Agnes H. Johnson - Oct. 20, 2011

Agnes Harvey Johnson, 89, widow of John W. Johnson, died Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, at her home.

Born in Olar, she was a daughter of the late W. Shelley Harvey and Leola Jarrell Harvey. Mrs. Johnson was a member of Northside Memorial Baptist Church and a member and past president of several organizations including Birchwood Court No. 1161, Woodmen of the World, the SLC Shrine Club, Gamecock Shrine Club, and Jamil Colorettes. She was also a member of the Arabic Temple No. 1141 and Daughters of the Nile. She was a very ardent volunteer in everything to help support the Shriners Hospital and the Eastern Star Home, where she worked each week for 22 years in the beauty shop for the residents. She was a past matron of Beuclare Chapter No. 20 Order of Eastern Star.

Surviving are one daughter, Carolyn Louise Barkley and husband, William "Buddy" Barkley, of Sumter; one sister, Mildred Hydrick of Cayce; one grandson, Edward Ortego Johnson and wife, Lois Davidson Johnson; two great-granddaughters, Heather Nicole Johnson Fuller and husband, Aaron Fuller, and Sara Elizabeth Murrell and husband, Matt Murrell; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with the Rev. Jimmy Holley and the Rev. Jimmy Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery.

Pallbearers are Rick Johnson, Mike Johnson, Allen Johnson, John Marinko, Ronnie Anderson, Wayne Pipkin, Carl Thames and Wayne Hughes.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of her daughter, 2919 Forest Lake Drive.

Memorials may be made to Northside Memorial Baptist Church, 1004 N. Main St., Sumter, SC 29153.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.

Obituaries from the Past Posted by Special Request

Posted by special request from David Matuse 
dmctm1993@hotmail.com


ANNIE BELL M. FARMER

BISHOPVILLE -- Services for Annie Bell Matuse Farmer, 79, widow of Billy P. Farmer, will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at First Church of the Nazarene. The Rev. Scott Henry will officiate. Burial will be in the Calvary Baptist Church cemetery, directed by Norton Funeral Home, Bishopville Chapel.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mrs. Farmer died Friday, April 25, 2008. She was born in Hartsville, a daughter of the late Payton and Martha Webb Matuse.

Surviving are daughters, Shirley (David) Carpenter of Bishopville, Brenda (Jim) Ellis of Collinsville, Ill., and Judy (John) Davis of Bishopville; sons, Ricky (Lisa) Farmer of Ridgeway and Jerry (Jill) Farmer of Bishopville; brother, Payton (Pee Wee) Matuse Jr. of Bishopville; grandchildren, Victoria Helms, Austin Ellis, Julie Jackson, Derek Farmer, Heather Farmer, Justin Farmer, Jerry Farmer Jr. and Crystal Farmer; and great-grandchildren, Landen Farmer, Hailey Short, Jeremy Jackson, Johnathan Jackson, Jacob Jackson, Cody Smith, Branden Smith and Payton Farmer III.
She was predeceased by a son, Billy Farmer Jr.

ELBERT LEE MATUSE
Mr. Elbert Lee Matuse, 51, died Friday, June 20, 2008. Born in Hartsville, SC, he was a son of Mary Lee Euten Matuse and the late Rosier E. Matuse. Brown-Pennington-Atkins is serving the family. Surviving are his mother, of Hartsville, SC; sisters, Elaine Hopkins of Bishopville, SC, Pamela L. Matuse of Hartsville, SC, Lorrie Ann Jordan of Hartsville, SC; brothers, William Carson Edwards of Bishopville, SC, Larry Richard Matuse of Hartsville, SC. He was preceded in death by his sister, Diane Matuse Wilson.


Posted on Fri, Feb. 2, 2007
The State; Columbia, South Carolina
George E. Matuse Sr.

HARTSVILLE — Funeral services for George E. Matuse Sr., 51, who died Feb. 1, 2007, will be Sat. 2:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Norton Funeral Home. Rev James E. Beck Jr. and Rev. Charles McLendon will officiate. Burial will be in Savannah Advent Christian Church Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

George was born in Bishopville, a son of the late William and Addie Mae Davis Matuse. Surviving are his wife, Cathy Feagin Matuse; daughter, Melissa Matuse Yow; son, George E. Matuse Jr.; brother, Tillman Matuse; sisters, Alice Beasley, Sallie Mumford, all of Hartsville.
Note: He was predeceased by three brothers: Henry Lee Matuse, Sr., Henry Jennings Matuse and William Matuse, Jr.


George Matuse

WILLIAM B. MATUSE
Services for William Bill Matuse, 89, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, 2001, from the Liberty Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. James E. Beck Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Savannah Advent Christian Church Cemetery, directed by Norton Funeral Home.

Mr. Matuse was born in Lee County and was a member of the Savannah Advent Christian Church.

Surviving are two sons, Tillman and George Matuse of Hartsville; two daughters, Alice Beasley of Hartsville and Sally Mumford of Darlington; 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife, Addie Mae Davis Matuse, and three sons, Henry Jennings Matuse, Henry Lee "Skeeter" Matuse and William Matuse.

Funeral services for Willie James Matuse, 72, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 30, 2004 at Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Marvin Griggs will officiate with burial in Savannah Advent Christian Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, October 29, 2004 from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Mr. Matuse, widower of Roxie Catherine Matuse, died Wednesday, October 27, 2004. Born in Lee Co., SC, he was a son of the late Payton and Martha Webb Matuse. He was a loving Father, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather. He loved to fish and enjoyed the race. He was retired from Millikin after 34 years, and served in the army during the Korean War. Surviving are his daughters and sons-in-law, Debra and Harold Byrd of Society Hill, SC, Mickie and Chuck Nymberg of Hartsville, SC; sister, Annie Bell Farmer of Bishopville, SC; brother, Pee Wee Matuse of Bishopville, SC; five grandchildren; eight great-grand-children.www.bpafuneralhome.com

Visitations:
5:00PM to 7:00PM on Friday, October 29th, 2004 at Brown-Pennington-Atkins

ROXIE MATUSE
Funeral services for Roxie Catherine Matuse, 72, were held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, 2004, at the Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Marvin Griggs officiating. Burial followed in Savannah Advent Christian Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Matuse died Saturday, April 3. Born in Darlington County, she was a daughter of the late Jack and Hallie Dixon Valentine. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Surviving are her husband, Willie Matuse of Hartsville; daughters and sons-in-law, Debra and Harold Byrd of Society Hill, Mickie and Chuck Nymberg of Hartsville; brothers, Andrew Valentine of Darlington, Jerome Valentine of High Point, Johnny Valentine of Effingham, Ronnie Valentine of Hartsville; sisters, Juanita Brown, Jerdgie Mae Smothers, Pat Atkinson, Velma Sanders, Bonnie Byrd, all of Hartsville; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, James Keith Matuse.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at our website www.bpafuneralhome.com.

The Messenger, Hartsville, South Carolina - (Apr 9, 2004)

Robert D. Jennings - Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011

Bishopville, South Carolina


Robert Dennis Jennings, 77, husband of June McLendon Jennings and a Bishopville attorney for 50 years, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011.

Mr. Jennings was a lifelong resident of Lee County, the youngest son of the late Henry Caldwell and Mary Green Hill Jennings. He graduated from Bishopville High School, where he served as president of the student body and participated in all sports. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Mr. Jennings graduated from Wofford College in 1956, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and served as number one. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law in the Class of 1960. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and also served time as a Reservist.

Mr. Jennings joined his father and brother in the practice of law in 1960 in the firm of Jennings and Jennings. In his professional life, Mr. Jennings served as master-in-equity for 14 years and was a member of the Lee County and South Carolina Bar, from which he received his 50-year pin. He was a public defender for Lee County. He had served as town attorney for Bishopville and was the attorney for the town of Lynchburg. He was always interested in his community and served 12 years on the Bishopville town council. He was a Jaycee and received their Young Man of the Year award; was a member of the Rotary Club; served on the library board; and served on the Board of Review for the Boy Scouts.

A lifelong member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church, Mr. Jennings served in many capacities. He was chairman of the administrative board, board of trustees, chairman of the finance committee, president of the Joe Fanning Sunday School Class, and a Sunday school teacher.

Mr. Jennings was interested in his family history and in history in general. He enjoyed sports all his life and inherited a great love of nature from his mother and father. He loved spending time at the beach with his wife, children and their spouses, and his grandchildren. He particularly enjoyed indoctrinating the grandchildren in the joy of swimming in the ocean and riding the waves.

Mr. Jennings is survived by his wife of 51 years; daughters and sons-in-law, Sarah and Trip Johnstone of Greenville and Laura and Tom Mincher of Greensboro, N.C.; a son, Robert Dennis "Bob" Jennings Jr. of Florence; six grandchildren, Jennings Johnstone, Ellison Johnstone and Rudy Johnstone of Greenville, and Sarah Ann Mincher, Thomas Mincher, and Robert Mincher of Greensboro. He is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Laura Ellen McLendon of Sumter; six nieces and nephews; and seven great-nieces and great-nephews

He was predeceased by a brother, Henry C. Jennings Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethlehem United Methodist Church with the Rev. Henry Altman and the Rev. Fred McDaniel officiating. Burial will be in the Jennings plot at Bethlehem United Methodist Church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Alan Corbett, Bryan Doby, Jake Jennings, Dave McLendon, Jack McLendon and Will Wheeler.

Hancock-Elmore-Hill Funeral Home of Bishopville is in charge of the arrangements.

Preston Arthur Driggers 10/15/2011

Preston Arthur Driggers 2/17/1963 - 10/15/2011

Bishopville, S.C. Graveside services for Preston Arthur Driggers, age 48, who passed away October 15, will be held Monday at 10:00 am at the McLean Cemetery directed by Norton Funeral Home, Bishopville. Visitation will be Sunday 6-8 pm at the Funeral Home in Bishopville. Rev. Cecil Stevens will officiate. Arthur was born in Hartsville a son of Annie Mae Gardner Driggers and the late John Preston Driggers. Surviving is his mother of Bishopville. www.nortonfh.net

Guy Russell - October 13, 2011

515 Miller Road

Sumter, South Carolina 29150

Phone: (803)775-7500   Fax: (803)774-2037

October 13, 2011

Sumter, SC

Guy Russell, 87, husband of Christine Brooks Russell, died Thursday, October 13, 2011 at his home.

Born July 4, 1924 in Nashville, TN, he was a son of the late Guy Russell, Sr., and the late Minnie Russell Seay. Mr. Russell retired from the US Air Force after 20 years of service and later retired with the rank of Captain from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Department after 20 years of service. He was a member of Northside Memorial Baptist Church and the Sumter Masonic Lodge #364.

Survivors include his wife; children, Daniel Gene Russell (Liz) of Madisonville, TN, Benjamin Lester Russell (Sharon) of Jackson, GA, and James LeBron Thompson (Denise) of Sumter; grandchildren, Sandra Russell of Madisonville, TN, Steven Russell of Knoxville, TN, Melissa Thompson of Sumter, James Russell of Jackson, GA, Sarah Russell (Donnie) of Sumter, and Karin Thompson Westhead (David) of Charleston; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Virginia Wallin of Chattanooga, TN.

Funeral services will be held at 1 P.M. Saturday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Holley officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

Members of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Department will serve as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Friday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home, 3867 Barfield Rd.

Memorials may be made to CarePro Hospice, 1800 Main Street, Suite 100A, Columbia, SC 29201.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.