Obituaries11/26/08

PAMELA MCLENDON
LYDIA – Funeral services for Pamela R. McLendon, 69, who died Nov. 24, will be held today, Nov. 26, at 2 p.m. at the Savannah Advent Christian Church. The Rev. Ryan Riley and Rev. Charles McLendon will officiate. Burial will be in the Savannah Advent Christian Church Cemetery, directed by Norton Funeral Home, Hartsville Chapel.
Pam was born in Hartsville a daughter of the late Sam M. and Etta Mae Sumner Shirley. She was a member of the Savannah Advent Christian Church and retired from the Life of Georgia Insurance Company. Surviving:  Husband: Thomas H. McLendon, Sr., Lydia; two daughters: Cathy (Roy) Israel, Lydia, Tonda (Andy) Edmunds, Florence; one Son: Tommy (Allison) McLendon, Ballentine; Grandchildren: Joseph and Tyler Israel, Andrew and Shannon Edmunds, Trey and William McLendon; Brother: James (Darlene) Shirley, West Columbia; Aunts: Nell Jones and Sara Belle Register; Special nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Dr. Jimmy Bell and his staff for their care during her illness. Memorials may be made to the Savannah Advent Christian Church, 1948 Ashland Stokes Bridge Road, Bishopville, SC 29010 or charity of ones choice.

JESSIE MAE CRANFORD
Funeral services for Jessie Mae Cranford, 89, who died Nov. 25, will be Friday 2 p.m. from the Chapel Norton Funeral Home. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday 5-7 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Mrs. Cranford was born in Hartsville a daughter of the late Ollie L.
and Pearl Weatherford Dixon. Surviving are: Daughter; Vera Almond, Hartsville; Sons: Kenny Cranford, Hartsville, Gene Farmer, Florence; 21 Grandchildren, Several Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husbands George Edward Farmer and James W. Cranford; two daughters, Jane Smith and Louise Farmer; three sons, Bobby and James Farmer, J.L. Dixon.

WILLIAM B. HOWELL
OATES COMMUNITY - William B. Howell, 84, passed away Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at his home in Oates. Funeral services were held on Monday, Nov. 24, at Mt. Elon Baptist Church, Lydia, with interment following in the church cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home of Darlington.
Mr. Howell was born in Darlington County, son of the late William Luther and Ethel Mamie Taylor Howell. He served his country with the United States Army for three years during World War II and the Korean Conflict in Okinawa. He was a retired farmer and was a recipient of the Farmer of the Year award. Mr. Howell was the longest serving board member of Pee Dee Electric, serving for 33 years and was a past chairman. He was also a past chairman of the Darlington County School Board, serving on its board for 27 years. He was a board member of Central Electric. He was a lifetime member of Mt. Elon Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and former chairman, Sunday school teacher and member of the men’s adult Bible class.
Surviving are his loving wife of 61 years, Olivia “Lib” Welch Howell ; two sons, Larry (Jean) Howell of Florence and Wayne (Pat) Howell of Oates; two daughters, Brenda (Jerry) Ayers of Florence and Doralynn (Jessie) Flowers of Darlington; grandchildren, Brittany (Stewart) Wingo, Olivia Dean Howell, Russell (Sharon) Howell, David Howell, Heather (Jason) Smothers, Jason (Amanda) Ayers, Amy (Scott) Barfield, Jon, Coleman and Madison Flowers; nine great-grandchildren with three more on the way; one brother, Johnny Howell; six sisters, Mary Howell, Ocha Mae Howell, Nellie Ham, Pauline James, Ula Stokes, and Jean Andrews; also, two faithful canine companions, “ B” and “Gracie.”
Mr. Howell was preceded in death by siblings, Margaret Howell, Elise Howell, Annie Sue Jordan, Sarah Lou Howell and Paul Kistler Howell.
Memorials are suggested to Mt. Elon Baptist Church, PO Box 38 Lydia, SC 29079 or McLeod Hospice, P O. Box 100551, Florence, SC 29506; http://www.mcleodfoundation.org. Sign the guestbook online @ http://www.belkfuneralhome.com.

SARAH WICKER HAWKINS
Funeral services for Sarah Wicker Hawkins, 69, were held Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008, at Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Scott Petry officiated. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, Box 7044, Columbia SC 29202, or National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2711 Middleburg Dr., Suite 105, Columbia, SC 29204.
Mrs. Hawkins, widow of Coke Lee Hawkins, died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. Born in Darlington, she was a daughter of the late Sherwood Brice and Lona Dawkins Wicker. She was a member of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church of Lydia. Sarah was a 1957 graduate of Hartsville High School, where she gave the commencement address. She attended Coker College, where she majored in music. She worked briefly for Sonoco Products Company, before becoming a full-time mother. She was a charter member of West Hartsville Baptist Church where she was for many years as an organist and pianist. She married Coke Lee Hawkins on Thanksgiving Day, 1977. 
Surviving are her sons and daughters-in-law, Joseph Leslie and Hilda Jacobs, Jr. of McBee, Mark Ellington and Theresa Jacobs of Society Hill, Eric Matthew and Amber Jacobs of Florence; daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca J. and Paul Alford of Hartsville; sister, Mrs. Clyde K. (Ruth) Gardner of Hartsville; grandchildren and spouse, Sarah Blaire Rogers of Hartsville, Troy Alexander Rogers of Washington, DC, Leslie Patrick Rogers of Hartsville, Cameron Brigman of Florence, Hilari and Gene Price of Florence, Zachary Matthew Jacobs of Florence, Anna Morgan Jacobs of Florence, Samantha Jacobs of Society Hill, Holly Katherine Alford of Florence, Olivia Brittain Alford of Florence; great grandchild, Aidyn Carter Price of Florence; nieces and nephews and spouse, Andrew C. and Diana Gardner of Hartsville, Rachel and Jim Hodges of Columbia, Frances Gardner and Van Richardson of Lancaster.

CAROLYN AMERSON
LAMAR - Carolyn Casper Amerson, 74, died Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, in a Florence hospital. Funeral services were held Monday at Lamar First Baptist Church with interment following in Mt. Elon Cemetery, Lydia, directed by Belk Funeral Home of Lamar.
Mrs. Amerson was born in Darlington County, daughter of the late William A. and Ruby Vaughan Casper. She was a graduate of Betty Stevens School of Cosmetology.
Carolyn was a member of Lamar First Baptist Church and a member of the Forever Young Group and Moonbeam Sunday school class.
Surviving are her husband, John J. Amerson of Lamar; two sons, Johnny A. (Debbie) Bell and Richard C. (Ann) Bell of Lamar; one daughter, Debra Bell (Wayne) Culpeper of Darlington; one step-son, C. L. (Kim) Ward, Jr. of Lamar; 11 grandchildren, 19 grandchildren; one brother, William “Bud” D. Casper of Hartsville and four sisters, Ethel C. Francis of Lamar, Lenore C. Hursey of Hartsville, Ann C. Huntley of Darlington and Donna Sue C. Anderson of Timmonsville.
Sign the guestbook online@ http://www.belkfuneralhome.com.