February 2008

Jane E. Sugg Willingham February 28, 2008

Jane E. Sugg Willingham, 83, formerly of Little Mountain, widow of Dallas H. Willingham, Sr., died Thursday, February 28, 2008 at the J. F. Hawkins Nursing Home.
She was born on January 30, 1935 a daughter of the late Jesse E. and Bertie Sugg. She was a former member of St. Mark Catholic Church of Newberry.
Mrs. Willingham is survived by two daughters and son-in-law, Virginia Wheeler of Easley and Merry Jo and Tim Stafford of Irmo; two sons and daughters-in-law, Dallas H. and Joane Willingham, Jr. of Newberry and James and Susan Willingham of Little Mountain; a brother, Jesse Sugg of Oakland, California; 6 grandchildren, Ali, Bryan, Joby, Ginny, Linda Jo and Kathy and 10 great-grandchildren, David, Caroline, Noah, Alexis, Taylor, Cody, Alleigh, Kameron, Allex and Brianna.
Memorial services were conducted at 4:00 P.M. Saturday at the J.F. Hawkins Nursing Home Chapel by the Rev. Dr. Mitchell VanMetre.
The family suggests memorials be made to the J. F. Hawkins Nursing Home, 1330 Kinard St., Newberry, SC 29108.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry is assisting the family.

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J. William “Bill” Ballentine February 27, 2008

John William "Bill" Ballentine, 87, formerly of 2028 Glenn St., Newberry, died Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.
He was born on April 11, 1920 in Lexington County, the son of the late John Andrew and Carrie Corley Ballentine. He was a retired dairy farmer in the Jalapa Community of Newberry County. Mr. Ballentine had a life long passion for agriculture. As founder and curator of the Ballentine Farm Museum, he leaves the Newberry Community evidence of its rich farming history.
Mr. Ballentine was instrumental in organizing, promoting, and obtaining participation in Newberry County's Agri-Fest. He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Newberry County Farm Bureau and a member of the Bush River Young Farmers.
He was a member of Saint James Lutheran Church where he served as Youth Leader and Choir Member. Mr. Ballentine attended Newberry College and he continued to support the College with contributions to the Ballentine Scholarship Fund.
He is survived by his wife, Wynona Layton Terrell Ballentine of Newberry; a sister, Emma Julia Sease of Newberry; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by four sisters, Gladys Long, Virginia Crosson, Elizabeth Long and Mary Lou Reeves.
Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 PM Saturday at St. James Lutheran Church by the Rev. Rodney Gunter. Interment was in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to the St. James Lutheran Church, 228 Jalapa Road, Newberry, SC 29108.
Active pallbearers were John Long, Paul B. Long, Charles Irons, William Irons, George Reeves, Clyde Reeves, Don Layton, Kent Layton, and Tim Milstead.
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, is assisting the family.

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Coy C. Johnson February 26, 2008

Coy C. Johnson, 87, of 1606 Emory St., Whitmire, died Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at his residence.
He was born on Aug. 31, 1920 in Black Water, VA, a son of the late J. Emmett and Virgie Lawson Johnson. He was an Army veteran of WW II and was a retired employee of J. P Stevens. He was a member and Deacon of Friendship Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Edna Tyler Johnson of Whitmire and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted at 3:00 PM Friday at the Friendship Baptist Church by the Rev. Brice Castle and Rev. Horace Weathers. Interment was in the Whitmire Cemetery with military honors.
The family was at his residence and did receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday at Friendship Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to Friendship Baptist Church 503 Duckett Street, Whitmire, S.C. 29178 or to Palmetto Health Hospice Post Office Box 352 Newberry, S.C. 29108.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry is assisting the family.

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Jean Jennings Eargle February 23, 2008

Private family services were held for Jean Jennings Eargle, 82, of Prosperity who died Saturday, February 23, 2008. The body has been cremated.
Mrs. Eargle was born on November 4, 1925, in Roanoke, Virginia. She was adopted by Wilma and Harry Jennings when she was less than a year old and was cherished by them.
She graduated from the old Ridgeville High School and from Furman University, obtaining a master’s degree from the University of Alabama. She began teaching reading at Carlisle Military School in Bamberg, SC in 1956, then moved to Dade County, Florida in 1961 where she was the Faculty Union Representative for Parkway Junior High School until her retirement in 1984. She did some professional writing and served as a permanent substitute in Cobb County, Georgia, especially enjoying that challenge.
Mrs. Eargle was the loving wife of Guy Eargle of Prosperity for more than 60 years. She was the proud mother of a daughter, Jean Logan of Prosperity and three sons, Guy, Jr. and Richard, both of Atlanta, GA. and William Grayson. “Billy Gray” died in 1972. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Kristen DeWine, Shannon Lindsay, and Ryan Finney, as well as two great-grandchildren, Grace Lindsay and Christopher DeWine.
“Let me live in a house by the side of a road and be a friend to many.”
A scholarship to Furman University will be established in her memory.
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, is assisting the family.

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Edward H. "Eddie" Shealy Tuesday, February 19, 2007

Edward H. “Eddie” Shealy, 60, of 975 Highway 121, Silverstreet, died Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at the Lexington Medical Center.
He was born in Newberry on August 26, 1947, a son of the late Hugh O. and Virginia Banks Shealy. He was an Army veteran.
Eddie was retired from the City of Newberry as a Maintenance Supervisor after 26 years of service. He received his certification in waste water treatment through Clemson University.
He is survived by his fiancé, Patricia Amick of Silverstreet; his daughter and son-in-law, Tanja P. and Jamie Lusk of Batesburg; his grandchildren, Jonathan Edward Lusk and Jordan Elizabeth Lusk; two sisters, Bertha (William) Abell of Newberry and Linda S. (Jackie Ray) Robinson of N. August, SC; his brother Tracy O. Shealy (R. David Hawkins) of Lexington; a nephew and three nieces. He was predeceased by his son, Pascal E. Shealy.
Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 P.M. Saturday at Whitaker Funeral Home by Pastor Eddie Bledsoe. Interment was in Newberry Memorial Gardens.
Visitation was from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society,
% Helen Beebe, 181 Tailers Trail, Leesville, SC 29070.
Active pallbearers will be Danny Cook, cliff Hixon, Donnie Beck, Larry Paquin, Mike Paquin, Angelo Paquin and Andy Longshore.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, SC is assisting the family.

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Christopher Grover February 15, 2008

Christopher Grover, 64 of Newberry, died Friday, February 15, 2008 at his residence.
Mr. Grover was born in Texas and was a retired employee of Work Service Incorporated.
Private graveside funeral services were held Thursday, February 21, 2008 in Rosemont Cemetery.
Whitaker Funeral Home in Newberry assisted.

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Evie Tucker Ford February 18, 2008

Evie Tucker Ford., 84, formerly of Gaston, widow of Roy L. Ford, died Monday, at The Lowman Home in White Rock.
She was born on July 20, 1923 in Aragon, GA., a daughter of the late William T. and Lula Mae Allred Tucker.
Mrs. Ford is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Bettie and Earl Hightower of Gaston, Brenda and Tony Thompson of Early Branch, Libby F. Lipscomb of Prosperity and Sharon and Mike Morris of St. Mathews; her son and daughter-in-law, Lawrence and Tye Ford of Richmond, Texas; her sister, Doris Knight of Sandy Run; 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 PM Thursday at Whitaker Funeral Home by the Rev. Jerry Ford.
Interment was in West Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Buffalo, SC.
Visitation will be Thursday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM prior to the funeral service
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry is assisting the family.

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Daniel H. Hamm, Jr. February, 17, 2008

Daniel H. Hamm, Jr., 88, of 1330 Kinard St., Newberry, formerly of Prosperity, died Sunday, February, 17, 2008 at the Newberry County Memorial Hospital.
He was born in Newberry County, a son of the late Daniel H. and Nancy Stockman Hamm. He was the retired owner of Prosperity Furniture Company, being associated with the business for 58 years. He was a member of Wightman United Methodist Church, the Frances Asbury Sunday School Class, the Prosperity Civitan Club, and a member of the USC Gamecock Club for 58 years. Additionally he was a member and former President of the Southern Home Furnishing Association, which honored him with the Willis Award of Merit.
He is survived by a daughter, Susan Davis of Charleston; a son and daughter-in-law, Daniel H. and Martha Shell “Mot” Hamm, III of Myrtle Beach; two grandchildren, Shell Hamm Graham and Daniel H. Hamm, IV; and a great grandchild, Cameron Paige Morrison. He was predeceased by a brother, J. Walter Hamm.
Funeral services were conducted at 11:00 AM Wednesday at Wightman United Methodist Church by Rev. Michael Turner. Interment services was held in the Prosperity Cemetery.
Visitation was from 6 to 7 PM Tuesday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Wightman U.M.C. building Fund, PO Box 376, Prosperity, SC 29127.
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, is assisting the family.

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Elizabeth “Lib” Coates Jones February 17, 2008

Elizabeth “Lib” Coates Jones, 71, of Newberry, SC, widow of Coy Jones, Jr. died peacefully on Sunday, February 17, 2008, at the home of her daughter Millie in West Columbia, after a long, courageously fought battle against stroke and heart disease.
Mrs. Jones was born on September 17, 1936 in Newberry, the youngest daughter of the late James Felton and Mildred Ryals Coates.
Elizabeth graduated from Newberry High School and went on to study nursing at the South Carolina Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, in Columbia, SC. She graduated in the year 1958 under the famous Miss Lily Hardin, Superintendent of Nurses.
Elizabeth started her new career at The Old Newberry Hospital as a Medical-Surgical Nurse. It was here where she met a young patient by the name of Coy Jones Jr., who was to become her future husband and father to two beautiful girls.
Mrs. Jones continued her Nursing career at Saluda Nursing Center, where she served as Director of Nursing for 35 years. Adding to this already great responsibility as Director of Nursing, wife and mother, Elizabeth and Coy were partners with her sister Margaret and her late brother-in-law Vernon Sheppard Sr. in the Newberry Antique and Auction Barn Company, which stands strong to this day after 36 years. She was a member of Glenn St. Baptist Church.
Elizabeth’s strong, humble, Christian commitment to the care of the elderly and the sick during their final years embodied true, unconditional love. The same love she gave to all those who were touched by her presence, was returned to her during her final struggle.
Many thanks to Agape Home Hospice for allowing Elizabeth to experience the divine gift of peacefully entering into her Father’s House, while her children and loved ones supported her. The family also would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts from the staff of Home Care Solutions and particularly the love provided by owner Heather.
Elizabeth is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Millie and Jeff Kestner of West Columbia, SC and Coye Beth and Bernardo Velasquez of Newberry; two grandchildren, Samantha Morgan Kestner and Jonathan Cannon Kestner both of West Columbia; two sisters, Margaret Sheppard and Ruby Hughes of Newberry and six brothers, James of Newberry, Jack and Carl of West Virginia, Clyde of Lexington, Billy Mack of Batesburg and Dewey Coates of West Columbia.
Funeral services were conducted by Reverend Elton Dunbar at 3:00 PM Wednesday at the Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College St., Newberry. Interment did follow at Rosemont Cemetery.
The family was at the residence of her sister, Margaret Sheppard, 2903 Nance St., Newberry and will receive friends from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Glenforest School, 1041 Harbor Drive, West Columbia, 29169 and Agape Hospice Services 2705 Leaphart Drive, West Columbia 29169.
Active pallbearers were Dan Schon, Dustin Coates, Donny Lominack, Tony Jones, Brian Pruitt, Jeff Hunter, Rob Byrd, Eric Miller, Vernon Sheppard Jr. and Neal Coates. Honorary Pallbearers were devoted employees of Saluda Nursing Center.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, is assisting the family.

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