Edward S. Ervin, III, 95, died Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at Covenant Place. Born December 15, 1925 in Manning, he was a son of the late Edward S. Ervin Jr. and Thelma Eadon Ervin. Mr. Ervin was a graduate of Carlisle Military School. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II and graduated from Wofford College in 1949. He was the retired owner and operator of Ervin Adjustment Company. He was a licensed adjuster, appraiser and realtor. He was a past member of several national, regional, and State adjusting organizations, and several civic service, social and historical organizations. He once served as chairman of the Santee Wateree Mental Health Center and as a past member of the...

Sandra Leigh Gaddy Buford, 56, died Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital surrounded by her family. Born in Fairfax, Sandra grew up in Virginia where she graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School and attended college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg. Sandra worked for the FAA and Nordstrom before moving to Sumter with her family. Sandra faced life's challenges with courage, humor, and determination. She was quick to offer help to others and compassionate toward animals; finding loving homes for a number of rescue dogs. Her ability to take something ordinary and create beauty, her fierce loyalty toward her family and friends, her ability to see the...

Amanda Blair Nelson-Shearon, 35, wife of Christopher Drew Shearon, died Thursday, February 25, 2021 at Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia. Born in Columbia, she was a daughter of Carl Nelson and Tamara L. Nienow Nelson. Amanda was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lugoff. Surviving are her husband; two daughters, Alaysia Gardner, Andrea G. Gardner; two sons, Austin L. Gardner and Nicholas D. Floyd; two brothers, Drew Nelson of Ridgeway, SC and Shane Nelson of Abbeville, SC; a sister, Shannon Davenport of Gray Court, SC. Memorial Services will be held at 3 P.M. Sunday at Trinity Baptist Church in Lugoff, SC. The family would be appreciative if everyone wore a mask. ...

John Ray "Tripp" Lee, III, 52, husband of Page Walton Lee, died Monday, February 1, 2021 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, FL. Born in Sumter, he was a son of Diane Horne Degnan and the late John Ray Lee, II. Tripp was a member of The Church of the Holy Comforter and a graduate of Wofford College. He was Vice-President of Sales at Frasier Tire Service. He was a U. S. Army veteran. Surviving are his wife of Sumter along with his mother of Sumter; two sons, Jackson Lee and Bennett Lee both of Sumter and a brother Chris Lee of Sumter. Memorial Services will be held at 2 P.M. Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at The Church of the Holy Comforter with Rev. John Sosnowski, Rev. Hamilton Smith and...

Areene Irene Harrison, 68, died Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at Community Hospice in Jacksonville, FL. Born in Sumter, SC, she was a daughter of the late Rufus Charles Cassady and Eunice Roberta Baker Cassady. Mrs. Harrison was a member of Jedburg Baptist Church in Summerville, SC. Surviving are two daughters, Hope Winberg and Tina E. Ohlfs; a son, James S. Harrison; 9 grandchildren, Timothy Witska (Marissa), Jennifer Mansur (Kevin), Kristen Gonzalez (Devin), Nicholas McDaniel, Morgan Gossett, LeeAnna Harrison, Rebecca Ohlfs, Thomas Harrison, Taylor Harrison; 11 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Rudy Charles Cassady, Jr. She was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Jacob Faulling and...

Hubert Duvall Osteen, Jr., 84, husband of Jacqueline "Jackie" Brown Osteen, formerly of Greenville, died Sunday, December 13, 2020 at his home. Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Hubert Duvall Osteen and Margaret "Toody" Weeks Osteen. He was the retired chairman of Osteen Publishing Company, Inc. and served as the Editor and Publisher of The Item for over 40 years. He was past President of the SC Press Association. Mr. Osteen was a member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder. He was a graduate of Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, a graduate of the University of Missouri and received a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University in New York. He...

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Blanchard , 92, of Sumter, SC Saturday December 12. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, Sumter, SC .

Mary Katherine Creal Hurt, 86, died Thursday, November 4, 2020, at National Healthcare Center in Sumter. Born in St. Louis, MO, she was a daughter of the late George Gaines Creal and Gladys B. Chadwell Creal. Mrs. Hurt was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Sumter. She was a former member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and a longtime member of First Scots Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC and upon moving to Sumter she joined First Presbyterian Church and was a devoted member of the Adult Choir. She was a Deacon and Elder in the PCUSA. She attended UGA and graduated from the Baptist College of Charleston (Charleston Southern University) with a degree in...

Mary Katherine Creal Hurt, 86, died Thursday, November 4, 2020, at National Healthcare Center in Sumter. Born in St. Louis, MO, she was a daughter of the late George Gaines Creal and Gladys B. Chadwell Creal. Mrs. Hurt was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Sumter. She was a former member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and a longtime member of First Scots Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC and upon moving to Sumter she joined First Presbyterian Church and was a devoted member of the Adult Choir. She was a Deacon and Elder in the PCUSA. She attended UGA and graduated from the Baptist College of Charleston (Charleston Southern University) with a degree in...

LOUISE BOYLE DEATON (1932 - 2020) SUMTER, SC - Louise Boyle Deaton, 87, died in Sumter, South Carolina, on July 25, 2020. Louise was born in Sumter on October 11, 1932, the third child and only daughter of Mamie Hunter Boyle and Adville Barnes Boyle. Louise attended Edmunds High School in Sumter, boarding school at Saint Mary's School in Raleigh and Converse College, where she made many lifelong friends. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina and earned a masters degree in elementary education from Georgia State University. Louise was teaching at Shaw Elementary in Sumter when she met her future husband, Rex Deaton. Although loath to admit it,...

Fay Cagle Hatfield, 93, peacefully joined the church triumphant on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at Covenant Place. Born in New Orleans, LA, she was the daughter of the late Ben D. Cagle and the late Alma King Cagle. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of more than 65 years, Roger Hatfield. Mrs. Hatfield was an active member of Northside Memorial Baptist Church until her health declined. She retired from Black River Electric Cooperative with over 20 years of service. Surviving are two daughters, Phyllis Faircloth (Fred) of Rock Hill, SC, and Cynthia Hatfield of Sumter; son-in-law, William Hamrick of Cartersville, GA; grandsons, Ben Hamrick (Teresa) of...

Dorothy Bullard Wise passed away Thursday, July 2, 2020 in Florence, SC. She was 93, the daughter of Isla and Clarence Bullard. Dot grew up in Marion and Dillon Counties, one of nine children. At the age of 17, Dot enlisted in the U.S Army, along with her sister Mildred, and served at Fort Benning GA and Fort Knox, KY, achieving the rank of buck sergeant, something that she took great pride in. She then married Neil Wise and began a marriage marked by love, laughter, and shared values. Her life as an Air Force wife took her to England, Japan, and five states. It was a life she was suited for, making easy transitions and homes for her family at each assignment. When Neil retired,...

Mary Elizabeth Ariail died Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at Brookdale Senior Living in Sumter. Born in Greenville, SC, she was the daughter of the late Dr. C.C. Ariail and Mary Graydon Ariail. She graduated from Greenville High School and the University of South Carolina with a BA degree in Art. She was a lifelong member of Buncombe Street Methodist Church. She taught art for one year at Hughes Junior High School. She then went to Parker High School where she taught history and psychology until the school closed. She continued her career at Greenville High School, retiring after forty years of teaching. At the University of South Carolina, she was president of Alpha Delta Pi sorority,...

Maria Louise Geddings Follin, 100, widow of John "Jack" Epps Follin, Sr., died Sunday, June 7, 2020 at her home. Born in Sumter, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Washington Geddings, Sr. and Maria Louisa Nichols Geddings. Mrs. Follin was a member of St. Anne and St. Jude Roman Catholic Church and was a retired Rural Letter Mail Carrier with the Sumter County Post Office. Surviving are five sons, John Epps Follin, Jr. and wife Beth of Coward, Herbert Follin, Richard Follin and wife Dale, Terry Follin and wife Dianne, Jim Follin and wife Linda all of Sumter; three daughters, Lila Blackmon, Jean McIntosh, Lucy O'Hare and husband Tom all of Sumter; 26 grandchildren; 59...

Bertha Elease Osborne Gray, 94. widow of Riblom M. Gray, died Sunday, May 17, 2020. Born in Columbia, SC, she was a daughter of the late Charlie M. Osborne and Iola Jones Osborne. Surviving are a son, Joel Duane Johnson of Fayetteville, NC; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Sylvia Jean Bergstrom; two sisters, Maude C. Floyd and Agnes E. Gomis; and a brother, Rev. Elvin M. Osborne. Graveside services will be held at 2 P.M. Thursday at Pocalla Holiness Church Cemetery with Rev. Robert Hardin, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Timothy Hudson officiating. The family will receive friends following the graveside service....

Horace Thomas "Tom" Hodge, 86 of James Island, husband of Mary Lou Holmes Hodge, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2020, at his home. Born March 1, 1934 in Sumter, he was a son of the late Horace Donnie and Ruth Gertrude Carroll Hodge. He was a 1953 graduate of Edmunds High School and completed two years of trade school in Sheet Metal. He joined the Navy on January 17, 1955 and served two years of active service and 38 years with the Naval Reserve retiring on December 1, 1993 as a Chief Hull Maintenance Technician. He received the National Defense Service Ribbon. He worked as a Sheet Metal Mechanic Foreman of Shop 17 at Charleston Naval Shipyard for 38 years. He enjoyed spending time...

Gaylene Marie Boisvert, 71, died Friday, March 13, 2020, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital. Gaylene was born in Waterbury, Ct on May 1, 1948 to Rose (Colucci) and Roger Boisvert. She attended Hopeville Elementary School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School. She received her BA from Sacred Heart University, and her Master's and Administration Degrees from Southern Connecticut State University. Gaylene was a beloved teacher, having taught in the Watertown School System for 38 years, at Judson Elementary and Swift Middle Schools. Her adventures included a trip to Europe, several Motor Home cross-country trips with her best friend, Joan DeRosa and her Westie, Murphy, as well as trips...

Gaylene Marie Boisvert, 71, died Friday, March 13, 2020, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital. Gaylene was born in Waterbury, Ct on May 1, 1948 to Rose (Colucci) and Roger Boisvert. She attended Hopeville Elementary School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School. She received her BA from Sacred Heart University, and her Master's and Administration Degrees from Southern Connecticut State University. Gaylene was a beloved teacher, having taught in the Watertown School System for 38 years, at Judson Elementary and Swift Middle Schools. Her adventures included a trip to Europe, several Motor Home cross-country trips with her best friend, Joan DeRosa and her Westie, Murphy, as well as trips...

Suzanne Chapman Jackson, 80, widow of John Henry Jackson, Jr., died Sunday, March 1, at Prisma Health Tuomey in Sumter. Born in Tifton, GA, she was the eldest daughter of the late Cecil Wheeler Chapman and Claudia Wheeler Chapman. The Chapman family moved to Athens, GA in 1950 where Mrs. Jackson graduated Athens High School in and earned her Mathematics degree from the University of Georgia. While at UGA she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society and in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She and Mr. Jackson met on a blind date at UGA, married in 1960, and moved to Fernandina Beach, FL, for three years before settling in Sumter. In Sumter, Mrs. Jackson served in the Junior League and...

On Thursday, February 27th, 2020, Thomas "Tommie" Warren Watts, husband of Cynthia Russell Watts, passed away at the age of 64. Tommie was born on November 10th, 1955, in Sumter, SC, to the late Stone Warren Watts and Caleen Skipper Watts. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Sumter & an associate member of Belin Memorial United Methodist Church of Murrells Inlet, SC. He was a 1973 graduate of Wilson Hall School and attended Wofford College, where he played baseball. Tommie owned and operated Watts, Inc. for 30 years, before retiring in 2009 and relocating to Garden City Beach. On February 28th, 1976 he married Cynthia Renee Russell. He is survived by his wife Cindy, 2...

Ruth Edna Green Kilmury, 83, widow of Retired USAF Major Alvin Charles Kilmury to whom she was married in 1953, died Monday, February 24, 2020, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital. Born in Clanton, AL, she was a daughter of the late William Thomas Green and Vera Kemp Green. Surviving are two children, Sharon K. Wood (David) of Sumter; Bruce A. Kilmury (Anita) of Lexington, SC; two sisters, Frankie Waltz and Lee Bills both of Selma, AL; five grandchildren, Heidi Marie Wood (Chris), Wayne A. Kilmury, Murray A. Kilmury (Leanza), Owen Kilmury (Abby), Catie Kilmury; 9 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; special family members, SMSGT Retired USAF William D. Koppenhaver (Barbara),...