OBITUARIES
THE SUMTER ITEM
MARY BROWN-MAYRANT Mary Louise Brown-Mayrant, 80, departed this earthly life on Friday morning, Feb. 24, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born on July 30, 1936, in Stateburg, she was the oldest daughter of the late Elease (Crosby) and Eddie Brown. At an early age, Mary left the south and moved to Brooklyn, MAYRANT New York, where she married John Mayrant. In 1995, Mary and John moved to Wedgefield, where she became a member of High Hills AME Church. Mary’s memories will be fondly cherished by her husband, John Mayrant; her daughter, Valerie and husband, Kevin Dolphin; a stepdaughter, Phyllis Mayrant of Bronx, New York; a stepson, Lionel Johnson of Harlem, New York; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; six sisters; two brothers, all of Sumter; and a host of family and friends. Homegoing services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at High Hills AME Church, 6780 Meeting House Road, Dalzell, with the Rev. Keith R. Mayes Sr. officiating, eulogist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the family home, 69 James Haskell Road, Wedgefield. The remains will be placed in the church at 2 p.m. The procession will leave at 2:20 p.m. from the home. Floral bearers and pallbearers will be family and friends. Burial will be in High Hills AME Church cemetery. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www.WilliamsFuneralHomeInc.com.
EARLESE HOLMES Earlese Holmes, 92, finished her race and departed the shores of this earthly life on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, at her home surrounded by the presence of her family and friends. Born on Dec. 31, 1924, in Sumter County, she was a daughter of the late Essie Tucker. At an early age, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and joined Mt. Olive AME Church. She was educated in the Sumter County public school system. Earlese was wedded in holy matrimony to the late John Quincy Holmes Sr. To this union two children were born, John Quincy Holmes Jr. and Larry Holmes. Later in life, she became the devoted companion of the late Isaiah “Eck” Porter, where she also became a mother figure to his two sons and daughter, Isaiah Jr. (Peggy) Porter of Mount Pleasant, Charles (Debra) Porter and Diana (Willie) Hudson of Sumter.
Among those who remain to cherish her memories are one daughter-in-law, Ophelia Holmes of Sumter; seven grandchildren; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Doretia Porter, Mabel (JP) Abrams of Sumter and Fannie (Hall) Mickens of Irvington, New Jersey; one sister-inlaw, Marie Tucker of Sumter; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Homegoing services will be held at noon today at Mt. Olive AME Church, 2738 Woodrow Road, Woodrow, with the Rev. Dr. Friendly J. Gadson, pastor, eulogist. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the family home, 4920 Cotton Acres Road, Sumter. The remains will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. The procession will leave at 11:30 a.m. from the home. Floral bearers and pallbearers will be family and friends. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Memorial Garden. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www.WilliamsFuneralHomeInc.com.
HENRY RICHARDSON JR. Henry “Spook” Richardson Jr. died on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence. Born on July 20, 1961, he was a son of Henry Richardson Sr. and the late Mary D. Brown Richardson. Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church in Summerton, where the Rev. Robert L. China Jr. serves as pastor. Interment to follow in the church cemetery. Viewing will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Summerton Funeral Home LLC, 23 S. Duke St., Summerton, phone (803) 485-3755.
BERNICE WILDER MANNING — Bernice “Nicey” Wilder, 46, died on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, at 3137 Lakebrook Apartments, Manning. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, Manning, with the Rev. George P. Windley Sr., pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in Manning Cemetery. The family is receiving friends at the home of her aunts, Linda and Clara Eaddy, 7622 Brewington Road, Alcolu. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC, Manning.
FRANK CLEA SR. Frank Clea Sr. was born on Jan. 4, 1937, in Sumter, to the late Thomas and Mattie Gleason Clea. He departed this life on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017.
He was married to the late Ethel Davis Clea. He leaves to cherish his memories: six children, Mattie Lucille Clea, Thomas David Clea, Theresa McCrayGaters (Robert), Althea Mae Durant (Joseph Durant), John Fitzgerald-Kennedy Clea and Patricia Ann Clea; 14 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary. Mr. Clea will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. on Saturday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Salem Chapel & Heritage Center, 101 S. Salem Ave., Sumter, with Elder Lee McCray III, officiant, and Apostle Harold L. Bennett Sr., eulogist. Interment will follow in High Hills AME Church Cemetery, Dalzell. The family will be receiving friends at 216 Independence Drive, Sumter. Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements. Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary. net.
HARRY ENGLISH JR. Harry English Jr., 63, departed his life on Feb. 24, 2017, in Augusta, Georgia, with his sisters and one of his brothers at his bedside. Born on Jan. 26, 1954, in Lee County, he was a son of Harry D. English Sr. and the late Inez McDuffie English. He was employed as a construction worker. He leaves to cherish his memories: his father, Harry D. English Sr.; eight siblings, Thomas English, Freddie English and Mary English, all of Sumter, Larry English of Columbia, John English and Leo English of Augusta, Louise Moore of Edison, New Jersey, and Diann Jones (Wayne Jones Sr.) of Easton, Pennsylvania; two other sisters, Jeannie Barden (James) of Westfield, New Jersey, and Pamela Henton (Willie) of Florida; and a host of nieces, nephews, grandniece, other relatives and friends. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at John Wesley Williams Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter, with the Rev. Samuel Washington and the Rev. Laura Washington officiating, eulogist. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www. WilliamsFuneralHomeInc. com.
JOHN A. BURRIS John Anthony Burris, 48, departed this earthly life on Feb. 25, 2017, in Sumter County.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 Born on Aug. 7, 1968, he was a son of Roosevelt and Rosa Lee Stuckey Burris. He graduated from Bishopville High School and was employed at Sandhill Trucking. He leaves to cherish his memories: his fiancée of the home, Foloyshia Lonnon of Sumter; two daughters, Brittney (Rashawn) Anthony of Bishopville and Gailonda Burris of Newark, New Jersey; two sons, John Burris Jr. of Newark and Jontee Burris of East Orange, New Jersey; one stepdaughter of the home, Alexus Lonnon; six grandchildren; four brothers, Angelo (Jennifer) Burris of Dalzell, Tomeakio LaShawn Burris, Fredrick Burris and Roosevelt Burris Jr.; two sisters, Lisa Burris and Cindy Burris; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Homegoing services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at New Heaven United Methodist Church, Spring Hill community, Bishopville, with the Rev. Fredrica Herrington, pastor, eulogist, the Rev. Eddie C. Thomas officiating. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the home, 925 Miller Road, Apartment C1, and 139 Comfort Lane, Dalzell. The remains will be placed in the church at noon. The funeral procession will leave at 12:20 p.m. from both homes. Floral bearers and pallbearers will be friends of the family. Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter. Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr. com. Visit us on the web at www. WilliamsFuneralHomeInc. com.
LORETTA W. CROSS Betty Loretta Wilson Cross, 87, widow of Harry Cuthbert Cross, died on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late George Leon Wilson, the late Annie Lorena Ardis Griffin and the late Arthur G. Griffin. Mrs. Cross was a member of Santee Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school and served as the secretary / treasurer for many years. She retired from Farmers Telephone Co-op. after more than 35 years of service. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Survivors include two children, Cindy Cross Keisling (Scott) and Cliff Cross (Jane), both of Sumter; two granddaughters, Heather Connor (Keith) and Tiffanie Cross; three great-grandsons, Ryan Connor, Blake Connor and Mason Connor; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her six sisters. Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with
|
B5
the Rev. Joel Rhyner officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. Pallbearers will be Felder Poplin, Dale Atkinson, Keith Connor, Tommy June, Ashton June and Jay Parnell. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the home of Scott and Cindy Keisling, 3455 Wedgefield Road, and from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday at ElmoreCannon-Stephens Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Santee Baptist Church, 12954 S.C. 260, Manning, SC 29102. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.
CHARLOTTE C. PARTIN Charlotte Corry Partin, 80, wife of Julian F. Partin, was promoted to glory on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of the late John Corry and Esther White Yoh. Mrs. Partin was a member of St. John United Methodist Church. She was a published writer of poetry and received many awards for her excellence in writing. She was a loving wife, mother and friend to many. Survivors include her husband of 60 years; four children, Jay Partin (Linda) of Sumter, Sandy Zehr-Davis of Texas, David Partin (Robin) of Surfside Beach and Billy Partin (Tammy) of Sumter; eight grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren; one brother, John Corry (Betty) of New Mexico; and one sister, Margie Hansel-Norris of Champaign, Illinois. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home with the Rev. Larry Brown officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. Pallbearers will be David Starker, Chris Godfrey, Gene Partin, Kyle Partin, Carey Pritchard and Mickey Partin. The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Elmore-CannonStephens Funeral Home and other times at the home. Memorials may be made to St. John United Methodist Church, 136 Poinsett Drive, Sumter, SC 29150. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.
TERRY W. MORRIS Terry Wayne Morris, 58, husband of Linda Cope, died on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at his home. Born in Orangeburg, he was a son of the Rev. Robert R. Morris and Betty J. Barnes Morris. A graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. today at Evergreen Memorial Park cemetery. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.
warm, friendly atmosphere • painless experience • family oriented
-MEMBER-
R. Capers Lee, DMD
803.494.8466
www.DentalTeamofSumter.com
5635 Broad Street Ext. • Sumter, SC 29150 on the corner of 378 & 441