Late doctor’s ring stolen during public viewing

November 16, 2006

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

SALUDA — A public viewing is meant as a display of respect.
That it could, or would, turn into a moment of opportunity for a criminal is unthinkable.
This past Sunday, as friends and family mourned the loss of Dr. Robert Lee Sawyer Sr. — one of Saluda’s most loved and respected residents — his family, as well as the staff at Ramey Funeral Home, noticed something was missing.
Sawyer’s college class ring, there just moments before, was gone.
“We had skipped church so the kids could go back and see him again and it happened while we were there,” Lawrence Yonce, Sawyer’s son-in-law, said Wednesday. “As soon as we realized the ring was missing we closed the doors and started looking for it. My wife (Cecelia) is all bent out of shape.
“I believe this has torn her up worse than anything, but the police are working on it as hard as they can. There were a lot of people there.”
The ring, which Sawyer received as an undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina in 1954, is gold and has the name “Robert L. Sawyer” engraved on the inside. Sawyer, a general practitioner, delivered 2,012 children during his 42 years of service to the community.
That something of this nature would occur at all is shocking to many.
That it would happen in Saluda, and victimize one of its favorite sons at such a time, has the residents of this close-knit community angered and upset.
Dwayne Josey, director at Ramey Funeral Home, was stunned.
“I’ve never heard of anything like this ever happening before, and I started in 1975,” Josey said. “We’ve never had any jewelry taken. We shut the doors and searched as best we could to make sure it had not fallen off or been caught in some clothing. It would have been impossible for the ring to have fallen off. Someone would had to have lifted his hand to take it off.
“We’ve had large gatherings here before for young people that were tragically killed, but the reception was very large for Doctor Sawyer. The people here loved him. He was pretty special.
“The thing that has folks upset is the ring’s sentimental value. As far as the monetary value of the ring it’s probably not much. But that ring itself cannot be replaced.”
Saluda law enforcement does have a suspect in the case, but the investigation remains ongoing.
“I’ve never had one like this before,” Saluda Police Chief David Farmer said. “We do have a suspect right now and we’re lining up a polygraph. It’s appalling that this would happen to a hero of Saluda.
“The main thing is getting the ring back. The offense itself is a felony that carries five years, but the main thing is getting that ring back. If we could get that ring back we could work with folks.”
The hopeful return of the stolen ring, while not removing the pain and hurt for family members, would provide some measure of closure. For those nearest to Sawyer, the entire episode been difficult to bear.
“It’s been a tough week,” Yonce said. “It’s been a rough one.”
Anyone with information concerning this investigation is encouraged to contact the City of Saluda Police Department at (864) 445-7336 during weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Returning from war

Guard unit to get welcome at Ware Shoals High today

November 16, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

There will be a celebration in Ware Shoals today, and rightfully so.
The South Carolina Army National Guard Delta Company 111th Signal Battalion is returning home after a one-year deployment in Iraq. The local chapter of the South Carolina Army National Guard Family Readiness Group is putting on a welcome-home celebration for the troops, with an open invitation to the public.
The soldiers are set to arrive at Riegel Stadium at Ware Shoals High School at 12:30 p.m. today.
“We have about 120 soldiers coming in” said Anita Moore, a member of the family readiness group, which has been assisting in planning the celebration. “They are from about 63 different towns in the state. There will be 18 from Greenwood.”
Moore said the plans for the celebration are more than three months in the making.
There will be a ceremony at the high school stadium with military officials speaking, and the Fort Jackson band also is scheduled to play several selections.
The troops also will receive lunch, with food provided by Food Lion.
After the celebration the troops will be dismissed to rejoin their families.
Moore said the readiness group is thrilled the 111th is returning safe and intact.
“We are so happy they are all returning safe,” Moore said. “It really is cause for celebration.”
Moore has a particularly strong reason for revelry, as her son, Joseph Moore, is part of the 111th.
“Yes, one of them is my son,” Moore said. “He is married and has a 4-year-old, and we’ve been keeping up with him with e-mail. My grandson has gotten a kick out of seeing his dad on the Web cam.”
Moore said the Internet has been an invaluable asset in staying in touch with the troops. She said she can’t imagine how it was in previous wars, when it was much more difficult for family members to stay in contact with loved ones who were deployed.
Moore outlined some of the duties of the S.C. Family Readiness Group.
“We help provide support for the families of soldiers that are deployed, or even families of soldiers not deployed,” Moore said. “When people have spouses or parents that have been away, we can give support and help in certain situations.”
As far as today’s celebration, Moore said she expects the troops to receive a rousing homecoming.
“We expect there will be people along some streets, waving American flags,” said Moore, who added the troops will be arriving in Ware Shoals from the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.
“And we have yellow ribbons everywhere,” Moore said. “We have the ribbons all the way down to McCormick.”

Dixie High athlete gets donations for transplant

November 16, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Derell Brownlee, 16, wishes he could play basketball for Dixie High School again.
He played junior varsity basketball last spring, but the course of his life was derailed over the summer. Brownlee was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, a disease that shuts down the immune system and scars the liver, said Lynn Patterson, a first-grade teacher at Cherokee Trail Elementary.
He had to stop playing basketball because the disease makes him weak and causes his body to swell.
“I don’t like that I can’t play,” Brownlee said.
But there is a light in this dark time. He has been getting some help from his former elementary school to pay medical and travel costs associated with a needed liver transplant, said Kathy Stevenson, assistant superintendent for Abbeville County School District.
Cherokee Trail Elementary School donated $1,500 to the Derell Brownlee fund set up at Community Bank in Due West, Patterson said.
It wasn’t surprising for Brownlee’s elementary school to rush to his aid, Stevenson said. Brownlee lives near Cherokee Trail and is still highly respected by students at the school.
Cherokee Trail raised the money as part of a class project, said Becky Hall, a second-grade teacher.
The “Helping Hands Project” is designed to offset some of Brownlee’s medical costs for his family, said Jean Smith, instructional specialist at Cherokee Trail and coordinator of early childhood K4/gifted and talented/assessment for Abbeville.
“We have a very caring faculty and student population,” she said.
Students, parents and others brought in money for Brownlee. For every dollar raised, a paper hand was stuck to a wall in Cherokee Trail’s cafeteria.
The cafeteria is now plastered with paper hands, Smith said.
Brownlee and his family will need the money once they get the call that a liver has been found. His parents will have to pay for food, hotel rooms and travel for about a month in Charleston after he has surgery.
Ricky Brownlee, Derell’s dad, will have to be out of work for that time, Smith said.
The money is being kept in a Commercial Bank account in Due West where Ralph Patterson oversees who withdraws money from it, Lynn Patterson said. People can donate to the Derell Brownlee fund through Commercial Bank, Smith said.
Patterson’s husband, Ralph, and Tracy Carter, coaches for Dixie’s varsity basketball team, helped organize the fundraiser for Derell.
“They knew it would be important for them to get that,” Lynn Patterson said.
The Pattersons and Brownlees have been close for years.
Lynn Patterson’s son, Reggie, and Derell have been friends since kindergarten. Patterson’s husband and Derell’s dad coached Reggie and Derell’s Little League baseball team when they were kids.
When the Pattersons found out about Derell’s condition, they were taken aback.
“Oh, we were devastated,” Lynn Patterson said.
But she doesn’t treat him any differently than she always has.
Patterson joked with Derell last weekend when he was over at their house that he couldn’t slack off from his homework while being in the hospital.
Derell just grinned.
He plans to get back onto the court for Dixie High School soon.
“Yeah, I plan on playing next year,” Derell said. Then, correcting himself, he added: “Hopefully, I’ll play next year.”

Obituaries

Billy Creswell

McCORMICK — William Marshall “Billy” Creswell, Jr., 74, resident of 302 Virginia Street, died Nov. 14, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in McCormick County, Dec. 30, 1931, he was a son of the late W. Marshall and Parrie Watkins Creswell. He was a graduate of Lander College.
Billy was active in his father’s business, W.M. Creswell Garage and formerly worked in real estate. He also served as Clerk of Court of McCormick County and was retired after 33 years of service from the S.C. National Guard.
A member of Pressly Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, he was an Elder and former Deacon of the church. Being an avid bridge player, he was a member of Savannah Lakes Wednesday Night Bridge Club and the Thursday Night Bridge Club.
Surviving are three brothers, George N. and wife, Betty Lou Creswell of Greenville, S. Reid and wife, Donna Creswell of Callison and Patrick W. Creswell of McCormick; nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 4 p.m. Friday at Pressly Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with Rev. Eldredge Kelley officiating.
Burial will be in the McCormick City Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Jeffrey Creswell, Richard Creswell, Reid M. Creswell, Thomas Martin, Todd Wall, William Crowell, Brad Kay and John Hofman.
The family is at the home on Virginia Street and will receive friends at the church from 3 to 4 Friday afternoon. The body is at Blyth Funeral Home in Greenwood and will be placed in the church at 3 p.m. Friday.
Memorials may be made to McCormick County Senior Center, PO Box 684, McCormick, SC 29835 or to Pressly Memorial ARP Church, c/o Wilma Flanagan, 213 Holiday, McCormick SC 29835.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Creswell family.

Al Anthony Kennedy

Al Anthony (Chill) Kennedy, 38, of 100 Kennedy Lane, Calhoun Falls, SC, died Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, SC.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of Albert and Dora Kennedy of Calhoun Falls, SC. He was a 1988 graduate of Calhoun Falls High School and 2003 graduate of Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood with an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. He coached Little League Baseball, Basketball and Football for the Calhoun Falls Recreation Department for five years.
He is survived by two daughters, Raven Rouse and Alisa Kennedy of Calhoun Falls, one son Al Anthony Kennedy, Jr. of Calhoun Falls; two sisters, Theresa Watt of Abbeville and Jacqueline Thomas of Atlanta, Georgia; two brothers, Alfred Kennedy of Greenwood, SC and Cornelius Kennedy of Calhoun Falls.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday, November 17, 2006 at Springfield Baptist Church, Calhoun Falls, SC with Rev. Johnnie Waller, officiating.
The body will be placed in church at 12 noon. Entombment will be at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Abbeville, SC. Public viewing will be Thursday, November 16, 2006 from 1 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Abbeville & White Mortuary, Inc. The family is at the home.
Online condolences can be sent to awmort@wctel.net. Abbeville & White Mortuary, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.

Moses M. Marshall

Moses Marquette Marshall, 21, of 217 Marion Ave., died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006, at his home. The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.

Mildred Warren Owen

COLUMBIA — Funeral service for Mildred Warren Owen, 93, will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with burial in Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Greenwood, S.C., at 2 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or Lowman Home. The family will receive friends Friday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Owen, wife of the late Broadus Epting Owen, died Monday, Nov. 13, 2006. Born in Abbeville, S.C., she was a daughter of the late Joel Warren, Sr. and Lyla McCurry Warren. She was an avid gardener, enjoyed cooking and was a member of Beulah Baptist Church, Hopkins, S.C.
Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Connie O. and Bland Mellette, Jr. of Irmo; grandchildren, Bland Mellette, III of Charleston, S.C., Catherine Mellette of Detroit, Mich., and Nancy M. Clauss of Manhattan, Kansas; and great-grandchildren, Katerina Mellette and Rebecca Clause.
www.dunbarfunerals.com.

Rose Paysinger

Rose Miller Paysinger, 83, of 104 Appaloosa Lane, widow of Joe Wilbur Paysinger, died Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Aiken County, she was a daughter of the late George Croft Miller and Lois Gardner Miller Holman. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Rehoboth United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Jean Holstein Gunter.
Surviving is a daughter, Mrs. Paul Edward (Josephine) Horne, Jr. of Greenwood and two grandchildren, Paul Edward Horne, III and Amanda Horne McPhail.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Friday at Kinard United Methodist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Jimmy Tucker officiating.
The family will receive friends at Harley Funeral Home on Friday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Power of 3

Three-pointers guide Lander past Presbyterian

November 16, 2006

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

The Lander Lady Bearcats seemed to resemble the latest dance craze, “The Chicken Noodle Soup,” Wednesday night against the Presbyterian Blue Hose at Finis Horne Arena.
Hometown favorite LaShonda Chiles and freshman Jasmine Collier “let it rain” as they combined to shoot 10 of 19 behind the arc, while Tara Nyikaravanda and Stephanie Ponds “cleared it out,” the lane that is, finishing with 10 rebounds and five blocks respectively in the Lady Bearcats 93-75 win over Presbyterian.
“It was a great experience tonight. It was packed and it was loud the whole time. We really did have home court advantage,” Chiles said. “We just got on a roll in the second half and everybody knew what everybody else could do. We were just finding the open person and they were just knocking down shots.”
Collier was a thorn in Presbyterian’s side as she did just that for most of the night.
“This was my first game and I just wanted to come out and play hard,” Collier said. “Those are shots that we take everyday in practice. The whole team is just feeding off each other’s energy and this is a big game for us tonight to come out and make a statement.”
Coach Pederson’s goal of putting pressure on Presbyterian paid off as the Lady Bearcats closed the game on a 16-2 run, sparked by a Chiles three-pointer with 4 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the game.
Both squads started the game with back to back three-pointers beginning with the Lady Bearcats, who finished 14-29, from downtown.
Senior Bryony Crouch and Chiles hit shots from long range to give the Lady Bearcats a 6-0 lead with just under two minutes gone in the opening half.
Presbyterian would shake off the early shots and go on an 18-5 run over the next 4:47, capped off by an Amy Jones three-pointer as the Lady Bearcats found themselves trailing by seven.
Nyikaravanda, who just missed a double-double as she finished the game with eight points to go with her 10 rebounds, finally got the Lady Bearcats back on the board as she sparked a 13-0 run with a shot in the paint.
“If we can just get a few stops, we always say we’ve got a 10-0 run in us,” Pederson said. “We believe we can go on a 10-0 run at any point with our ability.”
The run ended with an exclamation point as Tiara Good drained a three-pointer with 10:31 remaining in the first half as the Lady Bearcats held on to a 24-18 lead.
The Wake Forest transfer finished the game with 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
The Lady Bearcats extended the lead to eleven points at 31-20 following another three-pointer by Good off a Chiles assist.
Presbyterian battled back though, thanks to strong play from Morgan Johnson, who finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds as her squad trailed 39-37 at halftime.
Presbyterian held the lead briefly in the second half, but six three-pointers by Collier and an additional 13 points by Chiles sealed Presbyterian’s fate.
“Presbyterian has a good team, they were physical and they had three players that we couldn’t stop out there,” Pederson said. “Finally we wore them down and our players got confident. We’ve got some great shooters out there tonight and that allowed us to get that big run to close the game out.”

Opinion

At times, education can find answers in debate

November 16, 2006

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., knows how to make a buck or two ..... give or take a couple of billion. As they say, he obviously has a good head on his shoulders. When he talks it pays to listen.
Take his views on education. Considering the controversy over education these days and the latest low marks most of South Carolina’s school districts got on their 2006 report cards - the second year in a row of a ratings decline - good advice from anyone should be welcome. Gates’opinions also complement efforts by the S. C. Education Oversight Committee to improve education.
The debate on a local bond program has centered on the relative importance of teaching and learning, as compared to buildings. Some firmly believe education benefits more from curriculum and teaching, and that the proposed multi-million-dollar building plan puts the emphasis in the wrong place.

GATES SAYS IT’S ASTONISHING that we have a system that doesn’t allow us to pay more to attract and keep better teachers and to reward strong performance. In short, better pay and incentives equal good teachers and students. Not doing that “ ... is tantamount,” Gates says, “to saying teacher talent and performance don’t matter and that’s basically saying students don’t matter.”
Gates says we have the best higher education system in the world. The fact that so many foreign students come here to study is proof. They’ve come from all over the planet for many years to earn bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees. Many of them have taken advantage of our schooling and gone home to become anti-American antagonists.

DESPITE HAVING THE BEST higher education system, though, Gates says what every South Carolinian has heard many times. Our primary and secondary schools are failing to prepare our students for college.
Four things Gates emphasizes: higher standards, clear accountability, flexible personnel practices and innovation. “Real accountability,” he says, “means more than having clear goals; it also means having clear consequences for not meeting the goals.” In fact, Gates believes states should have the power to intervene at low-performing schools.
Despite everything, there is a positive aspect. More people are joining the debate. One thing’s for sure. Debate of public issues usually brings out the best and the worst of ideas. Wisdom and experience suggest that from this can be gleaned the proper course of action.