988.
Survivors besides his wife of Manning include two sons, Joseph Maye Jr. of Manning and Anthony Eugene Maye of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.; a sister, Fannie Drose Lane of Florence; a stepson, William F. Bain of Sumter; the Rev. Eugene Mosier of Paxville, whom he loved as a son; a sister-in-law, Susie M. Maye of Batesburg-Leesville; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Services were 11 a.m. Saturday in the chapel of Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home with the Revs. Eugene Mosier and Jimmy Eldreth officiating.
Burial followed in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery will full military honors.
James L. Nichols
James L. Nichols, 67, husband of Sally Nichols, died Saturday, February 9, 2002.
Born Jan. 16, 1935, in Peoria, Ill., he was the son of Charles L. Nichols and the late Hazel F. McMullen Mitchum. He was retired from Ford Motor Company and was a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve and St. Matthias Episcopal Church.
Survivors besides his wife of Summerton and his father of Louisville, Tenn., include five sons, James C. Nichols and John M. Nichols of Newport, Mich., James L. Nichols Jr. of Monroe, Mich., Ronald W. Nichols of Jacksonville, Fla., and Darren K. Nichols of Sawyer, Mich.; three daughters, Jodi Torrez of Garfield Heights, Ohio, Mary L. Reid of Taylor, Mich., and Rebecca J. Nichols of Buchanan, Mich.; two brothers, Ronald Nichols of Maryville, Tenn., and Charles Nichols of Calhoun, Ga.; a stepdaughter, Linda Ann Mann of Murrels Inlet; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
Services were 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Matthias Episcopal Church with the Rev. David Thurlow officiating.
Memorials may be made to St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Summerton.
Adelia D. Felder
Adella Davis Felder, 87, widow of the Rev. William Felder, died Friday, February 8, 2002, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.
Born March 15, 1914, in the Sugar Hill community of Clarendon County, she was the daughter of the late General Evans Davis Sr. and Daisy Conyers Davis and the stepdaughter of the late Gardenia Harvin Davis. She attended Clarendon County public schools and was a lifelong member of Mount Carmel Freewill Baptist Church, where she served as “Mother of the Church” and was a member of the senior choir and the missionary society. She was also a member of YWCA Lodge No. 8
Survivors include five sons, Leroy Dozier and Louis Dozier of Miami, Fla., Willie E. Felder of Troy, N.Y., Henery Felder of Manning and Johnnie Felder of Baltimore, Md.; three daughters, Lizzie Mae Felder and Barbara Ann Hilton of Manning and Inez Felder of New York, N.Y.; a brother, General E. Davis Jr. of Manning; a sister, Shirley D. Smith of Manning; 27 grandchildren; and 44 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Rachel Roberts; two sisters, Slice Thomas and Bertha Edwards; and four brothers, Robert Davis, Pinson Davis, Evans Davis Sr. and Harold Davis.
Services were 3 p.m. Wednesday at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. George P. Windley, pastor, officiating, and the Revs. Randolph Brown and Jonathan Mouzon assisting.
Burial followed in Manning Cemetery.
Patricia S. Bryant
Patricia S. Bryant, 63, wife of Sphinks Thomas Bryant Jr., died Saturday, February 9, 2002, at Duke University Medical Center.
Born Dec. 17, 1938, in Tiffin, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Robert Charles Stoffer and Helen M. Clarke. She was a member of Home Branch Baptist Church.
Survivors besides her husband of Manning include three daughters, Lynn Daulton and her husband, Jeff, of Chapel Hill, N.C., Sue Charles and her husband, Edward, of Sumter and Desi Lucas and her husband, Roger, of Manning; three sons, David P. Hankins of Bonita Springs, Fla., and Robert C. Hankins and Sphinks T. Bryant III of Manning; and eight grandchildren.
Services were 11 a.m. Wednesday at Home Branch Baptist Church with the Revs. Richard Hudson and John Hall officiating.
Memorials may be made to Home Branch Baptist Church in Manning.
Dorothy M. Belser
Dorothy Mae “Dot” Belser, 46, died Saturday, February 2, 2002, at High Point Regional Hospital.
Born Oct. 18, 1955, in Clarendon County, she was the daughter of Laura B. Johnson and Earl Lemon. She was a 1975 graduate of Scott’s Branch High School and a member of Mt. Chapel Baptist Church in Manning.
After moving to High Point, N.C., she joined the Voices of the Word Ministry Church, where she served as president of the usher board and on the choir and food committees. She was employed by Thomasville Furniture Co. for 17 years.
Survivors besides her mother of Summerton and her father of Opalocka, Fla., include a son, Archie McKnight of Summerton; an adopted daughter, Ashley Whitfield of High Point; three brothers, Robert Belser Jr. of Summerton, Ferry Lemon of Atlanta, Ga., and Ray Lemon of Opalocka; two sisters, Betneta Lemon and Valerie Gardner of Opalocka; an adopted relative, Jarrett Jackson of Summerton; and a grandchild.
Services were 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Chapel Baptist Church in Manning with the Rev. John H. Stukes officiating, and the Rev. Lewis Walker, pastor, assisting.
Burial followed in Brown Cemetery.
George W. Wheeler
George Washington Wheeler, 73, husband of Carrie Shaw Wheeler, died Wednesday, October 24, 2001, at his home in Miami.
Born Nov. 19, 1927, in Turbeville, he was the son of the late Emerson Wheeler and Generetta McElveen Wheeler. He attended Melina Parochial School in Gable. In his youth, he joined Hickory Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where he served on the usher’s board, men’s ministry, church security and Sunday school.
Survivors besides his wife include two daughters, Gloria Jean Wheeler of Olanta and Barbara Wynn of Washington , D.C.; a brother, Joseph “J.C.” Wheeler of Sumter; three sisters, Eula W. Gamble of New Zion, Hermetta W. Kennedy of Columbia and Wilhelmenia W. Smith of Pomona, N.Y.; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by a son, George Wheeler Jr.; a sister, Verlie P. Wheeler; and three brothers, John Oscar Wheeler, John Wesley Wheeler and Thomas Elijah Wheeler.
Services were noon Friday at Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church.
Burial followed in Dade Memorial Park, Miami.
E.L. Smiling Sr.
E.L. Smiling Sr., 68, husband of Clara C. Smiling, died Friday, February 8, 2002, at Doctor’s Hospital Burn Trauma Center.
Born June 29, 1933, in Manning, he was the son of the late John and Madeline Smiling. He attended Clarendon County public schools and was retired from Sunbeam Manufacturing in Manning.
Survivors besides his wife include three sons, Freddie and Anthony Smiling of Wedgefield and E.L. Smiling Jr. of Virginia; three daughters, Glendell Bolden and Alicestene Smiling of Wedgefield and Celeste Osterberg of Columbia; three brothers, Gedine Smiling of Manning and John Henry Smiling and the Rev. Albertis Smiling of Sumter; six sisters, Viola Witherspoon, Eula Mae Dozier and Ernestine Pack of Manning, Everlena Smiling of Sumter, Rebecca Lacey of Richmond, Va., and Gardenia Sligh of Columbia; and 24 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Edward Smiling.
Services were noon Wednesday at Bethesda Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael Walters, pastor, officiating and the Rev. Cokely Richburg assisting.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Lucy C. Wilder
GREELEYVILLE -- Lucy Camlin Wilder, 81, widow of Olin Buford Wilder Sr., died Friday, February 8, 2002, at the home of her daughter.
Born Dec. 14, 1920, in Andrews, she was the daughter of the late Herbert Augusta Camlin and Mary Benton Camlin. She was the owner of Wilder Brothers Furniture in Greeleyville. Mrs. Wilder was a member of Greeleyville Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Gamble and her husband, Willie, of Manning and Barbara Mixon and her husband, the Rev. Grover Mixon, of Kingstree; two sons, Bobby Wilder and Gerald Wilder and his wife, Joyce, of Greeleyville; a sister, Helen Squires of Pawley’s Island; 13 grandchildren, Eddie Wilder, Donna Boyle, Lisa Moore, Barry Mixon, Bryan Mixon, Elizabeth Mixon, Susan Gamble, Lucy Gamble, Jay Wilder, Matt Wilder, Lacey Wilder, Mark Wilder and Kim Rodberg; and 15 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, Olin Buford Wilder Jr.
Services were 3 p.m. Sunday at Stephens Funeral Home with the Rev. Grover Mixon officiating.
Burial followed in Andrews Memorial Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Greeleyville Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 276, Greeleyville, S.C. 29056 or to the American Diabetes Association.
Thelma K. Anderson
Thelma K. Anderson, 90, widow of Franklin Anderson, died Saturday, March 30, 2002, at the home of her daughter in Manning.
Born October 23, 1911, in Wilmington, Del., she was the daughter of the late Edward Leo Ege and Ivey Cope Ege. She was a member of Christian Science Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Alice Cale of Richardson Park, Del., and Tylethea Brittingham of Manning; a son, John E. Anderson of Avondale, Pa.; five grandchildren; and a number of great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service will be held at a later date in Gracelawn Memorial Park in Wilmington, Del.
Gloria M. Bennett
Gloria Ann Marion Bennett, 47, widow of Leo Bennett, died Monday, March 25, 2002, at the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital in Charleston.
Born Dec. 4, 1954, in Summerton, she was the daughter of the late Ravenell Marion and Evelyne Carter Marion. She was a 1974 graduate of Scott’s Branch High School and a member of Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church in Summerton, where she was a member of the gospel choir, helping hand club, nurses aid department and missionary.
Survivors include four brothers, Pernell Marion of Summerton, Bernard Marion of Rock Hill, and Jeremiah Marion and Willie Mood Thames of Miami; three sisters, Maxine Howard of Key Port, Pa., Mary Ellen Drayton of Rimini and Jannie Mae Felder of Miami; and three children she raised as her own, Bryant Lawson Sr., Bryant Lawson Jr. and Jessie Ree Lawson of Summerton.
Services were 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Dr. W.T. Johnson officiated, assisted by the Rev. Malachi Duncan.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Members of Scott’s Branch High School’s Class of 1974 served as pallbearers and flower bearers. Church trustees also served as pallbearers.
