SPORTS sports
THESUMTER SUMTERITEM ITEM The
Games
reflecting over lunch Thursday on the Champs-Elysees. From Page B1 “But it’s not going to change my overall mood lastingly, No Olympics in recent mem- after the attacks in recent ory has opened under so many weeks and months in France.” dark clouds, both within recesYet Olympic organizers can’t sion-battered Brazil and bebe faulted for trying, with yond. Headliners Usain Bolt their “Together we can change and Michael Phelps are back the world” slogan and Olymfor more medals. But no feat picPeace hashtag. Cold War of theirs, or the other 10,500 boycotts aside, the games reOlympians, between the first main a symbol of global tomedal awards on Saturday and getherness, even if an increasthe Aug. 21 closing ceremony ingly commercialized one. By will paste over recent horrors putting religion and politics of 84 people murdered with a aside, the Olympics still can truck in Nice or the shooting remind the world’s people of massacre of 49 people in a their shared humanity. Florida nightclub. Sports are, Picture Berlin in 1936, when and always will be, trivial com- white German long jumper pared to such atrocities that Luz Long bonded with black have come depressingly thick American Jesse Owens when and fast of late. Adolf Hitler wanted to peddle “The Olympics may help me racial supremacy. Or Sydney take my mind off things,” said in 2000, when athletes from Parisian lawyer Remy Durand, North and South Korea walked
OBITUARIES EASTON OLIVER BRANHAM MANNING — Easton Oliver Branham, 2, beloved son of Jeffrey Otto Branham and Heather Atkinson Branham, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at McLeod Hospital (PICU). Easton was born on Dec. 18, 2013, in Sumter. He loved dirt bikes, dinosaurs, BRANHAM sharks and books of all kinds. He was a very vibrant child and he had a light about him that touched many lives. Surviving besides his parents of Manning are a big brother, Holden Otto Branham; a baby sister due in October; paternal grandparents, Jeff and Renee Branham of Greeleyville; maternal grandmother, Chris Ridgill of Manning; maternal grandfather, Stephen Atkinson of Greeleyville; two maternal greatgrandmothers, Christine Ridgill of Manning and Sue Atkinson of Greeleyville; and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Manning First Baptist Church with the Rev. Nick Erickson officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Joseph Hardin, Thomas Mouzon, Wade Greene and Brandon Atkinson. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the residence, 655 Woodside Drive, Manning. The family would like to thank all of the Williamsburg County first responders and the doctors and nurses of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of McLeod Hospital. Memorials may be made to Stephens Funeral Home to help the family with funeral expenses. Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org
ROBERT S. HEDSTROM CHARLESTON — Robert Stanton Hedstrom, age 87, beloved husband, father, son and brother, entered into eternal life on July 27, 2016. He was visited often by family in the final days before his peaceful passing at Hospice of Charleston. Robert was born on May 5, 1929, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Lawrence and Florence (Tompkins) Hedstrom. He was one of five children. As a young boy, the family moved to Grand Marais, a small town near the Canadian border, where he enjoyed growing up until the age of 18. Robert’s career of service to his country began in 1951 when he entered the United States Air Force, later becoming a bomber and fighter pilot, flying both the B-57 and F-4 Phantom. During the Vietnam War, Maj. Hedstrom was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Silver Star for "gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States." Before his retirement in 1976, Robert achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. After retiring from the military, Robert served as director of financial aid at Central Carolina Tech-
nical College for 18 years. From 2013 until his passing, Robert lived in Charleston, where he enjoyed spending time with family, visiting local parks and eating local shrimp. Robert enjoyed playing golf, working on house projects, playing with the family’s many dogs owned over the years, reading the newspaper and watching the Golf Channel. He was an avid South Carolina Gamecock fan. He was a member of St. Anne Catholic Church and Sunset Country Club for more than 30 years. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy; daughter, Scottye; brother, Lawrence; and sisters, Libby, Margaret and Trish. He is survived by two children, Robbe Hedstrom and his wife, Lori, of Charleston and Penny McIntyre of Poquoson, Virginia; three grandchildren, Christy Pellicer, Scott McIntyre and Sarah Tuttle; and five great-grandchildren. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at St. Anne Catholic Church, 216 E. Liberty St., Sumter. He will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery later this fall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Animal Protection League of South Carolina, P.O. Box 5354, Columbia, SC 29250 or The University of South Carolina Educational Foundation, ATTN: The Scottye Hedstrom Memorial Athletic Training Scholarship, 1027 Barnwell St., Columbia, SC 29208.
HAROLD F. KEELS Harold Floyd Keels, 81, died on Sunday, July 31, 2016, at Family Residential Care in Sumter. Born in the Shiloh community of Sumter County, he was a son of the late Willie Ellis Keels and Marie Elizabeth Rose Keels. He was a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church. Survivors include a brother, Charles L. Keels (Audrey) of Pennsylvania; two sisters, Mary E. Keels of Sumter and Ruth E. Ingram of San Diego, California; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be private. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.
DIANE COOPER MORNINGSIDE, Maryland — Diane "Penny" Cooper, 45, died on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at her residence. She was born on Aug. 11, 1970, in Manning, a daughter of the late Odell and Elouise Cooper Jackson. The family is receiving friends at the home of her brother, Mike Jackson, 180 One Mile Road, Gable. These services have been entrusted to Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning.
TRACY WITHERSPOON Tracy Witherspoon, 48, husband of Mildred Witherspoon, departed this life on Aug. 3, 2016, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia. He was born on Aug. 6, 1967, in Sumter, a son of Charles Smith and Retha Witherspoon. The family is receiving
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together behind one flag in the opening ceremony, momentarily putting aside more than half a century of enmity. Or Barcelona in 1992, when white South African Elana Meyer ran over to plant a kiss on Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu. Meyer had won silver to Tulu’s gold in the 10,000 meters to become her country’s first post-apartheid individual medalist. On Friday, at the opening gala of these Olympics at Rio’s Maracana Stadium, 10 refugee athletes will march as one team behind the white Olympic flag — a reminder to the world that they aren’t solely defined by their lack of a place to call home. While not as grand as opening ceremonies past, Rio still expects to wow. “The Athens ceremony was classic, and Beijing was grand, was musical. London was quite smart. We’re going to be
Then there’s the expense of the games. Big spending and the waste of unused venues in FRIDAY NBC — Opening Ceremony, 7:30 ex-host cities have forced p.m.-Midnight Olympic organizers onto the TELEMUNDO — Olympic Preview defensive and left them with a Special, 5-6 p.m. NBC UNIVERSO — Olympic Preshrinking pool of taxpayers view Special, 5-6 p.m. willing to foot the bills. The $10 billion to $12 billion spent cool,” said creative director on Rio’s games should have Fernando Meirelles. gone to better causes in a city Still, the games have their rife with poverty, critics say. naysayers. Doping scandals — Despite the problems, Olymfrom sprinter Ben Johnson pic ideals aren’t dead. Pope losing his 1988 Olympic gold Francis told pilgrims on medal over steroids to Russia’s Wednesday at his weekly audirecent state-organized subver- ence at the Vatican that in a sion of anti-doping efforts — world “thirsty for peace, tolerhave stained all Olympians ance and reconciliation,” he and heightened cynicism of hopes the games can inspire their feats and worth. everyone to pursue a prize that The IOC, as it has in the is “not a medal but something past, will store some 4,500 more precious — achieving a drug-test samples to be taken civilization in which solidarity during these games, so they reigns, founded on the recognican be thawed out and retested tion that we are all members of in years to come. one human family.”
friends at 23 Monroe St., Sumter, SC 29150. Funeral plans are incomplete and will be announced later by Job’s Mortuary Inc. of Sumter.
Yvette was born on June 5, 1958, to the late Susie Furman and Arthur Foster and was raised by Sammie and Pearl Pack. At an early age, her mother, Pearl, took her to church, where she began her relationship with God at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. Yvette was a faithful lifetime member and enjoyed serving on the hallelujah choir and Sunday school ministry. She was educated in the public schools of Sumter and was a 1975 graduate of Sumter High School. Yvette was employed by Pilgrim Pride's, also known as Gold Kist, for 17 years. Yvette was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She enjoyed spending time with her family, going to church, dancing and singing. In the early dawn hours of Monday morning, Aug. 1, 2016, at Palmetto Health Richland, Yvette heard a voice summoning her to come on up from her life of labor to the heavens and rest. Her work was finished, her job was complete and her race was won! "Well done, thy good and faithful servant." Yvette leaves to cherish her precious memories: her husband, Patrick Clark Sr.; two sons, Roosevelt (Aila) Foster and Patrick Clark Jr., all of Sumter; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Brenda (Elliot) Brown of Baltimore, Maryland, and Bishop Jacqueline Brown of Brooklyn, New York; two brothers, Samuel Kenneth (Janet) Pack of Sacramento, California, and Patrick Singleton of Sumter; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Dewitt Clark; one brother-in-law, Dewitt (Erica) Clark Jr.; three sisters-in-law, Lafonda (Harland) Hambersham, Linda Clark and Lydia Anderson, all of Sumter; two aunts, Iris P. Singleton and Elouise Scott, both of Sumter; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, two sons and two brothers. Public viewing will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary. Mrs. Clark will be placed in the church at noon on Saturday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, with Pastor Larry C. Weston officiating. Interment will follow in Cain Cemetery. The family will be receiving friends at 312 S. Salem Ave., 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.
MARTHA L. STUKES-STOKES Deaconess Martha L. Stukes-Stokes was born on July 30, 1927, in Sumter, to the late Darlington and Eva Ford Stukes. She departed this life on Sunday, July 31, 2016, at her residence. Martha attended Stone Hill and Lincoln High School in Sumter. She loved sports and was passionate about basketball. She moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, and later to New York. As a resident of New York, she was a nurse for 31 years at Rockland State Hospital in Orangeburg, New York. Martha was also an ambitious entrepreneur, having established three businesses — a laundry care business, restaurant, and grocery store. Martha’s entire life was filled with generosity and love for mankind, always sharing and caring for everyone and never looking to receive. She was one who epitomized what Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Upon retirement, Martha returned home to take care of her mother. She rejoined the Church of God by Faith, Sumter No. 1 and served many years as a deaconess and senior choir member. Deaconess Stukes was one of the most faithful persons who took her position seriously and passionately. No condition prevented her faithfulness, until she was no longer able to serve due to illness. She was most dependable and served profoundly. She will be cherished by her sister, Ruth S. Ham; brother, James Stukes of New York City, New York; a godson, Rondell Green; best friends, Thelma Bradley, Deaconess Lillie M. Moses, Mother Sarah Wright, caretakers; niece, Barbara Williams; nephew, Herman Stukes; cousins, Mary Roman and Rose Chapman; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Deaconess Stukes was preceded in death by her mother, Eva Stukes; father, Darlington Stukes; and five brothers, Samuel, David, Willie, Mitchell and Alvin Stukes. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary. Deaconess Stokes will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. on Saturday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Church of God by Faith, 609 Atlantic Ave., Sumter, with the pastor, Superintendent Mack S. Wilson, the Rev. Dr. Friendly Gadson officiating and Bishop Jeffery Johnson, eulogist. Interment will follow in Hillside Memorial Park. The family is receiving friends at the home, 314 Brand St., 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.
YVETTE F. CLARK Yvette Foster Clark departed this earthly life on Monday, Aug. 1, 2016, at Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia.
Olympics on TV
LEVERN MCDONALD BISHOPVILLE — Levern McDonald, husband of Debra McDonald, and son of Leroy and Dorothy McDonald, entered eternal rest on Aug. 1, 2016, at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, Hartsville. The family is receiving friends at 313 Lynchburg Highway, Bishopville. Visitation will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Funeral service will be held
at noon on Saturday at St. Paul Wisacky United Methodist Church with the pastor, the Rev. Arthur Gamble, officiating. Interment will follow in the churchyard cemetery. Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville, is in charge of arrangements.
WILLIE HERIOT Willie Heriot entered eternal rest on Aug. 3, 2016, at KershawHealth Medical Center in Camden. The family is receiving friends at 303 Day Lily Road, Rembert. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Wilson Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Bishopville.
KATIE CUNNINGHAM Katie Cunningham, 82, widow of Dan Cunningham, died on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born on Aug. 14, 1933, in Camden, Alabama, she was a daughter of Theodra Pharr. The family is receiving friends and relatives at the home, 791 Longwood Drive. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Williams Funeral Home Inc.
EDNA B. FORD Edna B. Ford was born on Jan. 12, 1924, in Sumter, a daughter of the late Crosswell and Anna Hutlin Brunson. She departed this life on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, at Sumter Health and Rehabilitation Center. She attended the public schools of Sumter County and graduated from Lincoln High School. She was married to the late Delgar Ford Jr. and to this union six children were born, Delgar Sylvester Ford, Shirley F. Brown, Diane F. Gardner and Jeremiah Ford. She was preceded in death by two sons, Edward Ford and Joseph Oliver Ford. Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job’s Mortuary. Mrs. Ford will be placed in the church at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday for viewing until the hour of service. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, with Pastor Marion H. Newton officiating. Interment will follow in Hillside Memorial Park. The family will be receiving friends at the home of her daughter, 879 Griffin St., 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.
JOHN P. BRITTON John Palmer Britton, 75, husband of Elizabeth McLeod Britton, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at his home. Services will be announced by Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, (803) 7759386.