Area guardsmen say goodbye
as they depart for active duty

September 10, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

HODGES — Members of more than 100 families wept, prayed and embraced early Friday morning as they gathered to say goodbye to the Delta Company 11th Signal Battalion.
Filling three buses, the battalion left for active duty at 6 a.m., but families gathered at the National Guard Armory hours before dawn. They huddled as they waited for the troops to be addressed and released to say goodbye one last time before boarding the buses. The guardsmen are bound for Texas, where they will train at Fort Hood before being sent to serve in Iraq.
The troops will be deployed for one year, many for the first time, and it is uncertain when they will see their loved ones again.
About 120 men and women boarded the buses, about 20 percent of whom had already served one stint in Iraq and volunteered to go back, said Brig. Gen. Tommy Sinclair. Among the troops were two father-and-son teams and a set of brothers.
One of those teams was Sgt. 1st Class Ernest Warren and his son, Spc. Nick Warren.
“This is my first time out, and my dad is going back for the second time. They’re taking it pretty hard,” the younger Warren said of his mother, Vivian, and his sister, Mindy Price, both of whom cried at his father’s side.
Brenda Culbertson said she had been dreading the day when her son, Matt, would be deployed.
“You put it out of your mind at first, when they tell you it’s going to happen, but, as it gets closer, it sinks in and you can’t stop thinking about it,” she said. “I’m just hoping he’ll be safe.”
Culbertson gathered at the Armory with family, including her son’s wife and four children.
In addition to well-wishes from family and friends, the troops were sent away with goody bags from Hodges Family Readiness, a support group for the families of troops serving in active duty. The bags contained snacks for the journey to Texas and a copy of “A Prayer for Troops.”
“Protect them as they protect us (and) bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform,” reads one line of the prayer.

Emerald blows past Woodruff

Vikings quarterback Dan Wideman passes for 2 scores and rushes for 3 more

September 10, 2005

By KENNY MAPLE
Special to The Index-Journal

Woodruff High turned up the offense in the fourth quarter but it proved to be too little, too late as the Emerald football team routed the Warriors, 44-14, Friday night at Frank Hill Stadium.
The Vikings’ offense lit up the Warriors in the first half behind quarterback Dan Wideman, who finished with two passing and three rushing touchdowns.
“He’s talent,” Emerald coach Mac Bryan said. “He really does some unbelievable things.
“He just distributes the ball well and he is such an athlete that he makes plays on his own. He’s very hard to defend and he’s what makes us go.”
But the true story was the Vikings’ defense, which shut out the Warriors through three quarters before finally giving up two touchdowns when the game was out of reach.
Inside linebacker Terrance Rapley contributed to the defense by picking up a fumble by Woodruff quarterback Chesney Simmons. He also recorded a third-quarter interception, which he ran in 35 yards for a touchdown. Emerald cornerback Hakeem Freeman also had an interception at the end of the first quarter.
“I think they really played well,” Bryan said about the defense. “They stopped the running game and made some big plays against the pass rush. And then there was that big interception by Terrance.”
The Vikings gave the Warriors plenty of opportunities in a game that featured numerous penalties. Throughout the first three quarters, Emerald committed 10 penalties. But even with the penalties, the offense continued to move the ball, with Wideman passing for 258 yards, Josh Boville rushing for 49 yards, Nick Lanier catching four passes for 67 yards and Brandon Davis catching four passes for 54 yards.
Tavaris Gilliam and Lanier each had TD receptions.
Kicker Joseph Taylor had a 20-yard field goal and connected on 5 of 6 PATs.
The Warriors’ offense showed some signs of life in the fourth quarter as quarterback Josh Ravan ran for 70 yards and a score.

Eagles fly via Edwards

GHS quarterback throws for 272 yards, 4 TDs in win over Dorman

September 10, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The Greenwood High School football team accomplished something Friday night it had not done in 21 years: defeating Dorman in consecutive games.
The Class AAAA No. 4 Eagles swamped the second-seeded Cavaliers, 38-21, at J.W. Babb Stadium, marking the second straight year they have defeated Dorman.
The last time Greenwood (3-0) pulled off back-to-back wins over the Cavaliers (2-1) was in the 1981 and 1984 seasons.
“Our coaches talked to the players this week about what great traditions both of these programs have,” Greenwood coach Shell Dula said. “It means a lot to this team to defeat a program like Dorman two straight years.”
Greenwood was propelled by a seemingly career-defining game from quarterback Armanti Edwards. The senior was 14 of 19 passing for 272 yards and four touchdowns.
Two of the scores came in the first half on long bombs to junior wideout Xavier Dye. Dye had 158 yards receiving on the night.
“Armanti played outstanding tonight,” Dula said. “He threw the ball extremely well. I have to say, we probably played as well offensively as we have in the nine years I’ve been here.
“I can’t say enough about the way our offense played tonight.”
The Eagles wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard.
On the second play from scrimmage in the first quarter, Edwards rolled out to his right on a play action fake at the Greenwood 26-yard line. He uncorked a long fade down the right sideline, which Dye hauled in over his right shoulder as he raced down the sideline.
The 74-yard touchdown strike came just 43 seconds into the contest and left the Dorman crowd stunned while the Eagles’ faithful roared in approval of the team’s 7-0 lead.
Greenwood found the end zone again before the first quarter ended.
After the Eagles forced Dorman to punt from deep in its own territory, the Greenwood offense took over at the Cavaliers 43-yard line. Less than 2 minutes later, Eagles’ senior tailback Robert Robinson broke four tackles on his way to a 15-yard touchdown. Robinson’s ramble put Greenwood ahead 14-0.
“Our offensive line was tremendous,” Dula said. “They were outstanding in both pass blocking and on the run.”
Dorman capitalized on an Eagles’ turnover early in the second quarter.
Greenwood seemed as if it was headed for another score as Eagles’ fullback Zach Norman burst up the middle near midfield, looking for a substantial gain.
However, just as he was about to be downed, the ball was ripped from his hands and recovered by Dorman’s Bubba Giles at the Cavaliers’ 29-yard line.
Dorman proceeded to march the field for it’s most fruitful drive of the evening to that point. The Cavaliers capped a 4:17, 71-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown toss from R.J. Reeder to Machael Crossley. The score cut Greenwood’s lead to 14-7.
Edwards and Dye rapidly dashed any hopes of a first-half Dorman rally on the next series, when the duo continued it’s high-wire act.
With the ball sitting squarely on the 50-yard line, Edwards again opted for a play-action fake, hiding the ball on his hip in a bit of sleight-of-hand deception. The fake froze the defense long enough for Dye to pop open deep downfield, where Edwards found him with a long, looping spiral. The 50-yard touchdown capped a 2:51 77-yard scoring drive and put the Eagles on top 21-7 with 2:39 remaining in the half.
Dorman’s Reeder and Crossley attempted to show Edwards and Dye they weren’t the only ones capable of aerial theatrics on the first play of the next possession.
Reeder scrambled to his left on the Dorman 35-yard line and fired a bullet to Crossley, who hauled in the pass and streaked down the left sideline for the 65-yard touchdown, slicing the Eagles’ lead to 21-14.
Seemingly determined to make the first half of the game resemble an Arena Football League contest, Greenwood unleashed one last long bomb in the closing moments of the half.
Edwards calmly dropped back in the pocket at the Dorman 46-yard line and fired a pass to a cutting Anthony Chalmers, who barreled into the endzone, offering a stiff arm to Giles as he crossed the goal line. The touchdown pass gave Greenwood the 28-14 advantage heading into halftime and essentially put the game out of reach as Greenwood controlled the clock in the second half en route to the victory.
After the game, Dula responded to questions about whether his team was ready to take on AAAA No. 1 Byrnes on September 30.
“We’re worried about Spartanburg right now,” Dula said. “Doc (Spartanburg coach Doc Davis) has a great program up there and I’m sure they’ll be waiting for us.”

Opinion

Cover first things first as we look for answers

September 10, 2005

When people are suffering, worried and frustrated, it’s human nature to point the finger of blame at somebody. It was inevitable, then, that victims of Hurricane Katrina would complain about their troubles and, naturally, become critics.
That should be expected. What should not be expected, though, and is totally out of place, are the ridiculous charges that people have intentionally showed favoritism in rescue efforts.
Take a close look, though, and it all becomes clear. It’s the worst kind of petty politics at work. Take Howard Dean, for instance, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
Dean, chairman of the national Democratic Party told a gathering of black Baptists that race was a factor in the death toll from the hurricane. “We must,” he said, “come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and economics played a deadly role in who survived and who did not.”

THAT COMES, NO DOUBT, as a big surprise to the many black and white Americans who have helped people of all races during and after the tragedy. And, there are many of both races who continue helping, and who care not what color anyone is. Helping is the only consideration.
Rep. Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the U. S. House of Representatives, has been extremely antagonistic to anything and everything connected to President Bush ….. even when reality proves her charges have no basis in truth.
That’s not to say that some Republicans don’t exploit or create opportunities to bring politics into the mix. They do, and they are just as guilty as some Democrats who take the same approach.
Regardless of the motivations – much of it can be seen as rabble-rousing – it’s unfortunate that assigning blame for any real or perceived mistakes by anyone should detract from the tremendous relief efforts by everyone involved, including government.

LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT sin cast the first stone! What politicians are doing in the wake of Katrina couldn’t fit that mold any better than the pettiness demonstrated so often. Demands for investigations are based on politics, too. It’s obvious they want to single out somebody to blame. The reality is, there’s enough blame to go around. The governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans, both Democrats, stumbled big time, before and after the hurricane struck. Reality also shows that a bloated and incompetent federal bureaucracy also added to the misery and miserable response.
That must be fixed. Put first things first. Make sure the system works the next time. Then, if there’s blame to be affixed, so be it, no matter if it’s in President Bush’s White House or the State House of Louisiana.

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

Obituaries

De’Quarius and De’Asia Watts

De’Quarius Jam’al Watts and De’Asia Jan’ea Watts, infant twins of Ulysses Peter Watts and Angel Denise Boozer, of 238 Penn Ave., died at Self Regional Medical Center. De’Quarius died Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 and De’Asia died Friday, Sept. 9, 2005.
They were born in Greenwood.
Survivors include the parents of the home; three brothers, Dedrick Bernard Watts, Fredick Lanard Watts and Octavious Savon Watts, all of Clinton; three sisters, Elexias Tiera Watts of Greenwood, Sharjada Quennay Watts of Clinton and Tityana Yevette Watts of the home; maternal grandmother, Roxie Gilchrist of the home; two maternal great-grandmothers, Lillie Mae Gilchrist of Greenwood and Marie Duncan of Belton; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ulysses Watts of Cross Hill; paternal great-grandmother, Mamie Lee Williams of Clinton.
Graveside services are 11 a.m. Monday at Mount Hermon Baptist Church Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Anthony Talbert, assisted by the Rev. Arthur Kemp.
The family is at the home of an aunt, Tracy Boozer, 208 Burgess Drive.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

James Glenn

NINETY SIX, SC – James Randall “Jimmy” Glenn, 64, of 292 Country Pond Rd., died Thursday, September 8, 2005 at his residence.
Born in Hodges, and a son of the late James Mack and Virginia Rosalee Davenport Glenn, he was the husband of Linda Adams Bledsoe. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Fourstar and was retired from Monsanto. Mr. Glenn was a member of Callie Self Memorial Baptist Church.
Surviving is his wife, Linda Adams Bledsoe of the home, a daughter, Tonya G. Knight of Greenwood, two stepsons, Stacy H. Burnett of Saluda and Chris W. Burnett of Clinton, a granddaughter, Katrina C. Knight of Greenwood, three step grandchildren, Stacy Hunter Burnett and Virginia Lee Burnett both of Manassas, VA and Ryan H. Burnett of Saluda, two sisters, Mrs. Bob (Ann) Franks of Greenwood and Mrs. Charlie L. (Ginger) Williams of Troy.
The family will receive friends from 2 until 3PM, Saturday in the Social Hall at Good Hope Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be 3PM, Saturday, September 10, 2005 at Good Hope Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Justice and Rev. Carles Fincannon officiating. Interment will follow in Mayson Memorial Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Good Hope Baptist Church, 1738 Greenwood Hwy., Saluda, SC 29138, Calvary Holiness Tabernacle c/o Clyde Adams, 2413 Fruit Hill Rd., Ninety Six, SC 29666, Callie Self Memorial Baptist Church, 509 West Kirksey Dr., Greenwood, SC 29646 and South Main Street Baptist, P.O. Box 1093, Greenwood, SC 29648.
PAID OBITUARY

Joseph Fable Harps

CHAPPELLS, SC – Funeral services for Joseph Fable Harps, Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) of 2454 Chappells Highway, Chappells, SC will be conducted 3:00 P.M. Sunday, September 11, 2005 at the Whitaker Funeral Home in Newberry and the family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 P.M. Sunday. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2005 at the Kellersville Methodist Church in Kellersville, PA.
Colonel Harps died on September 8, 2005. He was born on May 25, 1918 in Manchester, North Carolina, a son of the late George Allen and Sidney Hesley Harps. He was a graduate of East Stroudsburg University, the Executive Program of the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago where he received a Master’s of Business Administration.
As a career Army Officer, he was graduated from the Air Tactical School, the Ordinance School, and the Command and General Staff College. His early service was as an Ordinance officer at Morris Field, Colum-bia Army Air Base, V Air Service Area Command, and the IX Troop Carrier Command. During World War II he participated in the Luzon, New Guinea, and Philippine Liberation campaigns and commanded the 2112th Ordinance Battalion. His other overseas tours of duty included a tour of duty in West Germany and two tours of duty in South Korea. Stateside, he served on the Department of the Army General Staff, the Eighth U.S. Army General Staff, and as an Inspector General of the United States Army. His awards and decorations included the Army General Staff Identification Badge and the Legion of Merit.
Colonel Harps is survived by his wife, Popie Helen Harps, of Chappells, a son, Joseph Patrick Harps, daughter-in-law, Ellenor McCaughrin Harps, a grand-daughter, Sidney Hesley Harps, and a grandson, Patrick McCaughrin Harps, all of Alpharetta, Georgia and many others who knew, admired and loved him.
Messages to the family may be sent via email at notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com
Whitaker Funeral Home, Newberry, SC and Joseph J. Pula Funeral Home in East Stroudsburg, PA are assisting the family.
PAID OBITUARY

Eva Laye

GREENWOOD — Eva Coleman Laye, 89, formerly of 109 Pine Circle Drive, wife of Charles Edward Laye died September 9, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born February 27, 1916 in McCormick County, she was a daughter of the late Herbert Newton and Mary Sue Reynolds Coleman. Mrs. Laye was a graduate of McCormick High School and attended Winthrop College and the University of South Carolina. She retired as office manager from Aldrich Machine Works.
Mrs. Laye was a member of lmmanuel Lutheran Church and was also a member of the Greenwood Woman’s Club, Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.), Business Professional Women of Green-wood and was a charter member of the Women of the Moose.
Surviving in addition to her husband are a daughter, Mary Katherine “Kat” and husband Erwin Michael Finkbeiner of Greenwood and a son, Charles Edward Laye, Jr. of Brevard, NC; a sister, Mary Sue C. Tiller of Greenville; five grandchildren, Angela Renea Laye Bosewell, Amy Michelle Laye, Charles Edward Laye, III, Katie Madera Finkbeiner and Anna Caroline Finkbeiner; three great-grandchildren, Lindsey Brooke Butler, Dustin Curtis Butler and Charles Edward Laye, IV; several nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Laye was predeceased by a brother, Herbert Newton “Jack” Coleman.
Cryptside services will be conducted 3:30 PM Sunday at Oakbrook Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel with Rev. John Setzler officiating.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Kat and Erwin Finkbeiner, 916 Olde Pucketts Ferry Road and will receive friends immediately following the service at the Chapel Mausoleum.
The family request that flowers be omitted and memorials made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 501 E. Creswell Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the Lander Univer-sity Foundation, c/o Athletics Department, 320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
For additional information visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

Kaye M. Martin

GREENWOOD — Katherine Edmonds (Kaye) McKellar Martin, 47, of 130 Sheffield Road, widow of John Warren Martin, Jr., died Thursday, September 8, 2005 at the Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of Donald B. and Susannah Boykin McKellar and the loving mother of Trey Martin and Meredith Martin.
A 1975 graduate of Green-wood High School and a graduate of Presbyterian College with a BS degree, Kaye was certified in elementary education and special educa-tion. She received her MEd from Lander University. Kaye received the prestigious recog-nition of a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in 2001.
A gifted and beloved teacher, Kaye taught special education, regular education, and the Gifted and Talented Program for 21 years, the majority of which was spent at Pinecrest Elementary School. She instituted a science lab program which she taught through 2004. She was the recipient of several grants by the Education Enrichment Foundation and was especially proud to be named Teacher of the Year at Pinecrest for the 1993-94 school year.
She was a member of the Greenwood Country Club, where she was a former member of the tennis team and was a member and former deacon of First Presbyterian Church.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Linda McKellar Oliver.
Surviving are her parents of Greenwood; her daughter, Meredith Martin, of the home; her son, John W. “Trey” Martin, III, of Charleston; a sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Tony Makar of Ft. Mill; her brother and sister-in-law, Donny and Ann McKellar of Greenwood; her mother-in-law Mrs. Elizabeth (Ibbie) Martin of Greenwood; sisters-in-law, Mrs. Chris (Tricia) Holmes of Charleston andMrs. Howard (Nancy) Greenwood of Florida; nieces, Kate and Adrienne Oliver and Lucie Makar; nephews, Tradd and Cameron Makar, Gray Rains, William and Walter Green-wood; aunts, Mrs.Louise Boone of Augusta, GA, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sellers of Hopkins, Mrs. Daughty Lawrence and Mrs. Suzanne Heyward, both of Greenwood; an uncle, Thomas Rives Boykin of Marietta, GA, and many cousins.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. David Mayo officiating.
Honorary escort will be special friends Kathy Ligon, Kim Wasson, Ann Salway, Louise Sligh, Mona Borland,Hunter Bell, Martha Barnette, Susie Martin, Bubba Harvin, Ken Timmerman, Frank and Carol Eck, Codi Hudgens, Debbie Gardner, Wendy Major, Fran and Alan Hammond.
The family will receive friends immediately following the service in Alexander Hall at the church.
The family is at Kaye’s home, 130 Sheffield Road and at the home of her parents, 127 Sheffield Road.
Memorials may be made to the Lander Foundation, John Martin Golf Scholarship Fund, 320 Stanley Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 or HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY