Two children, man killed in wreck

July 12, 2005

From staff reports

Emergency response personnel examine a car wreck Monday along S.C. 254 that left three people dead and sent two to the hospital. From left are EMS worker Kenneth Bearden, Cpl. Craig Opperman and Lance Cpl. Al Duncan with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

A Donalds man and two Greenwood children were killed Monday in a two-vehicle wreck on S.C. 254 near Park Seed Co.
Greenwood County Coroner Jim Coursey identified the victims as Christopher Elliott Carter, 19, of 117 Lomax Lane, Donalds; and two 11-year-olds, Gregory Lavince Calhoun, of 258 Burgess St., Greenwood, and Travis Robinson, of 814 Greene St., Greenwood.
Carter was driving the children back home from a sleepover. None of the three appeared to have been wearing a seat belt, Coursey said.
Two people in the other vehicle were taken to Self Regional Medical Center.
The vehicle driven by Carter collided with a vehicle driven by Sara Watt Bowie, of 24 E. Summit Drive, Ware Shoals. Her husband, William, also was in the vehicle. Coursey did not know the extent of their injuries.
The S.C. Highway Patrol’s accident reconstruction team remained on the scene throughout the afternoon following the mid-day collision.
According to the highway patrol, Carter was traveling south on S.C. 254 when he lost control of the vehicle and moved left of the center line. Bowie hit the passenger side of Carter’s on-coming car. Carter was ejected from the vehicle, and the boys were entrapped. Troopers, officers with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office and fire and rescue personnel from Hodges were at the scene. Rescuers used the Jaws of Life to retrieve the bodies.
Coursey said the boys were friends who had spent the night somewhere in the Donalds area, and one was the brother of Carter’s girlfriend.
The road was wet at the time of the wreck, the coroner said, but it was not known if it had been raining when the wreck occurred.
Coursey said the investigation is continuing. Autopsies were scheduled for this morning at Newberry County Memorial Hospital.

Two children, man killed in wreck

July 12, 2005

From staff reports

Opinion

Abbeville ‘apology’ meeting could be a good beginning

July 12, 2005

To err is human, to forgive divine. Most South Carolinians probably are familiar with that old saying (it goes all the way back to Plutarch, A. D. 46-120). Tonight in Abbeville both the human and the divine will be in evidence.
A “Reconciliation Service” will be held at 7 o’clock at Friendship Worship Center, 223 Carwellyn Road. Friendship Pastor Wendell Rhodes and other pastors organized the event to help racial healing and bring peace to the community through confession of sins inherent in the racial violence of the past.
The idea came about when the U. S. Senate adopted a resolution that acknowledged its failure to stop lynchings “at a time when violence against blacks was commonplace.” Remembering some of the violent racial history in Abbeville – and elsewhere – Rev. Rhodes said, “In light of the U. S. Senate’s public apology, the time has come for the church of Jesus Christ to recognize its own failures, as well …”

“WE BELIEVE IT IS TIME TO make such a confession,” Rev. Rhodes said. “We will acknowledge past sins and ask God to forgive us for the atrocities and attitudes of our forefathers.”
During the service tonight, some white church leaders will confess the sins of their ancestors and apologize to blacks for incidents like the lynching that killed Anthony Crawford in 1916. For their part, some black ministers will accept the apology and extend forgiveness in return, according to Rev. Rhodes.
Some people, no doubt, will strongly disagree with the aims of the service. They feel they should not be blamed for what someone did almost a century ago.
That’s true, of course. But apologies for wrongs are never out of order. Tonight’s service is a step in the right direction that ought to always lead to efforts for better relations among all people.

WHILE IT’S IMPORTANT TO offer an apology, it’s just as important to accept it. If both of those things come off as hoped, it will be worth noting ….. and emulating.
There should be one word of caution, though. Apologizing is one thing. Financial reparations is something else. One should not be used as justification for the other. Demanding payment for people whose ancestors were wronged 100-150 years ago would penalize today’s Americans unfairly, people who had nothing to do with those wrongs of old.
So confessions and apologies tonight, along with acceptance, will show that people can walk into the future together. Still, east is east and west is west. Can they meet? It may be hard but first they must try. That begins tonight in Abbeville.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Inez Boiter

PRINCETON — Mary Inez Hannah Boiter, 85, of 16047 Highway 76 W., widow of Tommie Boiter, died Sunday, July 10, 2005 at the Hospice House in Greenwood.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Allen G. and Ella Mundy Hannah. She retired from Tavern Sportsware and was a member of Henderson Baptist Church.
Survivors include a sister, Earline Jameson of Charleston; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Parker-White Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Gerald Crawford. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
Family members are at their respective homes.
Memorials may be made to Henderson Baptist Church, Route 1, Gray Court, SC 29645.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Joyce Richey

ABBEVILLE — Wynona “Joyce” Richey, 61, of 629 Watts Road, died Sunday, July 10, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Byron and Annie Mae Davis Richey. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include two sisters, Ermie Lewis and Lona Henderson, both of Abbeville.
Services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home. Burial is in Melrose Cemetery.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of a sister Ermie Lewis, 403 Highway 28.
Memorials may be made to Abbeville Home Health, 105 Court Square, Abbeville, SC 29620.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge.

Roy Lawrence Sanders

Roy Lawrence Sanders, 51, of 209 Sloan Ave., husband of Patricia Anne “Pat” Glover Sanders, died Thursday, July 7, 2005 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of Willie J. Sanders and the late Albert Sanders Sr. He attended Greenwood County public schools and Piedmont Technical School and studied journalism at Oxnard College, Oxnard, Calif. He was also a finish carpenter and contractor. A member of Bethlehem Church of God Holiness, he had been a member of the Young Men’s Christian League, Youth Choir, Brothers of Bethlehem singing group and Sunday School Class No. 5. He was a volunteer worker for the Greenwood Women’s Shelter and local nursing homes.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Patrice and Myrras; six sons, Mickey Kanish, Eric Lawrence, Sharod Nick, Justus Michael, Jarvis Lamont and Titus Avery; three grandchildren; his mother; two sisters, Merry Ford of Atlanta, Dolshette “Tiny” Chambers of Greenwood; 11 brothers, Albert Jr. of Calhoun Falls, Johnny, Bobby, Roger Glenn, Jackie Ray, Charles Terry, Bruce “Ezell”, Joey “Larry” and Donny K. Sanders, all of Greenwood, Dwayne Sherrad of Bennettsville and Marshall “ML” of Atlanta.
Services are 1 p.m. Wednesday at Bethlehem Church of God Holiness, conducted by Elder Carter T. Peek, assisted by Elders Joe Warren and Hayward Black. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are nephews, and flower bearers are nieces.
Visitation is 7-8 tonight at Parks Funeral Home.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

Dorothy Watts Watson

Dorothy Watts Watson, 77, of 104 Myrtle St., widow of Ellis Watson Sr., died Sunday, July 10, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Ben and Josie Booker Watts. She was a member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, the Senior Choir, Club of Wisdom and Women’s Home Aide Society No. 87.
Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Freddie (Dorothy Ann) Belcher and Sandra Haley, both of Greenwood, Vanessa Harris of Ninety Six; five sons, Ellis Watson Jr. of Gaffney, Bernard Watson and Donald Watson, both of Greenwood, Stanley Watson of Anderson and Bennie Lee Watts of McCormick; 31 grandchildren, two reared in the home, Mrs. Rodney (Dorthea) Lewis of Columbia and Shaundrell Harris of the home; 41 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Eula Mae Cannon of Greenwood.
Services are 3 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, with the Rev. Raymond Adams officiating and the Rev. Michael Butler presiding. Assisting are the Revs. Lahoma Mosley, Roy L. Norman, Norris Turner and Claude Talbert. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are grandsons.
Flower bearers are Women’s Home Aide Society and Club of Wisdom members.
Honorary escorts are Vivian Kinard, Barbara Covington, Mamie Dye, Lola Gilchrist and Naomi Reynolds.
The family is at the home in Magnolia Place community.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

Paul White Sr.

GREENVILLE — Paul Mabron White Sr., 72, husband of Doris Hinton White, died Saturday, July 9, 2005 at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of the late James Calvin White Sr. and Ella Mae Talbert White. He was a graduate of Clemson University, an Air Force veteran and retired from Alabama Power Co. He was a former member of Tranquil United Methodist Church in Greenwood.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a daughter, Mrs. Steven (Janice W.) Wardlaw of Simpsonville; a son, Paul M. White Jr. of Daphne, Ala.; two brothers, Harvey White of Charlotte, N.C., and Buddy White of Greenwood; two sisters, Janie Meredith of Anderson and Nora White of Lake Junaluska, N.C.; three grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Tranquil United Methodist Church Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Melton Arant.
Memorials may be made to Tranquil United Methodist Church, 1702 McCormick Highway, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfueralhome.com

Bill Winn

PLUM BRANCH — Willie Morgan “Bill” Winn, 82, of Sterling House, Greenwood, died Sunday, July 10, 2005 at the Hospice House.
Born in McCormick County, Rehoboth Community, he was a son of the late Walter Ernest and Minnie Jordan Winn. He was a graduate of Washington High School in Modoc and retired from the U.S. Postal Service in Charleston. A Navy veteran of World War II, he served with the Coast Guard after the war. He was a member of Rehoboth Baptist Church, McCormick County.
Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Richard (Pauline) Fagerstrom of Mount Pleasant.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rehoboth Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Stanley Stone. The body will be placed in the church at 10. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Gerald Douglas, Paul Driggers, Brandon Glaze, Wayne Ridlehoover, Peter Stone, Wayland Winn and Christopher Stone.
Visitation is at the church after the service.
The family is at the home of a sister-in-law, Ruth Winn, 408 Highway 378 W., McCormick.
Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, Hospice House, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com