Rev. Donnie Ely Collins - Friday, May 25, 2012

 The Rev. Donnie Ely Collins, 61, husband of Miriam Hudson Collins, died Friday, May 25, 2012, in Kershaw County.

Born in Manning, he was a son of the late Leroy Eugene and Liela Mae White Collins. The Rev. Collins was the senior pastor of Green Acres Assembly of God Church for 37 years. He also owned and operated Collins and Son Welding.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Wendy R. Collins (Patrick), Cindy C. Pierson and Christina C. Papania (Jon), all of Sumter; 12 grandchildren, Donald Collins III, Hudson Collins, Bailey Collins, Jordan Collins, Erin Collins, Brandon Collins, Haley Papania, Kylie Papania, Summer Pierson, Troy Pierson, Heather Ross and Whitney Hawkins; seven great-grandchildren; one brother, Linwood L. Collins of Camden; three sisters, Madeline Brown, Marcell Hill (Larry) and Drucilla Lynch (Larry), all of Sumter; three special daughters, Julie Thompson, Lisa Sanders and Johnnie Morse; a special son, Daniel Brunson; one daughter-in-law, Jackie Collins Mayes; a special grandson, Chandler Merck-Powell; and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son, Donnie E. Collins Jr. (Patti); and three brothers, William “Bubba” Friel, John Friel and David Collins.

Funeral services will be held at 4:30 p.m. today at Green Acres Assembly of God with the Revs. Michael Bowman, Victor Smith, Dr. James Chandler and Randy Collins officiating. Burial will be in Green Acres Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home.

Pallbearers will be Thomas Thompson, Kenny Newman, Simon Winburn, Chris Winburn, Danny Burkett, Terry Evans, Bill Mitchell and Mark Yarbourgh.

Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of Green Acres Assembly of God.

Memorials may be made to Green Acres Assembly of God, 537 Lewis Road, Sumter, SC 29154.

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

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Ray Aldrich Hickson Sr. - Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bishopville, SC Ray Aldrich Hickson Sr. age 86, passed away Thursday, May 24, 2012 at Carolina Pines Hospital in Hartsville, SC after a long illness. He was born Nov. 26, 1925 in Lynchburg, SC. He was one of 9 sons and 2 daughters born to the late William Turner Hickson and Blanche McIntosh Hickson. Mr. Hickson was a WWII veteran, serving in the Navy. He was a retired civil service electrician from Shaw Air Force Base and owner of Hilltop Farms producing poultry, cattle and row crops in Ashwood for nearly 50 years. He was a member of Ashwood Baptist Church He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Powell Hickson, sons: Ricky (Donna), Michael, Ted (Alice), daughter: Eve Strickland (Stan), Grandchildren: Turner, Savanah, Chaneng, Grainger, Jordan, Garrett and Gage, great grandchildren: Bentley, Madyson and Brantley, sister Mabel Riddle, brothers: Bobby and Tommy Hickson, and many nieces nephews and friends. Special family friend, Rosa Lee Jennings. Visitation will be Friday, May 25 6:00-8:00 pm at Norton Funeral Home, 425 North Main St, Bishopville, SC. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 4:00 pm at Ashwood Baptist Church, Lake Ashwood Rd.  Burial will be at the Ashwood Baptist Cemetery.

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Pete Pritchard - Monday, April 30, 2012

 SUMMERTON -- Pete Pritchard, 73, husband of Betty Stokes Pritchard, passed away Monday, April 30, 2012, following a brief illness.

Born Aug. 7, 1938, in Sumter, he was a son of the late Joseph Thomas and Lena Betts Pritchard. Mr. Pritchard was a member of Wise Drive Baptist Church. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He retired as captain of the City of Sumter Fire Department after 30 years of service. He was a fishing guide for 45 years and a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain for the past 26 years. He was a devoted family man whose greatest pleasure in life was spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife of 51 years of Summerton; his children, Joy P. Hanna (Paul) and Sherry P. Compton (Kelly Gannon), both of Summerton, Bonny P. Scott (Clint) and Barry S. Pritchard, both of Sumter, and Stacy K. Pritchard of Summerton; a foster son, William Hudson (Tammy) of Sumter; a daughter-in-law, Shannon Y. Saxon of Sumter; a sister, Lily P. Ward of Sumter; a special caregiver, Deloris Johnson of Sumter; grandchildren, Michael and Steven Hanna, Tyler, Brayden and Baylee Scott, Hunter Pritchard and Trey Scott, Bridgett Bilton (Jason), Kristian Pritchard, and Whitney and Jack Rushton Saxon; and three great-grandchildren, Gabriel Scott, and Haleigh and Alexis Bilton.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Herman, Gerald and Claud Pritchard; and a grandson, Collin Thomas Scott.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday in the Chapel of Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home with the Rev. Harold Kirkland and the Rev. Dearld Sterling officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Lewis Kolb, James Earl Rich, Calvin Baynard, Alfred Kelley, Gene Phillips and Don Lane.

Honorary pallbearers will be active and retired members of the City of Sumter Fire Department.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home of his son, Barry Pritchard, 1180 Rockdale Blvd., Sumter.

Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, 1817 Gadsden St., Columbia, SC 29201, or to the Collin Thomas Scott Memorial Playground at Wise Drive Baptist Church, 2751 Wise Drive, Sumter, SC 29150.

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.

Rudolph Singleton - Sunday, April 29, 2012

Rudolph Singleton, Sr., age, 74 beloved husband of the late Delores Ann Singleton, died on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at his residence. 

Born on March 14, 1938 he was a son of the late Charles Ellis and Marie Walker Singleton. He was a graduate of Sumter High School and joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served in the Vietnam War and received the Highest Combat Award, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

Mr. Singleton served on the Sumter County Council, District 2 from 1991 –1994 and from 1999-2002. He served as the Chairman on local council committees for; Personnel Committee, Internal Affairs Committee, Litter Control Committee, Solid Waste Committee along with various council committees and severed on the National Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development for the National Association of Counties.

Mr. Singleton was the founder of the Major General George L. Mabry, Jr., Veterans Memorial Park, Willie “Bill” Pinkney Memorial Park, Coalition of Retired Military Veterans (CORMV), the first Sumter County Council Litter Committee, the Christian Soldiers, Rudy Singleton’s Out Reach Street Ministry and the largest Veterans for McCain/Palin Presidency in United States. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge number 64 A.F. M. where he was presented the Life Membership in Claremont for 40 years of service in his home lodge. He was also known for his writing skills and as a well-known author.

Mr. Singleton received numerous letters of appreciation and awards, among those were from the Kiwanis Club of Sumter, he was the Palmetto Guest Speaker, Palmetto Tax Coalition for Citizens Rights to vote on taxes, Watch Dog for the tax payers Award from the Office of the Treasurer for the State of South Carolina, Crestwood High School guest speaker for the Government Class and a certificate of Special Recognition from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for his dedicated work in improving the entrance to the burial grounds of a National Historical Landmark. 

He was an avid boxer, football player, sumo wrestler and held a black belt in judo. 

He is survived by: two sons, Rudolph “Rudy” Singleton and his fiancée Laurie Ann Lawhorn and Robert Singleton; a daughter, Sheila Ann Singleton Geddings and her husband Jack; one brother, Buck Singleton; six grandchildren, Rudolph Singleton, III, Amber Joe Barnette, Ariel Ann Singleton, David Smith, Jr., Charles Ellis Smith and Jonathan Michael Smith and six great- grandchildren, Bristol Lynn Singleton, William Mathew Singleton, Landon Carter Smith, Caleb Callahan Smith, Preston Alexander Smith and Brady Allen Murphy and a sister-in-law Hazel Singleton.


He was preceded in death by: a brother, C.J. Singleton.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Holley officiating. Burial will follow in the Sumter Cemetery with military honors. 

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 from 6-8 pm Bullock Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Life Member Disable American Veterans, Attention, Gift Processing, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250 or to the American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210.

You may sign the family’s guest book www.bullockfuneralhome.com.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.