Former teacher at local school loses her battle against cancer

September 9, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

Kaye Martin, the Greenwood resident whose battle with cancer touched the hearts of many in the Lakelands community, has died.
Martin, 47, died about noon Thursday at HospiceCare of the Piedmont’s Hospice House, surrounded by her family and friends, Martin family friend Kathy Ligon said.
A former teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School, Martin was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in July 2004, just three months after husband John, an athletic director, coach and physical education teacher at Brewer Middle School, lost his own battle with cancer.
In April, Martin underwent a bone marrow transplant at a medical center in Houston, where she had been receiving treatment since January.
For the next several months, it appeared the transplant had worked, but Martin suffered a setback in August, when doctors informed her that her cancer had relapsed. She remained in Houston until mid-August, when she returned home to Greenwood.
Martin received a four-day round of chemotherapy in late August at a hospital in Greenville, where she remained until Monday of this week, Ligon said.
“Kaye made the decision that she wanted to spend the rest of her time in the place she loved — Greenwood — with her family and friends,” said Ligon, who had served as one of Martin’s caregivers during her illness. “We had so many visitors (in the past few days) that, at times, we had to turn some away at the door.
“Kaye felt happy and it was a joyous time.”
She was the daughter of former Greenwood Community Theatre Director Donald McKellar and wife Susannah. Martin’s family has dealt with a string of cancer-related illnesses since the 1990s. Martin’s sister, Linda McKellar Oliver, died of colon cancer in 1991. Her sister-in-law, Greenwood resident Anne McKellar, has had her own battle with bone and liver cancer.
In the months since Martin’s illness, she and Anne McKellar have received an outpouring of support from the Greenwood community. In October 2004, Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson proclaimed the week of Oct. 24-30 as “McKellar Girls Fund Week,” and actors Grainger Hines and Michelle Phillips performed a play at Lander University to benefit the fund, established to help the family with medical expenses.
Martin’s story also has been followed by The Index-Journal over the past year. In an October 2004 article, the family described its experience as one that had left them “overwhelmed and devastated,” but still placing their faith in God.
“What I have found since being diagnosed with leukemia…is hope and inspiration. I have found that when I want to question why, and don’t feel like smiling, there is strength in knowing that God has a plan for me,” Martin wrote for the article. “When I think that my situation is outrageous, there is courage in meeting and learning the stories of others who face similar or worse struggles. When I miss my children and family, I find comfort in the prayers and support of my friends and the community. When I feel weak and overwhelmed, I find blessings all around me.”
It was that mentality that helped Martin touch so many lives, Ligon said.
“I’ve never seen anyone so blessed with people that care about her – it is because she cared about people herself,” she said. “(Her family and friends) feel sad for ourselves, but we’re celebrating Kaye and her life and the fact that she’s now with John and Linda.”

GHS girls knock off EHS

September 9, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Members of the Greenwood High School volleyball team celebrate after the Lady Eagles defeated Emerald in three games Thursday night at Emerald High School.

The Greenwood High School volleyball team secured the city championship Thursday night at Emerald High School.
The Lady Eagles defeated crosstown rival Emerald, 3-0, shutting out the Lady Vikings and sweeping the season series between the two teams. Greenwood defeated Emerald in three games Sept. 1.
The game scores Thursday’s match were 25-9, 27-25 and 25-13, all in favor of the Lady Eagles.
“Wow, what stress,” said Greenwood coach Shawn Stratton with a sigh. “Whenever you have two teams from the same town like this, the emotions run high.
“Emerald played well on their home floor.”
The Lady Vikings burst out of the gates to a 4-1 lead in the first game, mostly on the strength of the serving of Alix Anderson.
However, as the game wore on, the Lady Eagles’ tall hitters began wearing on the smaller Emerald defense.
Greenwood hitter Brantley Sacoco had four kills late in the game, two set up by Shannon Lomnick, to help vault the Lady Eagles to the 22-8 lead. Greenwood closed the game out with superlative serving from Tracy Chasteen to secure the 1-0 match lead.
“Their size at the net killed us,” Emerald coach Sondra Clendenin said.
“They’ve got a bunch of girls at 6-feet or so, while most of the ones we’ve got up front are about five-and-a-half feet. We just have a tough time competing against a (Class) Four A school in that regard.”
Things heated up between the rivals in the second game.
At first, the middle game appeared to be taking the same path as the first, with Greenwood jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead, due in part to an ace from Kevy Anty.
However, late in the game the Lady Vikings made a run that electrified the large contingent of Emerald faithful in attendance.
Facing an 18-13 deficit, Emerald setter Shenna Clark stepped to the service line. Clark proceeded to pop four aces in her next five serves to close the Greenwood lead to 18-17.
“We’re a much better team when Shenna is serving,” Clendenin said. “She really excels in that area.”
When Lady Eagles hitter Allie Gray dumped an attempted spike into the net on the next sequence, the score was knotted at 18 and the noise in the Emerald gym rose to a shrieking crescendo.
“That was big for those guys, to have that home crowd,” Stratton said. “It gave them a lot of momentum in the second game.”
Clendenin agreed.
“It made a world of difference for our girls,” Clendenin said.
“They love the noise and the racket. It really does give us and advantage when we play in our gym.”
The support would prove fleeting, however, as the Lady Eagles found their composure and edged Emerald 27-25. Sacoco again came up big for Greenwood, recording a kill to break a 25-all tie and propel the Lady Eagles toward a second game win.
The Lady Vikings seemed emotionally spent in the third game after the topsy-turvy second game.
The Lady Eagles jumped out to an 11-5 advantage and never looked back, getting excellent serving from Shannon Lomnick and Ashlee Roof down the stretch to go on to the 25-13 game win and overall match victory.
“We had to fight for this one,” Stratton said.
“I think we’re improving and they certainly have improved. In a crosstown rivalry anything can happen. I’m glad to have come away with the win.”

Opinion

Adequate S. C. education? Who decides, how much?

September 9, 2005

A while back, a film was produced and distributed to dramatize the state of affairs of poorer, rural school districts in South Carolina. Funded by a coalition of Republican and Democratic philanthropists, assembled by Columbia attorney John Rainey, that film – “Corridor of Shame” – was sent to state and local lawmakers.
The purpose of the film was to show that school children in those poor districts don’t get the same quality education as those in richer districts. It helped bolster a lawsuit brought by eight poor school districts. That suit claims that children in those districts are being short-changed. They want the same amount of money rich districts have, but they want the state to provide it. That’s because those poorer districts don’t have the strong tax bases that richer districts have ….. in counties like Richland, Lexington, and others, for example.
The state Legislature, the main defendant in the lawsuit, says educational opportunity is adequate in the poor, rural school districts.
The definitive word there, of course, is “adequate.” What is adequate? Who should do the defining?

THERE ARE OTHER OBVIOUS questions, too. For example, would the state – meaning taxpayers – have to provide funding to poor districts equal to the local funding that comes from rich districts? If that’s how the courts rule, there would never be fairness. Richer districts could keep increasing local funding and the state would have to keep increasing state funding for poor districts ….. either that or mandate that poor counties levy more or higher taxes.
That could be a vicious circle. What’s fair to one, maybe, would be unfair to another.
What should be the education standard? Why not have a commission of educators, lawmakers, parents and people from the private sector – and maybe even the courts – determine, together, what “adequate” is, and go from there.

WHETHER THAT WOULD WORK is anybody’s guess, to be sure. Nevertheless, something must be done that is fair to all. Richer districts are likely to always be richer and poor districts are likely to always be poor. Consequently, local funding will never be equal.
Unless the state takes over all school funding and gives maximum funding to all districts, it appears there’ll always be some kind of education inequity.
A group of citizen-activists, Rainey says, may set up a foundation to raise money to help poorer schools. That may be the answer. But, then, with the arguments over “reforming” property taxes, which fund schools, does anyone know what lies ahead?
Regardless, it gets back to the basics: Defining an adequate education, who decides, and, of course, how much money is needed and where to get it.

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

Obituaries

Carol Alexander

Carol Alexander, 93, formerly of Simpsonville, widow of Whit Alexander, died Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 at Wesley Commons in Greenwood.
A native of Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Benjamin and Bessie Pratt Nickels. She was a graduate of Lander University, a member of Kappa Delta Honor Society for Teachers and taught middle school for many years. She and her husband delivered Meals on Wheels for many years. A member of Simpsonville First Baptist Church, she taught the Ruth Sunday School Class for more than 30 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Jim (Anita) Cebulski of Lakeland, Fla., and Mrs. Lee (Sue) Jaffe of Ninety Six; four sisters, Mildred Racette of San Diego, Martha Agnew of Charlotte, N.C., Agnes Reddick of Greenwood and Pat Fitchett of Richmond, Va.; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Simpsonville First Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Randy Harling. Burial is in Graceland East Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Simpsonville First Baptist Church Missions Fund, 106 Church St., Simpsonville, SC 29605.
Family members are at their respective homes.
Cannon Funerals and Cremations is in charge.

Douglas W. Hurley

McCORMICK — Douglas Washington Hurley, of 500 Augusta St. Extension, husband of Eliza B. Hurley, died Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Ella Watts Lake

Services for Ella Watts Lake are 2 p.m. Saturday at Durham Temple C.M.E. Church, conducted by the Rev. James McKee. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers are Travis Curry, Desimond Curry, Sherman Hawkins, Bobby Anthony, Daryl Scott and Morris Stewart II.
Flower bearers are Viola Smith, Brenda Anderson, Johnnie Mae Bowie and nieces.
Honorary escorts are members of Brewer Class of 1961, National Council of Negro Women Inc., Solutia AAMT Training Department.
Visitation is 7-8 tonight at Parks Funeral Home.
The family is at the home, 525 Taggart Ave.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

Kaye M. Martin

Kaye McKellar Martin, 47, of 130 Sheffield Road, widow of John Warren Martin Jr., died Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 at the Hospice House.
The family is at the home and at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald B. McKellar, 127 Sheffield Road.
Memorials may be made to the Lander Foundation, John Martin Golf Scholarship Fund, 320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home.

Alice Simpson Seawright

ABBEVILLE — ALICE SIMPSON SEAWRIGHT, 78, of 4627 Highway 28 North died Thursday, September 8, 2005 at the Abbeville Hospital. Born in McCormick County, she was a daughter of the late James Monroe and Anna Goff Simp-son. She was a member of Little Mountain Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Seawright is the widow of the late Allen Power Seawright. She was a former clerical worker for Abbeville Mills and Abbeville Shirt-makers.
She is survived by her daughter Gail Seawright Smith and husband Reece; two brothers, Richard Simpson and James M. Simpson, Jr. both of Abbeville S.C.; three sisters, Thelma Simpson Young, and Bobbie Simpson Proctor both of Greenwood S.C. and Doris Simpson Smith of Abbeville, S.C.; and two granddaughters Angela Smith Gambrell of Abbeville, S.C. and Valerie Smith Jenks of Greenwood, S.C.
Services will be held on Friday, September 9, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at the Little Mountain Presbyterian Church with Rev. John Parks officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00am until time of service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice or to Little Mountain Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund, 3826 Highway 28 North, Abbeville, SC.
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME OF ABBEVILLE IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
PAID OBITUARY

David G. Turman

MOUNT CARMEL — Services for David G. Turman, of 257 Highway 823, are 1 p.m. Saturday at Holy Rock Reformed Episcopal Church, Willington, conducted by the Revs. J.T. Wiggins and Paul Saunders. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in the church cemetery.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home, Abbeville, is in charge.