Carol Driggers - April 23, 2011

Bishopville, S.C.

Graveside services for Carol Lynn Driggers, age 51, who passed away April 23, will be held Tuesday at 3:00 at the Cedar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, directed by Norton Funeral Home. Rev. B.R. Wallace and Rev. Nat Brown will officiate. Visitation will be Monday 5-7 pm at the Funeral Home. Carol was born in Bishopville a daughter of the late William & Gertrude Baker Driggers. She was retired from Darby Frock and was a member of Cedar Creek Baptist Church. Surviving are two sisters, Mary Driggers, & Sharon Lynch, Bishopville. www.nortonfh.net

Edward Blair Varnadore - April 21, 2011

Fort Lawn, S.C. Funeral services for Edward Blair Varnadore, age 73, who passed away April 21, will be held Saturday at 2:00 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Bishopville. Rev. Ray Robinson will officiate.  Burial will be in the Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery directed by Norton Funeral Home, Bishopville Chapel. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Mr. Varnadore was born in Chester, a son of the late William Blair Varnadore and Mary Elkins Varnadore. He was a Army Veteran of the Korean War.  Surviving are his wife, Jessie Arledge Varnadore, Fort Lawn, sister, Betty Martin, Fort Lawn, Daughter in Law, Barbara Varnadore, Bishopville. He was preceded in death by two sons, Edward Daniel & Blair Lavon Varnadore.  Memorials may be made to the Emmanuel Baptist church, P.O. Box 397, Fort Lawn, S.C. 29714.  Norton Funeral Home

Linda McCathern Gainey - April 19, 2011

Hartsville, S.C.

Memorial services for Linda McCathern Gainey, age 51, who passed away April 19, will be held Thursday at 2:00 at the Chapel Norton Funeral Home. Rev. Jimmy Jeffords will officiate. 

Mrs. Gainey was born in Bishopville a daughter of the late Ernest & Dollie Mae Euten McCathern. 

Surviving are her husband, Charlie Gainey, Harsville, daughter, Patricia (Jesse) Rhinehardt, Hartsville, sons, John (Mellissa Tyner) Gainey, Hartsville, Travis (April) Gainey, Bennettsville, sisters, Ernestine Burham, Bishopville, Sarah McCathern, Lucknow, brother, Aaron McCathern, Kershaw, Special Friend, George Melton, Hartsville, 10 Grandchildren

Norton Funeral Home

Emma Mae Beasley Robertson - April 12, 2011

Bishopville, SC

Services for Emma Mae (MaMae) Beasley Robertson widow of Marvin G. Roberton age 93 will be held Thursday at 3:00pm at Faith Baptist Church, with burial in Cypress Cemetery.  Rev. Arlin Kirkland will officiate, directed by Norton Funeral Home.  Visitation will be Wednesday 6-8pm at the funeral home.  


Mrs. Robertson passed away April 12.  She was born in Bishopville the daughter of the late Huron and Mallie King Beasley.  She was a member of Faith Baptist Church and the substance of her family, she was greatly loved and respected by all and will be dearly missed, she was a great cook, seamstress and avon representative for many years.  


Surviving are:  Daughter:  Janice M. Robertson, Bishopville.  5 Grandchildren, 6 Great Grandchildren, 2 Great Great Grandchildren who all loved her dearly.  Special niece:  Gladys Allsbrook, Sumter, other neices and nephews.  Special friend Tracy L. Belton, Bishopville.  Predeceased by sons:  Marvin (Pete), Mervis, and Curtis Robertson.  Daughters:  Josephine Beasley and Shirley Grooms.  Brothers:  Buster, Wilton, and Ralph Beasley, Sister: Faye Truett, Grandchildren:  Scott and Allan Kelley.  


Norton Funeral Home

Addie Dewayne Baker, 48 - April 11, 2011

Bishopville, S.C. Funeral services for Addie Dewayne Baker, age 48, who passed away, April 11, will be held Wed. at 2:00 pm at Bethany Baptist Church. Dr. Jim Chandler and Rev. Eddie Fleming will officiate.  Burial will be in the Bethany Cemetery directed by Norton Funeral Home.  Dewayne was born in Sumter a son of William Baker and the late Clara Ann Spencer Baker. He was a member of Bethany Baptist Church and was a  Truck Mechanic.  Surviving are his wife, Vera Ratcliff Baker, sons, Anthony & Corey Baker, daughter, Elise Baker, grandchildren, Jasmine, Bethany & Hannah, brothers, Buck, Marion Randy Baker, all of Bishopville, Gene Baker, Sumter. www.nortonfh.net

Blake Lanier Watts, Sr

Blake L. Watts Sr.

Hickory, NC


Blake Lanier Watts, Sr., died March 23, 2011 at Palliative Care Center &; Hospice of Catawba Valley. He was born to the late Callie Gardner Watts and Birchmore Charles Watts on September 23, 1927 in Bishopville, SC. 

Blake 'Kilo' Watts

He is survived by his wife, Alice Miller Watts of the home; two sons: Blake Lanier Watts, Jr and wife Lisa of Hickory, Reid Auburn Watts of Lenoir; three grandsons: Duncan Lanier Watts, Tristan Campbell Watts and Liam Joseph Birchmore Watts all of Hickory; two sisters, Helen Watts Kirkley of Florence, SC; Ozella Watts Williams and husband Milam of Greenwood, SC; a brother, Dargan Birchmore Watts and wife Jane of Orlando, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Mr. Watts was a graduate of Bishopville High School and a 1951 graduate of Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he served as President of the Honor Council, ran track and played football. He was a member of Presbyterian College's 10 second backfield and his record of yards per carry still stands today. 

After his graduation he worked for B.C. Moore and Sons and came to Hickory to manage one of their stores. In 1957 he went to work for Investors Diversified Services as a Financial Advisor. He retired in 2000 after 43 years with the company. 

Mr. Watts was a charter member and elder of Northminster Presbyterian Church and currently a member of First Presbyterian Church of Hickory, where he served as President of the Heritage Group. 

He played Santa Claus at various stores and for many charitable organizations and orphanages. He also was an auctioneer both professionally and for many charity fund raisers. 

Blake Watts was fiercely loyal to the causes he championed. He was the first President of the Hickory High School Boosters Club when it was formed and his exuberant pep rallies will be long remembered by any who attended them. 

His accomplishments were numerous but his deepest passion was his love for and devotion to his wife of 56 years, his "Sweet Alice". 

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church in Hickory with the Rev. Deborah McEachran and the Rev. Mark Clark officiating. The family will receive friends following the service in the fellowship hall. A private family committal will precede the service at Oakwood Cemetery. 

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 237 2nd St., NW, Hickory, NC 28601 or Palliative Care Center & Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658. 

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.bass-smithfuneralhome.com. Bass-Smith Funeral Home is serving the family of Blake Lanier Watts, Sr.


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Paulette Rose Weatherford Downing - Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Florence, SC

Paulette Rose Weatherford Downing, 58, died on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, at McLeod Hospice House in Florence.

Born Oct. 8, 1952, she was a daughter of the late Carl Foster and Pauline Sarah Weatherford. She graduated from Central Carolina Community College. She worked with Tri-County Home Health, Sumter County Department of Social Services, Lee County School System and retired as a registered nurse from Community Long Term Care. She attended Memorial Chapel Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph Downing of St. Louis, Mo., and Jamie Downing and his wife, Amanda, of Bishopville; two daughters, Ashleigh Gilbert and her husband, Brooks, and Amanda Kremer and her husband, Michael, all of Bishopville; one brother, Wayne Weatherford and his wife, Roberta, of Honolulu, Hawaii; one sister, Marvis Baker of Bishopville; and 10 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Friday at Memorial Chapel C&MA with the Rev. Paul Atkinson and the Rev. Bob Morris officiating.

The family will receive friends on Friday prior to the service from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Memorial Chapel C&MA.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to McLeod Hospice House, P.O. Box 100551, Florence, SC 29502-0551 or to Memorial Chapel C&MA, 2509 Green Lane, Bishopville, SC 29010-7814.

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

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements.