The Greenville News

George Woodward Douglass, M.D., 87, died in Easley, SC, on April 4, 2024, as a result of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was born on November 6, 1936, in Newberry, SC, to Mabel Frances Woodward and Francis Kennedy Douglass. He grew up in Whitmire, SC, where the rural woods and streams nurtured his life-long love of nature. He was a 1959 graduate of Wofford College, where he majored in biology. He resided in Charleston from 1961- 2022, when he moved to Foothills Presbyterian Retirement Community in Easley, SC. Named for his great-grandfather and grandfather, he was the third in a line of Douglass doctors. He practiced medicine from the time he graduated from the Medical...

Jacquelyn Pitts Jurecek, 89, died Friday, March 29, 2024 at Covenant Place. She was born October 18, 1934 in Sumter, to the late Alexander Pitts and Marian Andrews Pitts. As a young girl, Jackie enjoyed going to the movies with her dog Chippy (yes, he sat with her in the theater) and playing marbles with her young friends. She worked at the Carnegie Library in the Children's Section before obtaining her Registered Nursing degree at Manning Hospital. After completing her required nursing hours, she left her family and home to attend Johns Hopkins and obtain her Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist degree. This was quite the endeavor in the 1950's and one should note that she put...

Roger Kenneth Valentine went home to be with his Lord & Savior on March 21, 2024 as a result of a stroke over 2 years ago. Roger was preceded in death by his father & mother and all 5 of his siblings. Roger is survived by his wife of almost 57 years, Sharon, their 4 children Nathan (Angie), Beth McCall, Paul (Cheryll), and Micah (Brittany), along with 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Roger was born in New York, but left there at the age of 18 to join the Air Force. During his time in the Air Force he was introduced to the gospel and became a follower of Jesus Christ. After his time in the service he went to a small Bible College in Phoenix, AZ where he met Sharon. They...

Lisa Ellen Epting 54, passed away March 14, 2024. She was employed as a Compliance Associate at Palmetto State Armory in Cayce. Lisa began her education in Chapin public schools and graduated from East Side High School in Greenville South Carolina. She was a member of Mount Horeb Lutheran Church where she had served on the Altar Guild, as communion assistant and previously sang in the choir. She was an avid reader, sports enthusiast and collector of comic books videos and unicorns. Expressive and conversational, Lisa had overcome shyness as she grew in years. She loved chatting up with anyone she met. She is survived by her mother, Mary Russell Epting, Uncle's and Aunt's, Butch (Brelinda)...

Rachel Grier Hood, 96, resident of Columbia Presbyterian Community, formally of Due West, entered into rest Wednesday March 13, 2024, at her residence. Born on March 20, 1927, in Clover, SC to the late Rev. William Pressly and Nellie Brownlee Bigham Grier, she was a homemaker and later retired from Greenville Technical College where she taught Math in the Continuing Education Department for 20 years. Throughout her life she was a strong supporter of Erskine College, from where she graduated in 1948, and while living at the Due West Retirement Center for 22 years, she often volunteered at the college. She very much enjoyed those years, having so many nieces and nephews, as well as other...

Fred E. (Freddie) Wynn, 88, died peacefully on March 11, 2024, in his Hilton Head Sea Pines home of 40 years, in the company of his wife, Ellie, and many members of his family. Fred was, even in his final days, the life of every gathering. Known as Freddie to his many friends and family, he brought a beautiful balance of wit, wisdom, curiosity, and compassion to every relationship and endeavor in his life. While Fred had a natural talent for golf and business, his true passion was cultivating long-lasting relationships, including being a loyal husband, caring father, ever-cool grandfather, business mentor, civic servant, fierce friend, nature and dog enthusiast, and gratis golf coach. A man...

Paul Thayer Holmes, 88, of West Columbia, died peacefully at home with family on March 4th, 2024. He was born September 25, 1935, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, son of John Paul and Mary Louise McKenna Holmes. The family lived in Schenectady NY, before moving to Richland WA when he was in junior high. In Richland, he worked at a ranch during high school summers and learned to rope and ride. He also played the French Horn and had his life-long love of mathematics sparked by high school geometry. Paul met his wife of 67 years (Charlotte Martin) during his undergraduate studies at Washington State College. After graduating from Washington State with a masters degree, Paul earned a Doctorate in...

Leona Lane Porter Goldsmith, age 101, of Clinton, SC, widow of Reverend George Browning Goldsmith, Jr., passed away Friday, March 1, 2024 at Langston Square. She was born January 16, 1923 in Franklin, NC and was a daughter of the late Thomas W. and Leona Bryson Porter. Lane's late husband was the grandson of the late William and Jane Wright Goldsmith of Greenville, SC. Lane was educated in Franklin County schools, later earning her associate degree at Peace College in Raleigh and her bachelor's degree from George Peabody College for Teachers. She served as Field Director for the Girl Scouts of America in the Greenville, Charleston, Ware Shoals and Laurens areas. Lane was actively...

Don was born on November 30, 1933 in Charlotte, NC to Sam and Bess Winchester, and recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He passed away peacefully at The Cascades (Greenville, SC) on February 28, 2024. Don attended North Carolina State University and earned his degree in Civil Engineering in 1957. He met the love of his life, Jane, on a blind date and they were married for over 66 years. Don and Jane had a true love story, and it was rare to see him without her by his side. Their devotion to each other was evident to all who spent time with them. Don had a long career with Martin Marietta Aggregates (41 years) that took him to Monroe, NC, New Bern, NC, Columbia, SC, and Augusta, GA. He...

Robert Holmes Hood of Charleston, South Carolina, devoted husband of Mary Agnes Burnham Hood, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. He was 79 years old. Bobby was born on October 5, 1944 in Charleston, South Carolina, son of the late James Albert Hood and Ruth Henderson Hood Smith. Bobby attended the Gaud School and Charleston High, and he graduated from St. Andrew's-Sewanee School. After graduation, he attended Sewanee, The University of the South, graduating in 1966. He is a 1969 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. In 1969, Bobby began what would become a distinguished legal career, as an Assistant Attorney General for...

Pawleys Island, SC Dr. James Gregory (Greg) Johnson, of North Litchfield, passed away quietly at his home surrounded by family on January 30, 2024, after a long battle from pulmonary fibrosis. Dr. Johnson was born on August 1, 1950 to James Truman and Inza Farmer Johnson and grew up in Easley, SC, where he was captain on the Easley High Green Wave 1967 State Championship team. Greg attended Davidson College where he played football, was a member of the Honor Court, Beta Theta Pi, and Gamma Sigma Epsilon, national chemistry society. Greg remained devoted to Davidson, serving as president of the Davidson Athletic Fund and member of the Davidson Board of Visitors. Greg was always a Davidson...

Ena Jean Brown Page of Greenville, SC, passed away on Thursday, January 25, 2024. She was born in Spartanburg, SC to Arthur Cephus and Kathleen Wood Brown. Jean was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Oren Ned Page. She was also predeceased by siblings, Ruby Davis, Edith Stephens, Jimmy Brown, and Ted Brown. She is survived by brothers, AC and Bill Brown; brother-in-law, Rev O. Ted Page (Sue); son, Michael Ned Page (Tina); daughter, Kay Page Lewis (Lindsay); and son, Phil Arthur Page (Gaye). She was the proud grandmother of Alexander Page Lewis (Mary Towles), Andrew Michael Page (Beth), Robert Lindsay Lewis III, Hannah Kathleen Page, and Thomas Matthew Page, and great-grandmother...

Helen Case "Casey" Durham, 73, of North Charleston, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Her memorial service will be held Saturday, January 27, 2024 in the The Church of The Resurrection, 5103 N Rhett Avenue at 1:00 pm. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel. Casey was born March 24, 1950 in Westfield, Massachusetts, daughter of the late Joseph M. Case and the late Catherine Souter Case. After graduating from Providence School of Nursing, Casey served in the United States Air Force. It was at Vandenberg AFB where she met her husband, W. Edward Durham, Jr. and they moved to Columbia, SC briefly. They became longtime residents of...

Mrs. Ruth Miller Fleenor, 88, of Stallings, NC, passed away on Monday, January 15, 2024. For a full obituary and online guestbook, please visit www.heritagecares.com.

James K. Rumrill of Mt. Pleasant, 91, died on December 15, 2023 at his home after a brief illness. Jim was born in Springfield, MA on August 14, 1932. He grew up in the Boston area and graduated from The Roxbury Latin School. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1952 and served on active duty as a cryptologic technician in Washington, D.C. and London until 1957 when he moved to reserve status and enrolled in the University of Florida. After completing his undergraduate studies, he taught history at the Gaud School in Charleston SC. While working as a staff reporter for the News & Courier in Charleston during the summer of 1961 he met Barbara Poole. She lived on Queen Street. He...

Betty (Jean) Dannelly Crawford, age 94, widow of William Perkins Crawford, Sr., passed away peacefully on December 4, 2023 at the Presbyterian Home in Clinton, SC. She was born in Cuthbert, Georgia on August 18, 1929, to Roy Franklin Dannelly and Nora Shellhouse Dannelly. She was the second of five children. She was a Protestant (Baptist and later Presbyterian). Betty grew up in Cuthbert, and upon graduating high school in 1946, married the love of her life, William "Buck" Perkins Crawford, Sr., who had recently returned from a 42-month stint in the Pacific during WWII. They shared 56 loving years together before Buck passed away in 2003. They had one child, William Perkins Crawford,...

Dr. Richard Louis Alpert, October 10, 1935 - November 29, 2023, Greenville, SC. Dr. Richard Alpert, 88, died on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, he was a son of the late Maxie Louis Alpert and Eleanor Calvert Alpert. His parents were clothing merchants who owned and operated Alpert's of Sumter, a fine lady's apparel store started by his grandmother, Mary Belin Alpert. Dr. Alpert graduated from Edmunds High School and married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Ann Hill. Soon after graduation, he attended the University of South Carolina and graduated from the University of Tennessee with the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Before deciding to become a...

Dr. Richard Wayne "Jack" Causey, 88, beloved husband of the late Mary Elizabeth May Causey, passed peacefully into God's arms on the evening of November 28, 2023. Memorial service details will be available on the Troutman Funeral Home website.

Dr. Robert Malcourt Watson, Jr., age 89, died on November 26 at his home in Spartanburg, SC. Born in Columbia, SC, he was the son of Robert Malcourt Watson and Cecile Chewning Watson. Dr. Watson was predeceased by the love of his life, his wife of 60 years, Virginia "Ginger" Shaver Watson. He is survived by daughters, Wende (Riley) Sweat of Nashville, TN and Leigh Watson, MD of Greenville, SC; son, Ashley Watson of Leland, NC; and three grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Alice (Art) Peters of Winston-Salem, NC and Celia Weston of New York, NY. Dr. Watson was a graduate of Spartanburg High School, Wofford College, and UNC School of Dentistry. After serving as a Dental...

Linda Varner Pickel, 79, left this life peacefully in the early morning of November 10, 2023, at her home in Taylors, SC. She was born August 20, 1944, in Spartanburg County, daughter of the late John Taylor, Jr. and Sara Quinn Varner. She was married to her husband of 35 years, William Pickel, who claims her as the love of his life. Services will be held Wednesday, November 15, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel and Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Spartanburg, SC: Visitation, 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.; Funeral Service, 1:00 p.m-1:30 p.m..; Interment, 1:45 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Interim HealthCare of the Upstate.

John Bennette Cornwell III of Mt. Pleasant, SC passed away on October 30th, 2023, at home with his loving wife, Lisa B. Cornwell, and family after a valiant fight with cancer. Born in Sumter, SC to Jeanne Harby and John Bennette Cornwell, Jr., Bennette and his two siblings, Mike and Pam, spent their early years in Spartanburg SC. Bennette was a graduate of Spartanburg High School class of 1965, a member of the high school golf team and an Eagle Scout. Clemson football games shaped the Cornwells' fall activities even before Bennette enrolled in Clemson. As a student there, he was a member of Sigma Kappa Epsilon fraternity and graduated in 1970 with a B. S. degree in Industrial...