Judge Thomas Joseph DeZern
Judge Thomas Joseph DeZern, 92, passed away on Thursday, January 25, 2024. Born in Duncan, he was the son of the late Clyde Lee and Virginia Dare McCracken DeZern. Judge DeZern practiced law in Spartanburg County before being appointed a judge in Spartanburg County in 1974. He was the Master In Equity in Spartanburg County until his retirement in 1997. He was a veteran of the US Air Force and adjunct professor through the years at Wofford College and Spartanburg Methodist College.
Survivors include his nephews, Robby DeZern and wife, Denise of Alpharetta GA and Eddie DeZern of Saltville, VA; a niece, Sheri DeZern of Surfside Beach, SC; a great-nephew, Aaron Daniels and wife, Stephaine of Duncan; two great-nieces, Christy DeZern of Woodruff and Bridget Morrison and husband, Bruce of Wilson County, NC; and a number of great-great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two brothers, William “Bill” DeZern and Robert “Bob” DeZern.
The family will receive friends from 1PM until 3PM on Saturday, February 03, 2024 at Stribling Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Spartanburg Regional Hospice House 686 Jeff Davis Drive Spartanburg SC 29303.
Condolences may be made at www.striblingfuneralhome.net
Holman Cleveland Gossett Jr.
February 22, 1948 – July 18, 2023
Holman Cleveland Gossett, Jr, age 75, died Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at his home in
Greenwood, SC. He was diagnosed with ALS in June of 2022, but with his strong faith,
and devoted family by his side, was able to walk and converse until the end.
Faith and family were Holman’s greatest passions. Always active, he loved tennis, and
played regularly. He enjoyed spending time every summer with his family at Lake Rabun
in Georgia. A much loved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, he will be remembered
often by many, and with the deepest affection.
Holman was born on February 22, 1948, in Spartanburg, SC. He attended Pine Street
Elementary School, and Spartanburg High School, as did his children. He met his future
wife, Dianne, his freshman year at Wofford College. She had cut his picture out of the
freshman class orientation book and told her Converse roommate she had found her
future husband (before ever meeting Holman). That same year he pledged Pi Kappa
Alpha fraternity. Following graduation, Holman attended law school at the University of
South Carolina, graduating in 1973, and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar later that
year. He served as a lieutenant in the army reserves.
Holman returned home to Spartanburg and began working at the Solicitor’s Office for the
Seventh Judicial Circuit as an assistant solicitor. In 1984, he was elected Solicitor for the
Seventh Judicial Circuit, which comprises Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties. During his
sixteen-year tenure as Solicitor, Holman established the Victim’s Advocate program within
his Office, and instituted an automated case management system. He was a gifted trial
lawyer, who will be remembered for his compassion for the victims of crime and his
commitment to seeking justice. Following his service as Solicitor, he returned to the
private practice of law before retiring.
Holman was preceded in death by his parents, Holman Cleveland Gossett, Sr. and Fannie
Hicks Gossett, and his eldest daughter, Joy Constance Gossett.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dianne, five children, Hope Gossett Green, (Rick),
Cleveland Gossett, Molly Grace Gossett Morales, (David), Matthew King Gossett, and
Sarah Temple Gossett Hennessy, (William), and five grandchildren: Lilly Anna Green,
Kindall Joy Green, Hack Green, King Hennessy, and Hank Hennessy.
James (Jim) Clardy Cothran Jr.
James Clardy Cothran Jr. of Greenville County, passed away at age 79 on Friday June 3rd 2022 of natural causes at his home in Landrum S.C. A party in his remembrance will be held at his home Saturday, July 23rd. For information on attending the festivity, please contact his son Michael Cothran at 970-237-0801. Invitations will be sent out to those that Jim would think worthy of such an occasion.
Mr. Cothran was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1942 to Mrs. Mary Rhodes Cothran and James Clardy Cothran Sr. on the verge of the 2nd World War. James Sr. proudly served as a Captain in the war while his mother raised, he and his older sister Bee Bee Cothran in Charlotte, North Carolina. Soon after the war, Jim’s younger sister Lisa Cothran was born. Jim’s 2 sisters Bee Bee and Lisa preceded his death. Surviving Jim are his son Michael Glass Cothran, Michael’s wife Jaime C. Cothran, and his three children, Aidan Ireland Cothran (17), Callan Neil Cothran (6), and Lana Simone Cothran (2).
Jim attended Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC followed by the University of South Carolina for his undergraduate and graduate degrees as a Bachelor of Science in 1965, and obtaining his Juris Doctorate degree in 1968. After applying as an officer in the USMC, Jim was honorably discharged to also serve in the Airforce Reserves for several years during the Vietnam war.
The members of Sigma Qi fraternity at Georgia Tech will remember Jim as “Hollis” a nickname that stuck with him along with stories of grandeur from his College carrier. Over the years, Jim had many nicknames from his friends. Jim’s lawyer buddies from Charlotte & Spartanburg knew him affectionately as “JC”, “WC”, and “Brayboy of Braymor”. Over the years, Jim worked for many distinguished law firms in Spartanburg and became a well-known trial lawyer in the area. He worked for the distinguished firms of Moore Stoddard, Johnson and Smith, King Cothran & Cole, Halcombe Bomar Cothran and Winn and finally as a sole practitioner his last 15 years. Jim was highly respected by bench and bar. He served as a topflight trial lawyer who always put his clients first. He was known for his intellectual wit, capacious mind, and for sometimes using it to exhibit his sarcasm onto the world. Though his demeanor could be course on the exterior, Jim gave to many people in many ways and rarely ever spoke of it. He prided himself in having friendships in all walks of life and rarely was there a person who did not admire him in some way or another.
Jim enjoyed playing tennis at the Spartanburg Racket Club and basketball at the YMCA. Later after retirement, he completed his master gardeners’ course He enjoyed creating and caring for his gardens, as well as caring for his two dogs Emma and Zoro around his home. Although Jim will be missed, for those who love him, he will always be remembered.
Raymond C. Eubanks, Jr.
December 18, 1933 ~ March 23, 2022
Raymond Converse Eubanks Jr. passed away peacefully at his residence at Summit Hills on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. He was born on December 18, 1933 in Spartanburg, South Carolina to Raymond Converse Eubanks and Sarah Brown Eubanks.
Ray graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1952, Wofford College in 1956, and the University Of South Carolina School Of Law in 1959. Ray served his country in the United States Air Force from 1960 to 1963 attaining the rank of Captain before being honorably discharged. Ray served his state as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1964 to 1968. He served his citizens in the practice of law in Spartanburg until Governor Richard W. Riley appointed him to serve as Spartanburg County Probate Judge on May 1, 1980. Ray served as probate judge for almost 25 years, being re-elected by the citizens of Spartanburg County numerous times, before his retirement from office in 2005. Ray was appointed by Chief Justice Jean Toal in 2011 and served for many years as Drug Court Judge for Spartanburg County. Ray served and led his colleagues in his profession in many capacities including serving as Secretary/Treasurer, President-elect, and President of the National College of Probate Judges; President of the South Carolina Association of Probate Judges; President and Parliamentarian of the South Carolina Association of Counties; and President of the South Carolina Bar Association. In his civic life Ray led in many capacities including President of the Spartanburg County Festival Chorus; President of the Spartanburg County Museum of Art; and President of the Sertoma Club. In his religious life Ray demonstrated his love of the Lord by serving the Second Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg for over three quarters of a century. Ray served the Presbyterian Church at the regional level by being elected as moderator for the 1986 Presbytery of the Piedmont and serving in the 1987 convention to establish the new Foothills Presbytery. Ray further served his Second Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg as Chairman of the Board of Deacons, Chairman of the Executive Council, numerous terms on the session including service on the Capital Funds Campaign, Budget and Finance, Elder Nominating and Pastor Nominating committees. In addition, Ray served as a member of the Choir, a teacher and devoted member of the Fellowship Sunday School class, and as a member of the church men’s basketball team.
Ray’s greatest accomplishment was the life he built with his wife of 55 years, Carolyn West Eubanks, who preceded him in death in August 2020. Ray is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Raymond C. Eubanks III (Trey) and Denise; his daughter, Kellie Eubanks Pifer; and five beautiful grandchildren: Kendrick Pifer, Carolyn Pifer, Jack Pifer, Shannon Eubanks, and Megan Eubanks.
Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Jr
Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Jr., 80, of Inman, South Carolina, passed away, Monday, April 27, 2020. He was the son of the late Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Sr. and Geraldine Bishop Zimmerman of Inman. Mr. Zimmerman was a real estate attorney and served Spartanburg County for many years. He graduated third in the Chapman Class of 1958, was a Furman Scholar and held a BS from the University of South Carolina. Hydrick and his mother were the first mother and son to receive their MAT from Converse College at the same time. He received his law degree from Mississippi College (cum laude). He also taught math in Spartanburg District 1 before receiving his law degree. Hydrick served honorably in the United States Navy aboard the USS William C. Lawe. After the death of his father, he lived with and cared for his mother for many years until her death. Hydrick loved to study history and languages, especially German. He encouraged and edited the writing of My Life In The Carolina Upcountry by his father and The Early History Of Inman by his aunt. He was an avid Gamecock fan and also loved 50’s rock and roll, and performing karaoke locally. He was an intramural ping pong champion at USC and loved to research genealogy. Hydrick was a member of Holly Springs Baptist Church, where he had been a former Sunday school teacher and former member of the Jannings Dill Sunday School class. Hydrick lived a life of honesty and integrity and greatly valued theses virtues in others.
Mr. Zimmerman is survived by his sister, Geraldine (Geri) Zimmerman Warren of Greenville; his brother, Herbert W. Zimmerman and his wife, Margaret Wingo Zimmerman, of Inman; a niece, Leah Z. Rollins (Jason) of Inman; two nephews, John S. Warren, Jr. (Courtney) of Greenville and Herbert (Bert) W. Zimmerman, Jr. (Savannah) of Meggett; six grand-nephews; three grand-nieces of which he was very proud; and also very close to his cousin, Jimmie B. Hord of Shelby, NC.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Zimmerman was predeceased by his brother-in-law, John Steven Warren, Sr., and his nephew, David Z. Warren.
Billy Carlyle Terry
SPARTANBURG, SC- It is with great sadness that the family of Billy Carlyle Terry announces his passing on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at the age of 89 years. He was born April 5, 1931, to the late Edward and Stella O. Terry of Pageland, SC.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sybil Jo Mabry Terry. Billy will be lovingly remembered by his brother, Robert E. Terry; his children, John Edward Terry and wife Christina, Sarah Anne Terry Standridge, and granddaughters, Alden Terry Dalton (Chris) and Melanie Terry Kinsey (Brant). Billy was preceded in death by his brothers, Frank Terry, Joseph Terry, Franklin Terry, and sister, Betty Terry Houston.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Billy was a graduate of USC School of Business and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He practiced law at the Odom Terry Cantrell & Gaines Firm in Spartanburg from 1961 – 2011. In 1973 he was admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Billy was heavily involved with the Piedmont Interstate Fair for 55 years. He served on the Board of Directors and was President from 1991 – 2002. Billy was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg where he served as a deacon and an Elder. One of the jobs he loved the most was serving as the Chairman of the Usher Committee for First Presbyterian for 30 years.
Billy will be fondly remembered by the many people he touched through his kind heartedness and genuine support.
Michael James Sarratt
LANDRUM, SC- Michael “Mike” James Sarratt, 52, of Landrum passed away on July 27th, 2020. He was the son of the late Bobby G. Sarratt and Frances Justice Sarratt.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Sharon Radd.
He is survived by brothers, Bobby G. Sarratt, Jr, T. Kevin Sarratt and a sister, Debra A. DeRocco.
Michael had wonderful life, as a child he was a great baseball player on many all-star teams. He acquired the level of eagle scout. He went on to get his B.A. and then Law degree. Upon graduation he moved back to Landrum where he practiced until his death. His family was very proud of him. Lastly, he had a love for speed with his many cars and his little Rico.
William McBee Smith
Spartanburg – William McBee Smith passed away on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. Billy, as he was fondly known, was the son of the late Roy McBee Smith, Sr., and Grace Jackson Smith.
Billy is survived by his beloved wife and best friend, Karen Shoemaker Smith, and his wonderful three sons, Taylor, Jacob and Walker, all of Spartanburg, SC.
Billy was born in Spartanburg, SC, in 1957, and was a graduate of Spartanburg High School. He received a B.A. in history from The Citadel and went on to honorably serve our country for four years as a Captain in the US Air Force. He continued serving the Air Force as a member of the USAF Intelligence Service from 1980 to 1993.
He attended the University of South Carolina Law School and, after receiving his J.D. in 1988, joined the Spartanburg law firm of Smith and Haskell, where he was a Managing Partner. He was a long-standing member of the American Bar Association.
Billy was past president of The Citadel Spartanburg Alumni Club and a longtime member of the Spartanburg Downtown Rotary Club and The St. Andrews Society of Upper South Carolina.William McBee Smith
Perhaps Billy’s greatest impact was as an active member and champion of the Boy Scouts of America. Having received his Eagle Scout award in 1970, he encouraged his sons to become Scouts, and all four were members of BSA Troop 22 at Trinity Methodist Church. He was an Assistant Scout Master for Troop 22 for over ten years. He was proud of all three of his sons for earning the rank of Eagle Scout.
Billy, Karen, and their sons enjoyed traveling, the outdoors, hiking, and camping.
Billy is also survived by his five siblings: Edith McBee Hardaway (William Eads) of Greenville; Grace Walker Bourke (David) of Spartanburg; Ella McBee Cart (Ben – deceased) of St. Simons Island, GA; Mary Jane Poole (J. Roger); and Roy McBee Smith, Jr. (Bea Walters) of Spartanburg as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Grady Anthony
Grady Baldwin Anthony (May 30th, 1988 – April 7th, 2021) was an amazing and kind person whose time on earth was unfairly short. He leaves a lifetime of memories to be cherished by his wife Rachel Law Anthony, his parents, Monta and Ken Anthony, his siblings, Jay and (Kristen) Anthony, Mary Sullivan and (Clayton) Broome, and Dunk and (Lauren) Anthony, his in-laws, Mike and Lori Law, his grandmother, Carol Burnside Anthony, his grandmother in-law, Phyllis Brady Vander Voord, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He made the most of his thirty-two years. To have found his perfect match, Rachel, at such a young age was incredible. Meeting their sophomore year at Furman they began their 12 years together. The time they had together was full of adventure, motivated by a mutual passion for travel and nature.
Grady was a caring uncle to his 6 nieces and nephews. There was no rule that couldn’t be bent or candy that couldn’t be eaten in the pursuit of fun. He loved nothing more than to spread joy and when other children -including his siblings- were shy and self-conscious, Grady was unabashedly interested only in making other happy.
His passion for others was not limited to those he knew. He spent hours engaging on the Diversity Committee of the South Carolina Bar, spurred by the recent tragedies in the black community. He spent time working as chair of the Families Forever Committee of the Young Lawyers Division, which promoted foster care and adoption in South Carolina. In his role, he secured donations of luggage for foster children and dresses to be given to low-income teens for prom. His favorite charitable project was the Teddy Bear Drive, where he, with the help of friends, colleagues, and the media secured over 200 stuffed animals to be distributed to adopted children. Given Grady’s selflessness, it was perhaps fitting that he became an organ donor. Even in death, he was able to help others.
The best summation of his life comes from one of his favorite movies -The Sandlot: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die”. Grady was a legend, and while he is no longer on this earth, he will always be with us
Robert Victor Page, Jr.
(January 15, 1951 – December 15, 2020 )
Spartanburg, SC- Robert Victor Page, Jr., 69, died Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
Born January 15, 1951 in Spartanburg, SC, Victor was the son of the late Robert Victor Page, Sr. and Bonnee Garrett Page. He was a graduate of Dorman High School, Furman University, and the University of South Carolina School of Law. Victor was an attorney who practiced in Georgia and South Carolina for many years.
He is survived by his sister, Glenda Page Bigby and her husband, James, of Duncan, SC; nephews, Mark Bigby of Lyman, SC and Jeff Bigby and his wife, Katie, of Moore, SC; and a great niece and nephew, Emma and Evan.
Albert Vernon Smith, Esq.
Attorney Albert Vernon Smith, 74, of Moore, SC passed away on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 of COVID-19 complications. Born on August 21, 1946 in Union county South Carolina he was the son of the late early and Alma Porter Smith. He was reared in the Kelton-Pear Ridge community and Jonesville township. Albert was the seventh of nine children and the youngest son, and is survived by his devoted and loving wife, the beautiful and graceful, Helen Black Smith.
Albert was the distinguished owner of the Albert V. Smith Law Office for nearly three decades and was the recipient of numerous professional and community awards, recognitions and achievements. Some of his accomplishments include being the first Black president of the Spartanburg County Bar Association, the first Black to chair the South Carolina Committee of Character and Fitness, the first Black member of the Spartanburg Country Club and Piedmont Clubs, the first Black Chairperson of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party, and the first lawyer in south Carolina to challenge and defeat the racial exclusion of Blacks from Jury selection in criminal prosecution (State v. Ogelsby).
In addition to his renowned law practice, Albert was a well-respected and devoted Deacon at the Mount Moriah Baptist Church under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Doctor Benjamin D. Snoddy.
Fletcher Dew Thompson (1921 – 2017)
Spartanburg – Fletcher Dew Thompson of Spartanburg died on December 17, 2017. Born in Spotsylvania County, VA, on August 11, 1921, he was the youngest child of the late Charles H. and Jennie Lee Thompson, and the husband of Ruth DeLoache Thompson, whom he married in 1945.
The couple met as students at the Textile Industrial Institute (TII), now Spartanburg Methodist College, and have maintained a lifelong commitment to the college. Mr. Thompson served on the Board of Trustees for 12 years.
After graduation from TII in 1941, he went to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington, D.C., as a fingerprint classifier, while he continued his college studies at George Washington University. In 1944, Mr. Thompson was appointed an FBI Special Agent and assigned to the Washington, D.C. field office. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, then returned to the FBI in 1946 and resumed a career that spanned 33 years. He was assigned to offices in Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio (1949-55); Savannah, Georgia (1955-61); Washington, D.C. (1961-69); Mobile, Alabama (1969-70); and Omaha, Nebraska (1971-73), where he was in charge of FBI operations throughout Nebraska and Iowa.
He also conducted inspections of FBI offices across the United States and abroad and served three tours of duty at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, in the 1960’s, he supervised kidnapping, bank robbery, and other major criminal investigations. Immediately after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, Special Agent Thompson was dispatched to Dallas, Texas, to prepare the first investigative report, which was a precursor to The Warren Commission Report. Mr. Thompson was appointed Assistant Director in 1973, heading the Identification Division – the Bureau’s largest division – and served in that position until he retired in 1975.
Mr. Thompson earned a law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law and was a member of the Bars of the District of Columbia, South Carolina, Virginia, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Following his retirement from the FBI, he returned to Spartanburg and began his private practice of law, becoming an early leader in the field of South Carolina adoption law and practice. Later joined by his son James Fletcher Thompson, together they participated in the placement of generations of children with adoptive families. In recent years, Mr. Thompson remained a trusted mentor and distinguished presence in the courtroom – most notably on the joyous occasions of a hearing before the family court when he appeared as counsel for many a family finalizing their adoption of a child.
In 1999, he was named an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys in recognition of individual accomplishments that bring distinction to the Academy. In the inaugural year of the award, Mr. Thompson was recognized in Washington, D.C., with the Angel in Adoption award from the U.S. Congressional Coalition on Adoption.
For more than 40 years, Mr. Thompson was a member of the Spartanburg Lions Club (past president and “Lion of the Year”) and a member of Bethel United Methodist Church and its Loyalty Sunday School Class.
In addition to his wife Ruth, he is survived by their four children and nine grandchildren: Jennie Lee Thompson and her husband Robert Levy of Washington, DC, and daughter Ariel Levy; Rebecca Lynn Thompson and her husband William H. Brent of Arlington, Va., and children James and Caroline Ruth Brent; Laurie Thompson Williams and her husband Joshua Williams of Knoxville, Tenn., and children Rachel, Jennie, and Noah Williams; and James Fletcher Thompson and his wife Mia Hodge Thompson of Spartanburg, and daughters West, Julia, and Kempson Thompson.
He was predeceased by his sister Bradley and brothers Orville, Claude, and C.H. Thompson, Jr. He is survived by nephews Robert Thompson of Rehoboth Beach, DE, and Wayne and Bradley Thompson of Eugene, OR.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at Bethel United Methodist Church, 245 Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306, with Rev. Cameron Treece and Rev. Thurman Anderson officiating. The family will receive friends immediately after the service at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Fletcher Thompson, 450 Webber Road, Spartanburg, SC 29307.
Memorial contributions may be made to Spartanburg Methodist College for the Fletcher D. and Ruth DeLoache Thompson Scholarship Fund, 1000 Powell Mill Road, Spartanburg, SC 29301; Bethel United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, or the Spartanburg Lions Club, PO Box 647, Spartanburg, SC 29304.
Julian H. Morgan Jr. ( 1928-2017)
Julian Hampden Morgan Jr., 89, of Spartanburg, SC, died Tuesday, December 5, 2017, at Pruitt Health, Six Mile, SC. Born November 22, 1928, in Salisbury, NC, he was the son of the late Julian Hampden Morgan and Beulah Cloer Morgan.
A member of Central United Methodist Church for 58 years, Mr. Morgan was a graduate of Spencer (NC) High School, Clem-son University, and University of South Carolina Law School. He was a longtime attorney in Spartanburg beginning his career with Miller and Morgan and later at the Julian H. Morgan Law Office.
Survivors include his children, Deborah Morgan (Duane Dorscheid) of Durham, NC, Julian Hampden “Denny” Morgan III (Monika) of Sterling Heights, MI, John B. “Ben” Morgan of Six Mile, SC and Alexander “Alex” Morgan of Santa Cruz, CA. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a sister, Mary Helen Pitman.
Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 PM Friday, December 8, 2017, at Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel, 235 N. Church St., Spartanburg, SC 29306. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Saturday, December 9, 2017, at Central United Methodist Church, by The Rev. Dr. Tom Norrell. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29307.
Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 233 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306.
Franklin Milton Mann, Sr. (1935 – 2017)
Franklin Milton Mann, Sr., 82, of Roebuck, SC, died Monday, November 20, 2017, at Spartanburg Medical Center. Born July 8, 1935, in Spartanburg, SC, he was the son of the late E. Frank Mann and Helen Townsend Mann and husband of the late Mary Louise (Lawter) Mann.
A graduate of Spartanburg High School, Wofford College Class of 1958, and the University of South Carolina School of Law Class of 1964, Mr. Mann was an attorney with Perrin, Mann, Patterson, Pressley, LLP. He was a U. S. Army Veteran, a member of Roebuck United Methodist Church, and a longtime member of the Spartanburg Rotary Club.
Survivors include his son, F. Milton Mann, Jr. (Bette) of Campobello, SC; a ‘daughter’, Holly Jo Mann of Spartanburg, SC; grandchildren, Bradley Hoyt Townsend Mann and Rebecca Mary-Frances Mann; and dear friend, Larry P. Morris of Washington Court House, OH.
The family will receive friends 10:00-10:45 AM Saturday, November 25, 2017, at Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307 with funeral services following at 11:00 AM, conducted by The Rev. Jonesy Brewer. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29307.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mobile Meals Service, PO Box 461, Spartanburg, SC 29304; or the SC School for the Deaf and Blind, 355 Cedar Springs Road, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
David F. Wood (1956 – 2017)
David F. Wood, 61, of Inman, SC, passed away on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, at his home. Born June 11, 1956, in Spartanburg, SC, he was the son of the late William Fulton Wood and Lois Ellen Petty Wood.
A graduate of Wofford College and Mercer School of Law, Mr. Wood was an attorney and owner of Wood Law Office for 35 years. He was a Mason, a member of the Wofford Terrier Club and the Spartanburg County Bar Association.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Williams Wood; daughters, Ellen Wood of Sacramento, CA and Rachel Tapp (Jason) of Inman, SC; brothers and sister, Dr. Keith Wood (Celia), Chris Wood, and Connie Wood, all of Spartanburg, SC. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Gary Wood.
Visitation will be 1:00-2:30 PM Saturday, November 4, 2017, at Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307. Funeral services will follow at 3:00 PM, conducted by the Rev. Brad Atkins. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29307.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Spartanburg Humane Society, 150 Dexter Road, Spartanburg, SC 29303.
James Watts Hudgens (1940 – 2017)
James Watts Hudgens, 77, passed away at his home on September 22nd, 2017. He had been battling ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, for years. A native of Spartanburg, Jim was born January 20, 1940 to the late TK Hudgens, Jr. and Alice Ruth Johnson. He was a dedicated member of the community, providing service over the years to the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg Music Foundation, Mobile Meals and YMCA Spartanburg. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church. Jim began his career as a trial lawyer as a clerk to Justice C. Bruce Littlejohn, Supreme Court of South Carolina and he spent his professional career with the Ward Law Firm. He was a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Jim attended Darlington School in Rome Georgia, Vanderbilt University and graduated from Wofford College and University of Tennessee Law School. He was a proud U.S. Navy veteran (1961-1965), serving as Communications Officer onboard USS Navarro. He was the husband of Patricia Hudgens, father to Sara Katherine Hudgens Jones, James Watts Hudgens, Jr. (Kara), Thomas King Hudgens II (Christy) and Mary Kennedy Hudgens Peteranna (Steven Birch), and grandfather to Charles Watts Peteranna, Thomas King Hudgens III and Woods Carter Hudgens. He was predeceased by a brother, Thomas Kennedy Hudgens. The family will receive friends beginning at 12:00 Noon at Morningside Baptist Church, 897 S. Pine Street, Spartanburg, followed by a memorial service at 1:00 PM on Tuesday September, 26 2017. A private burial will be held for the family following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SCALSA, the ALS Association South Carolina Chapter (www.scalsa.org), 7499 Park Lane Rd, Suite 144, Columbia, SC, 29223 or to the charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be left on line at www.jmdunbar.com Dunbar Funeral Home & Crematory
Published in The Greenville News on Sept. 24, 2017
William O. Pressley, Jr. (1952 – 2017)
William was born on March 8, 1952 and passed away on Monday, February 13, 2017. William was a resident of Spartanburg, South Carolina at the time of his passing. He was married to Elizabeth. Visitation will be 1:30-2:45 PM Thursday February 16 2017 in the Parlor of First Presbyterian Church-Spartanburg. A service honoring his memory will follow at 3:00 PM at the church conducted by the Rev. Dr. Tom Evans and the Rev. Joanne Hull. No flowers please in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Mobile Meals Service PO Box 461 Spartanburg SC 29304; The Purnell Fund co First Presbyterian Church 393 East Main Street Spartanburg SC 29302; or a charity of oneâs choice.
Milton Alfred Smith, Sr. ( 1943 – 2018)
SPARTANBURG–Milton Alfred Smith, Sr., 93, of Spartanburg, SC, died peacefully on Friday, September 21, 2018. Born May 27, 1925, in Gray Court, SC, he was the youngest of three brothers, a son of the late John Harley and Josie Amanda Kessler Smith.
A U. S. Army veteran of World War II, Mr. Smith enlisted September 24, 1943 at Camp Croft, SC. He served in the Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns, the Battle of the Bulge, and in Nuremberg for the trials of 22 German war criminals. He obtained the rank of Colonel and received the American Theater of War Medal, two Bronze Service Stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. He also served in the U. S. Army Reserves retiring May 27, 1985.
Milton was a 1949 graduate of Wofford College and 1951 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. He founded Johnson & Smith Law firm with Edwin Johnson and served as part-time 7th Circuit Assistant Solicitor. He was appointed Chairman of the SC Department of Corrections by Governor Carroll Campbell and was the honored recipient of South Carolina’s highest civilian service award, The Order of the Palmetto.
An active member of First Baptist Church Spartanburg, he formerly served as Chairman of the Deacons and was co-founder of the Rice Bowl Ministries.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Suzanne “Susie” Earnhardt Smith; sons and their family: Milton “Chip” A. Smith, Jr. (Laura) and their children, Sarah E. Smith, Milton A. Smith, III (Hannah), and Parrish Earnhardt Smith; William Douglas Smith (Alison) and their daughters, Cameron McIver Smith and Anna Douglas Smith; and Stuart Lee Smith (Stephanie) and their sons, Ellis Lee Smith and Matthew Stuart Smith. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Horace C. Smith and F. A. “Smitty” Smith.
Thomas A.M. Boggs ( 1950- 2020)
Spartanburg – Thomas A.M. Boggs died on January 18, 2020. Tam was born on January 19, 1950 to the late Marcus L. and Sarah A. M. Boggs. He was raised in Spartanburg, S.C., and graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1968, Wofford College in 1972 and the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1976.
He is survived by his wife, Janice C. Boggs; his three daughters, Sarah B. Barrett (Daniel), Rebecca B. Thome, and Anne B. Pressman (Scott); grandchildren Thomas Barrett, Jacob Barrett, Micah Barrett, Anna Thome, Ellie Pressman and Myer Pressman; brother L. Kennedy Boggs (Maureen) and sister Alice B. Lentz. He was predeceased by his brother, Marcus L. Boggs, Jr. and brother in law, Thomas N. Lentz.
Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Jr. (1940 – 2020)
INMAN, SC- Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Jr., 80, of Inman, South Carolina, passed away, Monday, April 27, 2020. He was the son of the late Hydrick Dean Zimmerman, Sr. and Geraldine Bishop Zimmerman of Inman. Mr. Zimmerman was a real estate attorney and served Spartanburg County for many years. He graduated third in the Chapman Class of 1958, was a Furman Scholar and held a BS from the University of South Carolina. Hydrick and his mother were the first mother and son to receive their MAT from Converse College at the same time. He received his law degree from Mississippi College (cum laude). He also taught math in Spartanburg District 1 before receiving his law degree. Hydrick served honorably in the United States Navy aboard the USS William C. Lawe. After the death of his father, he lived with and cared for his mother for many years until her death. Hydrick loved to study history and languages, especially German. He encouraged and edited the writing of My Life In The Carolina Upcountry by his father and The Early History Of Inman by his aunt. He was an avid Gamecock fan and also loved 50’s rock and roll, and performing karaoke locally. He was an intramural ping pong champion at USC and loved to research genealogy. Hydrick was a member of Holly Springs Baptist Church, where he had been a former Sunday school teacher and former member of the Jannings Dill Sunday School class. Hydrick lived a life of honesty and integrity and greatly valued theses virtues in others.
Mr. Zimmerman is survived by his sister, Geraldine (Geri) Zimmerman Warren of Greenville; his brother, Herbert W. Zimmerman and his wife, Margaret Wingo Zimmerman, of Inman; a niece, Leah Z. Rollins (Jason) of Inman; two nephews, John S. Warren, Jr. (Courtney) of Greenville and Herbert (Bert) W. Zimmerman, Jr. (Savannah) of Meggett; six grand-nephews; three grand-nieces of which he was very proud; and also very close to his cousin, Jimmie B. Hord of Shelby, NC.
Clyde K. Laney Jr. ( 1937-2020)
PAULINE, SC- Clyde K. Laney Jr., 82, of Pauline, SC, met Jesus in Heaven on Thursday, April 30, 2020. Born July 30, 1937, in Cheraw, SC, he was the son of the late Clyde K. Laney and Margaret Powell Laney.
He graduated from Cheraw High School in 1956 and attended Lees-McRae College in Boone, NC; Wingate Jr. College in Wingate, NC; and graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC with a BA Degree in Political Science. Clyde went on to attend and graduate with an LLB from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Macon, GA in 1966 and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar.
In 1966, Clyde joined the Odom, Nolan & Foster Law Firm in Spartanburg, SC where he practiced for one-and-a-half years before practicing with the law firm of Moore, Swofford, Rollins & Laney for five years. He also formed the Laney, Rollins Law Firm and later, the Laney, Overcash Firm.
From 1971 to 1981, Clyde was Assistant Public Defender for Spartanburg County. In 1981, he was elected Family Court Judge for the 7th Judicial Circuit and remained in that position until retirement in 1995. Clyde continued working for five additional years as an active retired judge in Moncks Corner, primarily, and various other circuits throughout the State until 2000.
Clyde was a member of Walnut Grove United Methodist Church, Roebuck, SC.
Surviving are his wife, Julia D. Laney, whom he shared 58 years of marriage; two children, Rachel Laney and husband, James Pulley, and Shaw Laney and wife, Brandy; five grandchildren, Laney Alverson, Quintin Alverson, Margaret Gergley, Julia Gergley and Abby Laney; brother, William R. Laney, DMD and wife, Betty of Cheraw, SC; and sister, Patsy L. Rushing of Ocean Isle, NC.