April 2004

Erskine Taylor Shealy April 25, 2004

Erskine Taylor Shealy of Aiken, died Sunday, April 25, 2004, at St. Joseph Hospital in Augusta, GA.
Mr. Shealy was born on July 23, 1930 in Newberry, a son of the late Claude Erskine and Ruth Taylor Shealy.
Mr. Shealy was a veteran of the U. S. Air Force. He was retired employee of DuPont, Inc. and a realtor, employed by ERA Realty. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aiken.
Mr. Shealy is survived by his wife, Jean Gibson Shealy of the home; two daughters and sons in-law, Ann S. and Allen Lay and Allison S. and Carl Wolhaupter, all of Madison, TN; two grandchildren, Wendy Miller and Jeremy Miller, both of Madison, TN; four sisters, Lurlee Fellers, Juanita Vousden, Elzetta Mixon, all of Columbia and Ruth Merle Hawkins of West Columbia. He was preceased by a sister, Elizabeth Shealy Chandler.
Memorial services will be conducted at 2:00 P. M. Wednesday at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aiken by Pastor John Wertz and Pastor Robert Snyder. Interment will be at 5:00 P. M. Wednesday in Rosemont Cemetery in Newberry by Rev. Steven B. Counts.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 961 Trail Ridge Road, Aiken, SC 29803, or the American Heart Association, 1003 Hammond Road, Aiken, SC 29803 or the American Cancer Society, 115 Greenville St. SW, Aiken, SC 29801.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry, SC, is assisting the family.

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Mary Blair Long April 20, 2004

Mary Blair Long, 93, of 3401 Stoney Battery Road, Newberry, widow of Bennie Lee “Ben” Long, died Tuesday, April 20, 2004 at the Providence Hospital in Columbia.
Mrs. Long was born on November 9, 1910 in Newberry County, a daughter of the late George and Nancy
Frances Hamm Blair. She was a member of Smyrna Presbyterian Church, Adult Sunday School Class and the Afternoon Circle.
Mrs. Long a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great, great grandmother. She is survived by five daughters and two sons-in-law, Betty and Raymond Kyzer and Linda and Elliott Mayer, all of Newberry, Sylvia Miller of Myrtle Beach, Karen Long of Chapin and Marsha Long of Shelby, NC; three son and daughters-in-law, Gerald and Fredia Long of Shallotte, NC, Joel and Gloria Long of Newberry and Phillip and Kathie Long of Anderson; four sisters, Patricia Aull of Cayce, Faye Bozard of West Columbia, Doris Cromer of Morrow, GA and Edna Hancock of Duluth, GA; a brother, Thomas Blair of Lugoff; a sister-in-law, Margaret Blair of Charlotte; thirteen grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; and a great-great grandson.
Funeral services for Mary Blair Long will be conducted at 3:00 P. M. Thursday at the Whitaker Funeral Home by the Rev. Scott Hill. Interment will be in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:30 P.M. Thursday at the Whitaker Funeral Home. The family will be at her residence, 3401 Stoney Battery Road, Newberry.
Memorials may be to Smyrna Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 32 Smyrna Road, Newberry, SC 29108 or to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund, 4056 St. Luke’s Church Road, Prosperity, SC 29127.
Active pallbearers will be Guerry Mayer, Blair Long, Derek Long, Wayne Long, Ricky Richardson, Phillip “Doc” Long and Dean Dickert.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry, SC is assisting the family.

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Gloria Abrams Parks April 9,2004

Gloria Abrams Parks, 100, formerly of Newberry, widow of the late William R. Parks, died Friday April 9, 2004 at the Wesley Highland Manor in Memphis TN.
Mrs. Parks was born in Newberry County, a daughter of the late C. Ivy and Sallie Reagin Abrams. She was retired 5th grade school teacher, having taught for over 35 years in North Carolina and South Carolina. She was a graduate of Newberry College and she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Newberry
Mrs. Parks is survived by two daughters, Doris P. Williams of Enid, OK and Gloria P Watts of Memphis, TN; one sister, Sara Runnion of Greenville; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services for Gloria A. Parks will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Saturday in Rosemont Cemetery by the Rev. R. Douglas Williams and the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Harmon.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be sent to the First Baptist Church, 1020 Boundary St., Newberry, SC 29108 or to a charity of one’s choice.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry, is assisting the family.

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Gary Joe Brown April 13, 2004

Gary Joe Brown, 28, of 9 Glenn Street, Newberry, died Tuesday, April 13, 2004 at the Newberry County Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Brown was born on November 26, 1975 in Newberry, a son of Merroll Moore Brown and the late Joe W. Brown. He was a member of Glenn Street Baptist Church and employed by the Newberry Industries. He was a 1995 graduate of Newberry High School. Gary’s special love was decorating for Christmas, Easter and Walt Disney.
Mr. Brown is survived by his mother, Merroll Moore Brown of the home; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Frances B. and Gregg McLeod of Rock Hill and Donna B. Felicinio of Norris Town, PA; a brother and sister-in-law, Barry Joe and Carla B. Brown of Prosperity; 3 nieces and 4 nephews; and very special best friends, Hubert and Olivia Snipes.
Funeral services for Gary Joe Brown will be conducted at 4:00 PM Friday at Glenn St. Baptist Church by the Rev. Todd Kirkland and the Rev. Eric Fink. Interment will be in Newberry Memorial Gardens
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Thursday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Glenn St. Baptist Church, 300 Glenn St. Newberry SC 29108.
Active pallbearers will Terry Snipes, James Amick, William Lever, P.K. Fuller, Perry Willis, Donnie Brown, Josh Beck, and Heath Simpson.
Honorary pallbearers will be friends and employees of Newberry Industries, Carolyn Lever, Kay Snipes, Marsha Amick, Peggy Marlowe, Tina Magaha, Nancy Thornhill, Danielle Beck, Teresa Maybank, Jack Miller, Reba Brooks, James Wilson, and Chrystal Carnes.
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry, SC is assisting the family.

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L. Kenneth Long April 11, 2004

L. Kenneth Long, 94, of 4593 Bush River Road, Newberry, died Sunday, April 11, 2004 at the Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill.
Mr. Long was born on May 10, 1909 in Newberry County, a son of the late James Robert and Mary Abrams Long and a stepson of the late Ethel Folk Long. Until his death, he was the oldest member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, where he was a former member of the Congregational Council, a former Sunday School Superintendent, and a member and former President of the Men’s Bible Class. He was a 1931 graduate of Newberry College. He was a retired farmer and a charter member of the Bush River Young Farmers and a charter member of the Bush River Volunteer Fire Department.
Mr. Long is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth Gnann Long of the home, a daughter, Mary Long Thomas of Clover; a son and daughter-in-law, James Gnann and Susan Jackson Long of Clover; four grandchildren, Laura Thomas Clinton of Clover, Rebecca Thomas Suchenski of New Bern, NC, Kenneth William Long and Robert Jackson Long, both of Clover. He was predeceased by a brother, James Claude Long.
Funeral services for L. Kenneth Long will be conducted at 2:00 P. M. Wednesday at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer by the Rev. Steven B. Counts and the Rev. Alvin Haigler. Interment will be in Newberry Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 7:00 to 8:30 P. M. Tuesday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, PO Box 382, Newberry, SC 29108 or to the charity of one’s choice.
Active pallbearers will be Perry Folk, Albert Gnann, Satch Krantz, Bob Long, James E. Long, and Richard Nizzi.
Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Men’s Bible Class.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College St., Newberry, SC is assisting the family.

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Walter Davis, Jr. April 2, 2004

Walter Davis, Jr., 79, of 109 Floy Street, Spartanburg, died Friday, April 2, 2004, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in Spartanburg.
Mr. Davis was born on August 4, 1924 in Greenville, a son of the late Walter and Callie Mosteller Davis. He was an Army veteran of World War II, having served in the Normandy Invasion and Northern France.
Mr. Davis was a retired employee of Southern Bell Telephone Company, having 35 years of service. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and a member of the Seekers Sunday School Class. He was a former Deacon and a former Sunday School Teacher. He was a volunteer of Mobile Meals.
Mr. Davis was a member of Telephone Pioneers and served on the Board of SC Telco Credit Union. After retirement he worked with for First Union Bank in the communication Department.
Mr. Davis is survived by his wife, Nell Hollingsworth Davis of the home; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Denie and Don Crowder of Moore, Pam and Don Corley of Travelers Rest, Sandy Davis of Charleston and Robin and Buddy Youmans of Greenville; seven grandchildren, Reagan Crowder, Theron Crowder, Claire Crowder, Kristen Crowder, Bryan Corley, Laura Corley and Raleigh Youmans; one great-grandson, Davis Crowder.
Funeral services for Walter Davis, Jr., will be conducted at 2:00 P. M. Monday at the First Baptist Church in Spartanburg by the Rev. Robert Morgan, the Rev. Dr. Alastair Walker, and the Rev. Dr. Kirk Neely. Entombment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P. M. Sunday at the Dining Hall in the First Baptist Church in Spartanburg. The family will be at the residence, 109 Floy Street, Spartanburg.
Memorials may be to the Mobile Meals, 419 E. Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302, American Diabetes Association, 2211 Middleburg Dr., Columbia, SC 29204 or Clemson University Foundation, PO Box 345601, Clemson, SC 29634.
Active pallbearers will be Buddy Youmans, Don Crowder, Don Corley, Theron Crowder, Raleigh Youmans, Eric West, and Bryan Corley.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry is assisting the family.

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