Local Rotary Clubs complete celebration with dedication

Groups mark centennial with ceremony at West Cambridge Park

March 1, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

Members of the Greenwood and Emerald Rotary Clubs ended a monthlong celebration of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary by dedicating a monument and flagpole at West Cambridge Park Monday.
“One of the things I’d envisioned was a memorial that represents the freedom of our country,” said Natalie Parramore, park project manager.
Parramore is also a member of the Greater Greenwood Parks and Trails Foundation Board, a driving force behind the creation of the park.
Veterans with the American Legion Post 20 raised the flag for Monday’s event, while Parramore sang the National Anthem.
The flag and monument sit just off to the left of the walking trail surrounded by flowers and a brick pathway that leads to the flag. Beneath the flagpole is a granite and bronze monument that has the Rotary emblem and an inscription of the Pledge of Allegiance.
“This is just a small part we play in helping in our centennial celebration,” said Mo Scott, Greenwood Rotary president.
The project started last year and the Rotary is pleased to make the monument possible, Scott said.
Rotary clubs from Greenwood to Zimbabwe celebrated the international organization’s 100th anniversary during the month of February.
The park officially opened in May 2004 after volunteers had worked on a limited schedule to construct and clear the site for the future park.

Luther Crawford Jr.

ELBERTON, Ga. — Luther Crawford Jr., 69, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 at Elbert Memorial Hospital in Elberton.
Born in Plum Branch, S.C., he was a son of the late Luther Crawford Sr. and Polly Lee Wells Crawford. He was a former member of Pine Grove A.M.E. Church, and then lived in Elberton for more than 19 years and was an employee at the monument works.
Survivors include six daughters, Mrs. Michael (Louvenia) Scott of Dayton, Ohio, Mrs. Donald (Valarie) Hill, Mrs. Noel (Deborah) Thompson and Catina Dubose, all of Abbeville, S.C., Kimberly Fortson and Chrystal Fortson, both of Elberton; two sisters, Lynette Crawford of Atlanta and Jessie Mae Smalls of Hodges, S.C.; two brothers, George Crawford of Miami and John Crawford of Plum Branch; and 11 grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Pine Grove A.M.E. Church, Plum Branch, conducted by the Rev. W.O. Vance, pastor. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
The family is at the home of a daughter Valarie Hill, 148 Moore St., Abbeville.
Walker Funeral Home, McCormick, S.C., is in charge.

Catherine Doolittle

NINETY SIX — Catherine Pardue Doolittle, 77, of 120 Pender Row Circle, died Monday, Feb. 28, 2005.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Wilmer Goodman

NINETY SIX — Wilmer Wallace “Fat Man” Goodman, 65, of 117 Sherrard Ave., died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Lincolnton, Ga., he was a son of the late Richard Wallace and Frances Arnett Goodman. He was an Army veteran and was of the Baptist Faith.
Survivors include a daughter, Teresa McCary of Ninety Six; three brothers, Richard Goodman of Lexington, William Goodman of Hodges and Ray Goodman of Greenwood; two sisters, Emma Lee Davenport of Hodges and Eva Richey of Marietta, Ga.; and two grandchildren.
Graveside services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Danny Swennia.
Visitation is after the services at the cemetery.
The family is at the home of Brenda McCary, 305 Pheasant Road, Ninety Six.
Memorials may be made to the Wilmer “Fat Man” Goodman Memorial Fund, c/o Blyth Funeral Home, P.O. Box 6, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Eva H. Saxon

WATERLOO – Eva Harmon Saxon, 73, of 1627 Relax Street, Waterloo, widow of A. G. “Sax” Saxon, Jr., died Sunday, February 27, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Hiram Talmadge and Pearlie Mae Williams Harmon. She was retired from Parke-Davis and was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
Surviving are two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Frank Moore Cooper of Waterloo and Eva Marie and Ray Chastine of Ware Shoals; a son and daughter-in-law, Ronald and Gail Saxon of Laurens; seven grandchildren, Ralph “Skip” Simmons of Laurens, Amy White of Havelock, NC, Cristi Hawkins of Waterloo, Andy Chastine, Anna Chastine and Chris Chastine, all of Ware Shoals and Cayla Cooper of Waterloo; eight great grandchildren, Lacey Hawkins, Amber Hawkins, Ashley Hawkins, Joe Hawkins, Christopher Simmons, Rhiannon Simmons, Ariel White and Ronnie White.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gerald Crawford officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Bannister, Brooks Bannister, Bob Corley, Robbie Corley, Larry Reavis, Frank Moore Cooper and Jimmy Saxon.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com. PAID OBITUARY

Frances Wideman

Frances Elizabeth Timms Wideman, 74, of 717 Holloway Ave., widow of Jack Wideman, died Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Iva, she was a daughter of the late Joseph A. and Lillian Baldwin Timms.
Survivors include a son, Stanley S. Wideman of Donalds; three sisters, Lucille Steifle of Greenwood, Martha Vinson of Abbeville and Clara Hall of Las Vegas; a brother, Ernest Timms of Abbeville; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 1 p.m. Wednesday at Wideman Cemetery in McCormick.
Visitation is after the service at the home of a grandson, Tim Wideman, 113 Egret Lane, Pucketts Ferry.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Flying Fleet pound Cobras

March 1, 2005

By MICHAEL STONE
Index-Journal sports editor

DUE WEST — The game was over when Erskine’s Matt Odom hit his first 3-pointer.
And that took only 15 seconds.
Odom finished with 21 points, Craig Williams added 22 and the Flying Fleet routed visiting Coker, 93-74, in the opening round of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Tournament Monday at Belk Arena.
The victory was the sixth in the last seven games for Erskine (14-14), which advances to Wednesday’s quarterfinals and will take on No. 3 seed Barton College, a team the Fleet defeated twice during the regular season.
The Cobras (6-22) had done the same thing to Erskine during the regular season, but they were no match for the Fleet attack Monday.
Behind Odom and Williams, Erskine bolted to a 14-3 lead and the game was never close after that.
Five different Fleet players — Odom, T.J. Taylor, Jason Winecoff, Reed Long and Kevin Parker — hit 3s in the opening 20 minutes as Erskine opened a 51-20 lead by halftime.
The Cobras never got closer than 14 points down in the second half.
Erskine coach Mark Peeler called it the best first half his team has played all season.
“They beat us 56-43 here (on Jan. 10) and we scored more points than that in the first half,” Peeler said. “I was very pleased with our defensive effort in the first half. Right now it’s survive and advance, and that’s all we’re trying to do.”
Williams finished with a double-double, as the 6-foot-7 sophomore pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Taylor had 13 points and a game-high six assists, while Winecoff came off the bench to score 16 points.
Michael Pierce led Coker with 19 points before fouling out in the second half.
The Fleet beat Barton 68-38 on Jan. 22, and 71-54 at Barton less than two weeks ago (Feb. 19).
In that game, Williams scored 19 points and Odom 18.
“The game is all about match-ups, and we just match up really well against (Barton),” Peeler said.

Language mixture in S.C. is a matter of perspective

March 1, 2005

You hear from time to time in South Carolina a little complaining about the diversity of languages in the public schools, and indeed society in general. There have been some language variations in Greenwood, certainly, but all over South Carolina for that matter.
Fortunately, what they represent is the influx of new industry, which brings jobs and a boost to local and state economies. Compared to other places, though, the language situation here is minimal.
For example, in one elementary school in a Washington, D. C. suburb there are 14 different languages and dialects represented.
They say the grass is always greener on the other side. Don’t believe it!

Negative words no surprise

Talk about language? Chris Rock, who hails from Georgetown, S. C., was master of ceremonies for the annual Academy Awards telecast Sunday night.
Rock is a comedian known for using language of the gutter variety. Because of that, there was some worry about what he might say over the air. That problem was solved by having a delay before his banter was broadcast.
Rock, however, trashed President Bush during his monologue, belittled actor Jude Law (several times), and praised Michael Moore and his anti-Bush “documentary” that was not a documentary at all. It was simply a hatchet job on the president.
No one should have been surprised, though. It was, after all, a Hollywood event and trashing Bush is a normal pursuit of the Hollywood crowd.

Good advice worth noting

Jamie Foxx, comedian and actor, was awarded the best-acting Oscar for his portrayal of the late Ray Charles in the movie about the blind performer’s troubled and triumphal life.
Foxx, who is a classically trained pianist, gave a moving acceptance speech in which he praised his music teacher. One thing she emphasized, he told the crowd, was that he should do everything he could to grow up to be a southern gentleman.
How refreshing to hear such positive talk in an era where negative is the key word for too many things. That advice should be welcomed – and followed – by all, regardless of color. It’s a good chance there’d be fewer problems if that kind of teaching somehow became a universal standard.