July 2004

Mary Frick Riddle July 27, 2004

Mary Frick Riddle, 92, of 1455 Wheeland Road, Little Mountain, widow of G. Irby Riddle, died Tuesday, July 27, 2004 at her residence.
Mrs. Riddle was born on Nov. 22, 1911 in the Wheeland Community of Newberry County, a daughter of the late Samuel J. and Betty Lake Frick. She was a member of the St. Peter’s (Pineywood) Lutheran Church, the W.E.L.C.A. and Primetimer’s.
Mrs. Riddle is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Louis and Frances Riddle, Heyward and Mary Jo Riddle, and Wayne and Bonnie Riddle, a daughter-in-law, Barbara Riddle, all of Little Mountain; thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a daughter, Dorothy Riddle Shealy, a son, Russell Riddle, and a grandson, Kenneth Shealy.
Funeral services for Mary Frick Riddle will be conducted at 11:00 Friday at St. Peter’s (Pineywood) Lutheran Church by the Rev. David Tholstrup. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday at the Whitaker Funeral Home, Chapin. The family will be at the residence, 1455 Wheeland Road, Little Mountain.
Active pallbearers will be Grandsons.
Memorials may be made to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 900 Dreher Island Road, Chapin, SC 29036 or to The Gideon’s International, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800.
Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, 939 Chapin Road, Chapin, SC is assisting the family.

Top of Page

Hugh Farley Longshore, Jr. July 17, 2004

Hugh Farley Longshore, Jr. 78, of 899 Pine Meadow Road, Newberry, widower of Earline Mack Longshore, died Thursday, July 15, 2004 at his residence.
Mr. Longshore was born in Newberry County on March 22, 1926, a son of the late Hugh F. Longshore, Sr. and Eunice Livingston Longshore. He was a graduate of Clemson College and was an Army veteran of World War II. He was retired from the Soil Conservation Service with 29 years of service and in 1994 he was co-founder of Longshore Surveying. He was a member of New Chapel United Methodist Church, the Silverstreet Ruritan Club and a life time member of the Republican Committee.
Mr. Longshore is survived by his daughters and son-in-law, Krista L and Sam Kell of Columbia and Jennifer E. Longshore of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Hugh F. Longshore, III and Elizabeth Longshore of Newberry; a sister, Virginia Medlock of Newberry; and a brother, Donald L. Longshore of Newberry; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Hugh Farley Longshore, Jr. will be conducted at 2:00 P. M. Sunday, at the Whitaker Funeral Home by the Rev. Hugh Bickley. Internment will be in the Newberry Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 4:00 to 5:30 P. M. on Saturday at Whitaker Funeral Home. The family will be at the residence, 899 Pine Meadow Road, Newberry.
Memorials may be made to the New Chapel United Methodist Church, c/o Julia Lake, 162 Pine Meadows Road, Newberry, SC 29108 or to the American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate, PO Box 5216, Glen Allen, PA 23058-5216
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.

Top of Page

Donald William Vriezelaar July 11, 2004

Donald William Vriezelaar, 61, of 70 Hunter Lane, Prosperity, died Sunday, July 11, 2004 at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Vriezelaar was born on June 20, 1943 in Myrtle Beach, a son of Margaret McRee Hunter Vriezelaar and the late Donald W Vriezelaar. Mr. Vriezelaar retired from U. S Air Force, with 23 years of service as a Lt. Colonel. He was a graduate of The Citadel, Class of 1965.
Mr. Vriezelaar is survived by his mother of Prosperity; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cammi and Greg Bell of Mill Valley, CA and Jodie and Chris Jeffery of Savannah, GA; two sons and daughters-in-law, Daren and Laura Vriezelaar of Oak Point, TX and Job and Jennifer Jeffery of Gaston, SC: a sister, Carrie V. Cole of Sn Antonio, TX; nine grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Carolyn Ruth Henderson Vriezelaar, who died on June 30, 2003.
Graveside funeral service with full military honors for Donald W. Vriezelaar will be conducted at 11:00 A. M. Wednesday at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Cemetery by Rev. Art Hallman and Rev. Delano Ricard.
Memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 4056 St. Lukes Church Road, Prosperity, SC 29127.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry, is assisting the family.

Top of Page

Mary Friend O'Mara July 9, 2004

Mary Friend O’Mara, 90, widow of Fred B. O'Mara, of J. F. Hawkins Healthcare, died Friday, July 9, 2004 at J. F. Hawkins Heathcare in Newberry, SC.
Mrs. O’Mara was born on July 5, 1914 in Indianapolis, IN, a daughter of the late Robert T. and Anna Bartmess Friend. She was a member of Central United Methodist Church, Newberry, SC and a 1937 graduate of Purdue University.
Mrs. O’Mara is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ann and Walt Rybak of Toano, VA; a son and daughter-in-law, Fred F. and Frances O’Mara of Silverstreet, SC; a sister, Josephine F. Christena of Glendale Heights, IL; two brothers, Robert B Friend of Pittsburgh, PA and Paul E. Friend of Pinehurst, NC; six grandchildren, Holly Rybak of Williamsburg, VA, Paul Rybak of San Diego, CA, Heather Rybak of Toana, VA, Kelly Wiseman of Charlotte, NC, Mike O’Mara of Birmingham, AL, and Katy O’Mara of Atlanta, GA, and a great grandson, Jack Wiseman of Charlotte, NC. She was predeceased by a sister, Charlotte F. Stewart, three brothers, Lloyd F. Friend, Raymond T. Friend, Robert T. Friend, Jr.
Visitation will be from 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. Sunday at the Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, SC.
Graveside funeral services will be at 3:00 P. M. Tuesday at the Dayton Cemetery, Dayton, IN.
Memorials may be a made to Central United Methodist Church Capital Fund, P. O. Box 67, Newberry, SC 29108.
Hippensteel Funeral Home, 822 North 9th Street, Lafayette, IN. in charge of the graveside service in Dayton, IN.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College Street, Newberry is assisting the family.

Top of Page

G. Stuart Leslie July 8, 2004

Gordon Stuart Leslie, IV, 20, of 1404 Chapman Dr. died Thursday July 8, 2004 at his residence.
Mr. Leslie was born on Dec. 5, 1983, in Lexington Co., S.C., a son of Marie Rodelsperger Whatley and the late G Stuart Leslie, III. He was a chemistry major at Newberry College before transferring to the University of South Carolina to continue his studies.
Mr. Leslie is survived by his mother and stepfather, George O. Whatley of the home; a brother David B. Leslie of the home; maternal grandparents, Fred and Lib Rodelsperger of Newberry; and paternal grandparents, Gordon and Miriam Leslie of Newberry.
Funeral services for Stuart Leslie will conducted Sunday, July 11, 2004 at 2:00 P.M. at the First Baptist Church by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Harmon. Interment will be in Rosemont Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Saturday at the Whitaker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Helen Beebe, 181 Tailers Trail, Leesville, SC 29070 or to Westview Behavioral Health Services, 800 Main St., Newberry, S.C. 29108.
Active pallbearers will be Russell Vedder, Eddie Rodelsperger, Randy Senn, Stuart Britt, Blake Britt,Jason Bundrick, and Jeff Hunter.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com.
Whitaker Funeral Home, 1704 College St., Newberry is assisting the family with local arrangements.

Top of Page

John E. "Gene" Norris July 6, 2004

John E. “Gene” Norris, 72, Educator, Mentor, and Friend, of 2430 Main Street, Newberry, and also of Beaufort, died Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at Lexington Medical Center.
Mr. Norris was born on Dec. 16, 1931 in Newberry, a son of the late Eugene Edward and Reba Lorick Norris. He was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Newberry and St. Helena’s Church in Beaufort. He was retired from the Beaufort School System where he taught English and served as a Guidance Counselor.
He was graduated from Newberry College, did graduate work at Boston University and received a Master’s Degree from the University of Georgia.
He was a leader in the Beaufort County Historical Society and the South Carolina Historical Society. He was a past-president of the S.C. Council of Teachers of English and in 2004 was given the Richard W. Riley Award for his outstanding service to the organization. In 2003, he was named S.C. Ambassador for Economic Development by Gov. Mark Sanford. His most lasting legacy is reflected in the generations of students he taught and counseled. Notably among these is Pat Conroy who championed Gene Norris in many of his works of fiction as well as non-fiction.
Mr. Norris is survived by his cousins: Ruby Norris Morgan (Douglas ) MacDonald, David E.Lorick, Jr (Linda), Gloria L. Pleger (Karl), John L. Lorick (Cindy), Carroll J. Lorick (Susan). Also, Norris Long (Michelle), Elizabeth K. Long, Michael David Lorick, Cynthia L. Pace (David), Geneva Lorick, Eleanor Lorick, Timothy Lorick (Dana), David Pleger, and Emily Pleger and one aunt by marriage, Eugenia Calliston Norris.


Funeral services for John Eugene Norris will be conducted at 12:00 Noon Saturday, July 10, 2004 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church by the Rev. Michael Jones and the Rev. Liz Dowling. Interment will be in Rosemont Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:30 AM Saturday at the Whitaker Funeral Home
Memorials may be made to The Gene Norris Educational Scholarship at Beaufort High School, 84 Sea Island Parkway , Beaufort, S.C. 29902
Active pallbearers will be Norris Long, Michael Lorick, Willie Rivera, Mike Sargent, Elgin Atchinson, and Joe Simpkins.
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.

Top of Page