U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Gussie C. Wells
Gussie Coleman Wells, 69, wife of Dan Wells Jr., died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007, at Clarendon Memorial Hospital, Manning.
Born April 24, 1938, she was a daughter of the late Richard Coleman and Lucy Jones Coleman.
She received her formal education in Sumter County.
Survivors include her husband, Dan Wells Jr. of Sumter County; a niece and caregiver, Dellar (Wallace) Demery of New Zion; two sisters, Mozella (George) Conyers of Sumter and Mozell (James) Moneyham of New Zion; three brothers, Leroy Coleman and Albert Coleman of Sumter and Ezekiel (Rose) Coleman of Fort Myers, Fla.
She was preceded in death by two brothers.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Dec. 10, 2007, at Hayes F. Samuels Sr. and LaNelle J. Samuels Memorial Chapel in Manning, with the Rev. Carnell Hampton, pastor, officiating.
Burial followed in Manning Cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of arrangements.
William Ross Butler
FLORENCE –William Ross Butler, 63, of Florence, husband of Becky Hammond Butler, died Monday Dec. 31, 2007, at his residence. He was born January 9, 1944, in Alcolu, to the late Irvin S. and Laneal Arant Butler, Sr.
Mr. Butler worked with the Clarendon County Disabilities and Special Needs in high risk management. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of Southside Baptist Church, where he served on the media team.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are: daughter, Lori (Sam) Sowers of Atlanta, , GA; two granddaughters, Samantha and Hanna; brothers, Irvin S.(Betty) Butler, Jr. of Huntsville, Ala. and John A. (Diane) Butler of Lawrenceville, Ga.
A memorial service was held on Friday, January 4, 2008, in Southside Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Jim Crooks.
Memorials may be made to Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 1178, Greenwood S.C. 29648.
Cain Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Ethan Lee Lynch
ELGIN – Ethan Lee Lynch, 2, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007. Born in Camden, he was the son of Lee Roy Lynch Jr. and Carolyn Lorraine Britt. He loved playing ball and riding his new four wheeler. His life brought much joy and he was all boy.
Surviving are his mother of Elgin; father of Manning; paternal grandparents, Beatrice and Lee Lynch Sr.; maternal grandparents, Shirley Suarez and Ivan Odell Britt; maternal great-grandmother, Sarah Martin; aunts and uncles, Jackie and Andy Watts, Charlie Lynch, and Beverly Hawkins; and numerous cousins.
A Celebration of Life service for Ethan was held on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008, at Powers Funeral Home in Lugoff.
Burial followed in Springvale Baptist Church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Ethan L. Lynch Memorial Fund, c/o First Community Bank, 631 West DeKalb St., Camden, SC 29020.
Powers Funeral Home of Lugoff was in charge of the arrangements.
Tracy A. McKenzie Jr.
Tracy Albert “T.J.” McKenzie Jr., 20, died Friday, Dec. 28, 2007, at his home in Charlotte, N.C.
Born Jan. 13, 1987, in Manning, he was the son of Jacqueline Billie McKenzie and the late Tracy Albert McKenzie Sr. He was also looked upon as a son by Jackie J. Rouse of Darlington. Tracy received his early childhood education from the public schools of Sumter County.
He leaves to cherish his memories: his mother, Jacqueline Billie McKenzie of Sumter; one son, Camarie Zion McKenzie of Charlotte; three brothers, Joey Billie, Tyrell McKenzie and Quinton Rouse; three sisters, Courtney Rouse, Iieshna Rouse and Denisha McDuffie; maternal grandparents, Joseph Billie and Annette Billie (Roy) Stocks; paternal grandmother, Catherine B. McKenzie; aunts, Roselyn Billie, Mary McKenzie and Johnie McKenzie; uncles, John Davis (Beverly), Sgt. Jermaine Billie of Iraq, Jeremy Billie, Willie J. (Hattie) McKenzie, Curtis McKenzie, Willie L. McKenzie, George McKenzie, Freddie (Vicky) McKenzie and Lincoln McKenzie; one nephew, Jayden Andres Billie; cousins, Rachaud Pendelton, Jari Billie, Rakwon Johnson, DaKwon Johnson and Jamie Billie; a special friend, Brittney Moore of Charlotte; other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Tracy A. McKenzie Sr., and grandfather, George McKenzie.
Funeral services were held on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008 at the John Wesley Williams Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home Inc. in Sumter, with Brother Frank Bruce officiating, eulogist, assisted by Brother James Tate.
Floral bearers and pallbearers were friends of the family.
Burial was in the Congruity Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Williams Funeral Home Inc. of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.
Jason Murray
Jason Murray, 29, died Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia.
Born Jan. 5, 1978, in Manning, he was a son of Charles Murray and Alice Caldwell Murray.
He received his formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County and graduated from Manning High School in 1996. He was active in sports, playing football for Manning High School. He attended Central Carolina Technical College, Sumter. He was employed with Prime Trucking Inc. of Springfield, Mo.
Survivors are his parents, Charles (Diane Witherspoon) Murray of Manning and Alice Caldwell (Ernest Hilton) Murray of Manning; five sons, JaVon Murray, Micah Green and Darius Cantey, all of Manning, Tyler Murray of Fayetteville, N.C., and Alijah Ja Murray of Amarillo, 
Texas; a daughter, Alisia Murray of Amarillo; a sister, Melissa (George) Murray-Waites of Florence; and paternal grandmother, Fannie Murray of Foreston.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Jan. 7, 2008, at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Manning, with the Rev. George P. Windley, pastor, the Rev. Northern Miller, presiding, the Rev. Northern Miller, eulogist, and the Revs. Harry Robinson and Eddie Lesaine assisting.
Burial was in Junky Yard Cemetery, Foreston community, Manning.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Everlina B. Simmons
CHARLOTTE, NC – Everlina Bethune Simmons, 59, widow of Grant Simmons Sr., died Friday, Dec. 21, 2007, at Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte.
Born Aug. 2, 1948, in Clarendon County, she is the daughter of the Rev. Etherleen McKinney Bethune and the late James Bethune Sr.
She obtained her education in the public schools of Clarendon County and furthered her education at Taylor Business School in New York. She later received a degree in hotel-restaurant management from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.
She is survived by her mother, the Rev. Etherleen Bethune; one son, James Earl Simmons Jr., of Charlotte; three brothers, Clinton (Debra) Bethune, James (Conston) Bethune, all of Manning and Willie (Judith) Bethune of New Zion; one sister, Gretser (Tracey) Rush of Lithonia, Ga.; and one grandson, Jordan.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007, at Howard Chapel AME Church in New Zion with Elders Jospeh Postell and Juenarrl Keith, and the Revs. Alfred Bradley, Eddie Mays, Ethel Sweat, Effie Hilton and Charles Smith.
Burial followed at the Howard Chapel AME Church Cemetery.
Fleming and DeLaine Funeral Home of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Charles Council Jr.
Charles Council Jr., 38, died Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008, in West Memphis, Ark.
He was born April 12, 1969, in Philadelphia, Pa., a son of the late Charles Council Sr. and Wilma Ann White.
He received his formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County and graduated from Manning High School in 1986. In his youth, he attended Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. He was employed with Werners Enterprise.
He is survived by three sons, Marcus Witherspoon, Daiveon Witherspoon and Charles T. Witherspoon, all of Manning; and three daughters, Nigeira Fishe of Philadelphia, Andrea Neikay Walters of Manning and Hayzia Brown of Columbia.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, at Hayes F. and LaNelle J. Samuels Sr. Memorial Chapel in Manning, with the Rev. George P. Windley officiating.
Burial followed in the Manning Cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Joanne D. Nelson
ATLANTA, Ga. – Joanne Dingle Nelson, 43, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, at South Fulton Medical Center, East Point, Ga.
Born Dec. 7, 1964, in Manning, she was the biological daughter of the late Emanuel Dingle and Lula Mae Ragin Dingle and she was reared by Ludie Richardson and Sarah Jane Ragin Richardson. She received her formal education in the public schools of Clarendon County and graduated from Scott’s Branch High School in 1983. She accepted Christ as her Savior and joined Historic Liberty Hill AME Church. She was employed with the Wachovia Bank and Kroger Food Stores in Atlanta.
She is survived by two sons, Ervin Nelson IV and Trevon Nelson of the home; four brothers, Abie Dingle of Columbia, James (Lilliese) Dingle and Londell Charles, both of Summerton, and Anthony Richardson of Knoxville, Tenn.; nine sisters, Dorothy Gardner of Baltimore, Md., Lillie (Thornell) Brunson, Ada Pearson, Helen Dingle, Juanita (Jerome) Oliver and Joyce Dingle, all of Manning, Mary Alice Hart and Diane (Leroy) Lawson, both of Summerton, and Haney Mae Richardson of Winston-Salem, N.C.; five aunts; three uncles; and one grandaunt.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Queen E. Caraway and Daisy Richardson.
Funeral services were held on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church in Summerton, with the Rev. Dr. Melvin Capers, pastor, officiating, assisting the Rev. Rosa M. Fulton, Elder James Brunson and the Rev. Martha Richburg.
Burial followed in the churchyard cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Colleen Kent Plowden
Colleen Kent Plowden, 84, widow of James Covert Plowden, Jr., passed away on Feb. 5, 2008, in Hospice of Charleston.
Born Sept. 26, 1923, in Sumter, she was the daughter of the late Clarence Samuel Kent and the late Alma Ruth Shumaker Kent Pendergast. A graduate of Edmunds High School, she was a charter member of New Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she worked as church secretary until her retirement in 1995.
Surviving are a son, James C. Plowden III of Charleston; granddaughter, Laura Kent Plowden of Charleston; and a large circle of loving friends.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, in New Covenant Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Charles C. Tyler officiating.
Burial followed in Manning Cemetery.
Deacons served as pallbearers.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Charleston, 3870 Leeds Avenue, Suite 101, N. Charleston, S.C. 29405.
Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
Geneva F. Bland
LAURENS – Geneva Brown Fulton Bland, 79, wife of Joseph Bland and widow of Sidney “S.B.” Fulton Jr., died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, at her husband’s residence in Laurens.
Born Dec. 12, 1928, in Elloree, she was a daughter of the late Robert Brown Jr. and Serena Drayton Brown. She received her formal education at J.K. Gourdin School in Russellville and was a graduate of Morris College, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in education. She taught in Berkeley County and Clarendon School District 3 at Walker Gamble High School and East Clarendon Elementary School. She retired from Clarendon School District 3.
She was a faithful member of Melina Presbyterian Church, serving as an elder and a member of the session, Presbyterian women and many other organizations.
She is survived by her husband, Joseph Bland of Laurens; two sons, Sidney B. (Jacquelyn) Fulton III of Orangeburg and Gregory Fulton of Sardinia; a sister, Sherlyn (Joseph) Whitten of Pineville; a brother, Mervin (DeBorah) Brown of Charleston; three grandchildren, Sidney B. Fulton IV, Brittany C. Fulton and Sherry McPhalind; a great-grandson, Kajuan Richardson; three sisters-in-law; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, other family members and close friends.
She was preceded in death by two daughters.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, at Melina Presbyterian Church in Gable, with the Rev. Carnell Hampton, pastor, officiating.
Burial followed in the churchyard cemetery.
Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of the arrangements.
