Business blooming during fest

June 21, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

For most attending the main weekend of the 2007 Festival of Flowers this Friday through Sunday, the time spent in Greenwood will be remembered for the good times had at events such as the Bowers Rodgers Bass Tournament, the Homemade Genius concert or a performance of “The Secret Garden” at Greenwood Community Theatre.
However, for many civic officials and business owners in the Emerald City, the Festival will likely be remembered for the economic impact it has on the community.
The Festival kicked off its 40th year at the beginning of June with a garden gala at the home of Lander University president Dan Ball and will wrap up with several events Sunday. Kelly McWhorter, director of the Greenwood Regional Tourism and Visitors Bureau, said having the Festival as a nearly monthlong event is a plus fiscally.
“We would like to applaud the Festival for being an event that takes place throughout the month of June,” McWhorter said. “There has been something each weekend. You can see a difference.”
McWhorter lauded new events such as the Junior Festival of Flowers Golf Tournament, an addition that brought 90 junior golfers to the area. McWhorter touched on which areas of the local economy are affected by that event and the dozens of others taking place this month.
“We have so many people coming to town that will be getting gas at our convenience stores, eating at our restaurants and staying in our hotels here,” McWhorter said.
“I will be very interested to see the figures after this weekend.”
McWhorter said she expects money brought into the local economy by the Festival of Flowers to surpass $1 million. She said the week of The Masters golf tournament has brought in that kind of money locally in recent years, so she fully expects a monthlong event to rake in more.
John Huffman, of Inn on the Square, said his hotel will be buzzing this weekend.
“Absolutely, we will see a tremendous surge this weekend. We always do during the Festival,” he said.
Huffman said he only has a few rooms left for the weekend, which he expects to fill up. “I’m sure we’ll do brisk business in the tavern (The Fox and Hound Pub) as well,” he added.
The hotel has seen a slow building of commerce throughout the month, rising to what he labeled a “crescendo” this weekend. Huffman also noted he has been pleased with the overall surge of activity in Uptown Greenwood.
“We appreciate everything the city has done — in particular (assistant city manager) Charlie Barrineau,” he said. “They have worked hard to bring events into Uptown, and it shows.”
Tony Wideman, owner of the T.W. Boon’s restaurant in Greenwood, talked about what the Festival does for his business.
“I’m already feeling the impact,” Wideman said, laughing. “Last week we had one of our busiest weeks. Then this week we are $1,000 ahead of where we were last week. That could change, but I doubt it will with the music they are having up here this weekend.”
Wideman said he plans to have his eatery staffed to the max this weekend, admitting he might have been a bit understaffed last weekend when Patsy Cline and Elvis impersonators performed in Uptown.
“I have heard from city officials that 600 or 700 people were Uptown during that,” Wideman said. “That number of people up here is simply a huge thing.”
Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson said he thinks the fiscal effects of the Festival of Flowers could be felt long after the event ends.
“Greenwood has grown as a retirement destination,” Nicholson said. “I believe some may come here for the Festival and see how beautiful this area is and some of our lake developments and such and decide this is where they want to live forever.”

An unusual eye for painting

Local artist's talent is in the genes

June 21, 2007

By LARRY SINGER
Index-Journal staff writer

Question: When is a genetic research facility an art gallery?
Answer: When the director is a prodigious artist with a case of colorblindness that, coincidentally, can be traced back to a genetic deficiency.
The research facility/gallery is the Self Research Institute of the Greenwood Genetic Center.
The director/artist is Dr. Roger Stevenson, and Stevenson’s paintings —large abstracts with layers of curling, exploding prismatic hues — decorate many of the walls of the four-building complex.
Within the building that houses Stevenson’s office, research and gene-finding are carried out on a daily basis.
“Genetic researchers who are participating in research projects are based here,” Stevenson said. “I’ve been the director since 1974 when this institution was founded.”
As director, his primary duty is to see that Greenwood Genetic Center provides genetic services for South Carolina residents, develops educational programs in medical and human genetics, and conducts research.
Apart from his creation of art, Stevenson’s professional career has been devoted to the study of birth defects and developmental impairments, and he has authored two textbooks on genetics.
When not exploring new boundaries in genetics, Stevenson loves to put gobs of viscous pigment on very large pieces of tightly stretched cloth.
“I’ve been painting for a longer period of time than I’ve been in genetics,” he said. “I’ve been painting since high school I guess, which was in the late 1950s. I started out liking the realistic, but in college I got introduced to the abstract artists of that era, and found particular fascination with Jackson Pollock — a major force in the abstract expressionist movement.”
Some of his canvases, which are about 15 feet in length, are nearly indistinguishable — at least to people who do not own an art gallery — from Pollock’s work.
What makes his artistic output unique, however, is the way Stevenson perceives certain colors.
“I went back recently, and took all the tests for color blindness and failed all of them,” Stevenson said. “So I really am colorblind.”
Colorblindness, also known as dyschromatopsia or color vision deficiency, is the inability to tell the difference between some or all colors that non-colorblind people can distinguish. It is most often of genetic nature, but it also can occur because of eye, nerve or brain damage, or exposure to certain chemicals.
Colorblindness occurs when there is a problem with the color-sensing materials, or pigments, in certain nerve cells of the eye called cones. They are found in the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.
Although about one in 10 men have some form of colorblindness, very few women have the deficiency.
While colorblindness can be classified as a disability, in certain situations colorblind people might have advantages over people with normal color vision because of their ability to penetrate color camouflage.
“I see colors, and when I call something red, other people will call it red or some variation of red,” Stevenson said. “But I have particular difficulty with greens and browns and some blues.”
Stevenson said his colorblindness has affected his paintings in two ways.
“The first, because it makes me a little bit uncertain about colors, has prompted me to get other people to select colors for me,” Stevenson said. “The other aspect is, I have had friends come to me and say they want a painting with two or three specific colors, or to produce a painting with colors that match a certain fabric, and I have found that quite impossible to do.”
The person who selects colors for Stevenson is the wife of a colleague, and she has become his partner in artistic creativity.
“I have a color mixer or color selector, a professional, who picks groups of colors that I might put together,” he said. “The color selector is a dear friend named Anita Spranger. Her husband is a visiting scientist here at the Genetic Center. She was a color developer for a cosmetics company in Europe, so she comes with good credentials.
“I’ve found when she selects a group of colors for me to work with, I take to those colors and enjoy them.”
Stevenson said Spranger does not approach him, uninvited, with colors for him to use.
“She always responds to requests from me,” he said.
Stevenson might tell Spranger he would like a selection of five colors she thinks go together when he is ready to do a series of paintings. When he puts Spranger’s selections down on canvas, he does so with little in mind other than a complementary arrangement of textures, patterns, shapes and designs, along with his own discriminating self-satisfaction. “I paint purely to develop compositions that I enjoy looking at,” he said. “I hope other people might enjoy looking at them, but I’m not trying to convey a meaning or an interpretation. When I paint, I want the end product to be a composition that I enjoy looking at totally, or some piece of it. It doesn’t much matter from there.”
Stevenson admits his affection for genetics has influenced his art.
“It reflects images that I see under the microscope or that I imagine in the biology of humans,” he said.
Although he does not show his work in formal galleries, he does make his work available to collectors.
“I don’t sell my work as such,” Stevenson said. “My work is all owned by the Genetics Endowment of South Carolina. That’s the foundation of this institution. If someone wants to buy one of my paintings, they make a contribution to the endowment.”

Livingston returns as Saluda AD

June 21, 2007

By SCOTT J. BRYAN
Index-Journal sports editor

SALUDA — A familiar face is returning to direct Saluda High School’s athletic department.
Starting July 1, Harvey Livingston, who already has three years experience at Saluda as the athletic director and head football coach, returns to the high school as the school’s assistant principal and athletic director after a two-year hiatus.
Livingston resigned in 2005 as the AD and football coach to take over as the principal at Hollywood Elementary School.
“I spent two years as the principal, and I enjoyed my time at Hollywood Elementary,” Livingston said. “I learned a lot about being a principal. I definitely missed the older kids, and I had the opportunity to come back.”
Livingston said his love for athletics and his goal of becoming a superintendent one day also were driving forces behind his return.
“I’m working on my doctorate, and I want to be a superintendent one day,” Livingston said. “I think a superintendent needs to be well-rounded. I’ve got teaching experience on all three levels, and I’ve got administrative experience on the elementary school level.
“Now, I’ll get some administrative experience on the high school level.”
Livingston served as a teacher and as an assistant football coach for five years at Saluda before taking over as the head coach in 2002. Prior to working at Saluda, Livingston spent six years at Strom Thurmond High School in Johnston. One of the reasons Livingston got out of coaching was so he could focus more on developing a family.
“I got married while I was a principal, and we’re expecting our first child in December,” Livingston said. Livingston takes over for Wayne Bell, who will remain at Saluda as the head football coach. Livingston hired Bell when he was the head coach.
“Wayne and I have a great relationship,” Livingston said. “I hired Wayne three years ago, and he’s a very good friend.” Livingston’s return marks a busy time for Saluda athletics.
Patsy Rhodes, a 35-year veteran of the school, retired in May and Jeanette Ergle, a Saluda graduate, has returned to serve as the volleyball and girls basketball coach. Charlie Jenkins was hired at the end of the school year to serve as the head boys basketball coach.
“One of our main goals is to promote all sports,” Livingston said. “I want to make sure we take care of all the sports, no matter if they’re the biggest or the smallest. I want to give our kids some positive exposure.
“I hope we enable our kids to go on to college, and if there are some things I can do as an AD to provide our kids scholarships and exposure, I’ll try to do it. I also want to help our coaches and do anything that will make their jobs easier.”
Livingston is one of three new athletic directors starting this year. Matt Huntsberger is the new athletic director at Ninety Six High School, while Tad DuBose is the new AD at Abbeville High School.

Festival of Flowers senior event debuts

June 21, 2007

By JIM JOYCE
Special projects editor

NINETY SIX — It’ll be a busy time around the ol’ corrals this weekend, especially when it comes to golf.
The first Festival of Flowers Senior Golf Classic is Saturday and Sunday at the Golf Club at Star Fort, and the Men’s Invitational Golf Club Classic is at Greenwood Country Club.
The seniors tournament is unique in that it is the first played in conjunction with the Festival of Flowers for that age group, and it’s being played on a course that has been undergoing renovations since the early part of the spring.
“It (senior event) was sort of my idea,” Fort pro Tommy Pendley said. “It stems from my experience from having run the regular event for 21 years.
“Now, the players in their mid-40s and 50s just don’t feel they could play the longer course any longer, plus the younger players are hitting the ball so far.”
Combine that with the addition of the juniors tournament this year and the women’s tournament on the goal, Pendley added, “I said, ‘Why not do a seniors division?’”
Discussion with Festival of Flowers officials led to the formation of the tournament for players of a minimum age of 50 as of Saturday.
“It’s a first and we’re excited about this weekend,” Pendley said.
“We wanted a full field that would be about 80 or 90 players, but for the first one, it looks like we’ll have about 40. You have to consider (a) it’s the first time, (b) we’re still doing some of our renovations, and (c) we are also competing against a SCGA event, which is taking some of our players away. But if we do a good job with the ones we have, I think it will be a great foundation for the future.”
Some early entries, Pendley said, are players from Hilton Head and Charleston who have never played in a Festival of Flowers tournament before.
There will be little, if any, changes to the course’s playing area for the tournament, but there are some noticeable sites since the new ownership took over.
“We have totally re-done the clubhouse,” Pendley said. “On the golf course, we have installed an irrigation system, and the fairways will have better grass to play from. The only delay is the bunkers and we will work around that.
“We’ve almost finished the back side with the shaping, drainage, sand and sod, but we’ll play all bunkers as ground under repair. We’ll make it consistent.”
Also, 59 trees have been moved since the spring, and Pendley said they will come into play.
“We’ve had little rainfall here in the Southeast, so the rough won’t be like the U.S. Open. The pin placements will be a little tougher than normal because we want to reward the player who controls his golf ball. That will be about our only defense. The greens won’t have lightning speed, and there won’t be much rough.”
Mainly, he said, “We want them to enjoy the experience for the first time and use this as a spring board for the future.”
Pendley predicts a 2 to 4 under could possibly be a winner.
Expected starting times are noon Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

Obituaries

Ezell Bacote

EAST ORANGE, N.J. — Ezell Bacote, 84, of East Orange, died June 16, 2007. Services will be Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m. at Deliverance Jesus is Coming Church, 815 Springfield Ave., Irvington. Viewing is Thursday, June 21, 2007, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the church. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Hillside. Arrangements are by the Perry Funeral Home, 34 Mercer St., Newark. Send condolences to www.perryfuneralhome.com. Born in Florence, N.C., on Nov. 28, 1922, Ezell lived in East Orange for over 40 years. Ezell leaves to mourn, his beloved wife, Jean E. Bacote; one son, Pastor Kevin Simmons; one daughter, Lisa Bacote; one daughter-in-law, Apostle Jessie Simmons; nine grandchildren; one brother, Villo Bacote; three sisters, Vivian Johnson, Georgiana Richardson and Avernel Bacote; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Naomi Frye Bedenbaugh

JOANNA — Naomi Frye Bedenbaugh, loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, passed Wednesday, June 20 at the Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Mrs. Bedenbaugh was 84 and the widow of B. McFall Bedenbaugh; she formerly lived at 118 Whitmire Road, Joanna, before becoming a resident at Bailey Manor.
She was born in Lexington County, SC, and was a daughter of the late Julian Lester and Vida Estelle Oswald Frye. Mrs. Bedenbaugh was a retired supervisor from Whitten Center and was a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the U.M.W. She also was a member of the Golden Age Club, a member of the Resident Council at Bailey Manor and was a Past President of the State Employees Association of the Piedmont Region. Mrs. Bedenbaugh loved gardening and nurturing all she came in contact with; as an example to this, she lived her life with respect for her Lord and Savior as she kept his commandments and lived by the Golden Rule.
Surviving are two sons, Tony (Pat) Bedenbaugh of Gray Court, Tim (Barbara) Bedenbaugh of Clinton; three daughters, Carole Dailey of Alpharetta, GA, Judy (Melvin) Bailey of Clinton, Gale Boling of Clinton; a sister, Angie Posey; three brothers, Maurice Frye, Milton Frye, Atwood Frye, all of Lexington County; twelve grandchildren; and thirteen great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three brothers, Brooks, Bruce and Johnny Frye.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, June 22 at 11 a.m. in the Epworth United Methodist Church, with burial in the Pinelawn Memory Gardens.
The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Epworth United Methodist Church, 305 Magnolia St., Joanna, SC 29351 or Bailey Manor, 300 Jacobs Hwy., Clinton, SC 29325.
The family will be at the home of her son, Tim Bedenbaugh, 2200 Green Plain Road, Clinton, SC.
The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation for the love, care and kindness shown and given to her by the staff at Bailey Manor and the Fourth Floor nurses and staff of Self Regional Medical Center.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.grayfuneralhome.com.
Gray Funeral Home of Clinton.

Monica Necole Cade

CALHOUN FALLS — Monica Necole Cade, 28, of 127 Seneca Circle, died Tuesday, June 19, 2007, in Elberton, Ga.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary Inc.

Ercel Kyzer

NINETY SIX — Services for Ercel B. Kyzer will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Abney Memorial Baptist Church, with Dr. Ted Williams and the Rev. Stanley Sprouse officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Shane Sprouse, Ben Sprouse, Larry Wright, Ben Kelley, Eddie Ballard and Leland Amick.
Honorary escort will be members of the T.E.L. Sunday School Class of Abney Memorial Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. The body will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. on Friday.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Shirley Sprouse, 611 Cedar Springs Road, Bradley.
Mrs. Kyzer, 89, formerly of 105 Lowell Street, Ninety Six, widow of Olin Kyzer, died Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at NHC Health Care Center.
Born in Newberry, she was a daughter of the late Willie Burdett and Mattie Jane Masters Ballard. She was retired from Greenwood Mills, Sloan Plant and was a member of Abney Memorial Baptist Church and a former member of Cambridge United Methodist Church of Ninety Six.
Surviving are her daughter, Mrs. Jimmy (Shirley) Sprouse of Bradley; a sister, Mary Alice Lomax of Ninety Six; a brother, John Ballard of Ninety Six; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

John Daniel Mallory Jr.

GILBERT — Services for John Daniel Mallory, Jr., 78, of Gilbert, will be held Friday, June 22, 2007, at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington. Visitation will be held at 4 p.m., with service to follow in the Chapel at 5 p.m. Rev. Patti Parrish will be officiating. Burial will follow in Celestial Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be his grandsons: Drew Mallory, Wayne Botts, Terry Hutto, Jr., Jonathan Botts, Tripp Clark, Daniel Mallory, Chip Mallory, and grandson-in-law Tony Temple. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Tri-County Hospice, 166 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, SC 29210.
Mr. Mallory died Wednesday, June 20, 2007, at his home after a long illness of emphysema. Born in High Point, N.C., he was the son of the late John Daniel Mallory, Sr., and Mildred Spencer Mallory. He was an area resident for 60 years. He owned and operated The Dairy Bar restaurant behind The Capital on South Main. He was also a building contractor.
Johnny is lovingly survived by his wife of 58 years, Margaret Bailey Mallory of Gilbert; daughters and sons-in-law, Dionne Mallory Botts Mills (Norman Mills and the late Dennis Wayne Botts, Sr.) of Abbeville, Faye Mallory Hutto (Terry Michael Hutto, Sr.) of Pelion, and Jayne Mallory Clark (Frank Clark, Jr.) of West Columbia; sons and daughters-in-law, John Daniel Mallory, III ( Lisa Scott) and Robert Charles “Bobby” Mallory, Sr. (Melissa Leonard), all of Lexington; fourteen grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express a special “thank you” to Dr. Henry Martin, and the staff of Tri-County Hospice, especially Kaye, Norris, and Margaret. Special thanks also to the personnel of CVS on S. Lake Drive in Lexington.
www.thompsonsfuneral.com.

Barbara Powell

Barbara Davis Powell, 73, resident of 245 William Screven Street, Georgetown, widow of Erie J. Powell Jr., entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at Tidelands Community Hospice in Georgetown.
Born in Poplar Springs Community in Laurens County, she was a daughter of the late William A. Sr. and Minnie Hendrix Davis. Mrs. Powell was formerly a member of North Side Baptist Church in Greenwood.
Surviving are two daughters, Olivia P. and husband, Johnny Huggins of Georgetown and Barbara Jo and husband, James Paetow of Aurora, CO; two brothers, William A. Jr. and wife, Billie Davis of Hodges and Samuel W. and wife, Doris Davis of Laurens; two sisters, Miriam Babb and Virginia Ladnier of Simpsonville; three step-grandchildren, Clint Huggins, Jessica Paetow and Kristofer Paetow; two aunts, Mrs. Flossie H. Nelson of Laurens and Doris H. McMahan of Graniteville; one uncle, Walter B. Hendrix of Greenwood; a brother-in-law, Dr. Ernest D. Stuart of Coronaca; along with many special cousins, nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Powell was predeceased by a son, Dallas Leverne Powell.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Friday at the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel, with Dr. Ron Davis officiating.
Burial will be in Bethlehem Cemetery in Coronaca.
Pallbearers will be Russell Babb, Mike Davis, Sam Davis, Mark Hamm, Paul Jones and Nathan Ladnier.
Honorary escort will be Kevin Baldwin, Matthew Baldwin, Michael Burton, Andy Davis, Charles Fridy, Neal Hamm, Adam Jones, Grant Jones and Charlie Wallace.
The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Davis, 304 Shirley Road in Hodges and will receive friends at the funeral home from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, immediately prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to Tidelands Community Hospice, 2591 North Fraser Street, Georgetown, SC 29440.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Service is assisting Mrs. Powell’s family.

Kenneth Rowe

CHAPPELLS — Services for Kenneth Euel Rowe will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.
The family is at the home, 136 Vaughnville Road, Chappells.
Mr. Rowe, 68, husband of Vickie Partin Rowe, died Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at his home.
Born in St. Charles, VA, he was a son of Ruby Rose Depew and the late Curt Rowe. He was a loving father, husband and grandfather and loved the outdoors. He was self employed and was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving is his wife of the home and his mother of Pennington Gap, VA; two daughters, Susie Blaire and her husband, Tim, of Piggott, AK, and Rhonda Romancak and her husband, Don, of Lorain, OH; three sons, James Curtis “J.C.” Rowe of Ninety Six, Gary Lee Rowe of Greenwood and Gale Wayne Rowe and his wife, Sheila, of Greenwood; two stepdaughters, Tabitha Kennedy and her husband, Tony, of Ware Shoals and Tora Proctor and her husband, Wayne, of Cross Hill; a stepson, Robbie Reardon of Cross Hill; six sisters; two brothers; 18 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Harley Funeral Home and Crematory of Greenwood is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Bob Stroud

ABBEVILLE — Robert “Bob” Archibald Stroud Jr., 47, resident of 602 Bowie Road, Donalds, S.C., died Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at his residence.
Born in Greenwood, S.C., he was the son of Janice Coleman Peeler and the late Robert A. Stroud Sr.
Bob retired form the City of Abbeville, having worked many years in the Street and Sanitation Department. Bob loved the outdoors, especially spending time on his farm sitting in his swing enjoying nature. He also loved spending quiet time by his pond. He truly enjoyed his family and friends with whom he shared many fond memories. The love of his life was his precious daughter, Whitney. Bob will be greatly missed by his family, friends and his beloved dogs.
He is survived by his daughter, Whitney Stroud; his mother, Janice Coleman Peeler; nephews, Jared Peeler and John Patrick Peeler and niece, Meagan Nicole Peeler, all of Abbeville, S.C. He was predeceased by his father, Robert A. “Archie” Stroud and beloved brother, Coleman Peeler; as well as his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley T. Coleman and paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Stroud.
Services will be conducted Friday, June 22, 2007 at 11 a.m. from the Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home Chapel. The family is at the home of his daughter, Whitney, 202 Wilewood Road, Abbeville, S.C.
The family will receive friends at the Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home on Thursday, June 21, 2007 evening from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Greenwood, PO Box 242, Greenwood, S.C. 29648 or to the American Cancer Society, c/o Conway Shirley, PO Box 566, Due West, S.C. 29639.
Online condolences may be sent to Bob’s family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com.

Reba Williamson

HODGES — Our beloved Mother and Granny, Frances Rebecca “Reba” McClain Rushton Williamson, 93, entered into eternal life and her brand new home on Tuesday, June 19, 2007. She was a patient at Hospice House.
Born in Anderson, she was a daughter of the late Willie C. and Minnie Lee Gilmer McClain; she was preceded in death by her husbands, George Bell Rushton and L.S. Williamson and also two sons, Billy Rushton and Marvin Rushton. She was the last survivor of her siblings, which included Blease, Dewey, Marion, Gilbert, Nellie and Eugenia. She was retired from Chicola Mills in Honea Path and was a member of Hodges Church of God, where she was a member of the Silver Bells Sunday School Class and a former member of the choir.
Left to grieve are three daughters, Flo Bates, Joyce Elliott and Belle Townsend; a stepson, Bob Williamson; ten grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and two step grandchildren.
Come help us celebrate her life and eternal life at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Hodges Church of God, Highway 25 North, to be conducted by her faithful friend and pastor, Rev. Charles Caldwell. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Lynn Rushton, Kenneth Westmoreland, Jimmy McClain, Bobby Finley, Cleve Crawford and Michael Young.
Honorary escort will be the members of her Sunday School Class, the Silver Bells.
The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m.
The family is at the home, 5210 Emerson Street, Hodges.
Harley Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Opinion

True or not, Ravenel case big blow to state, people

June 21, 2007

It was a shock to the South Carolina political establishment when State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel was indicted on a cocaine charge and was suspended from office by Gov. Mark Sanford. For the people of South Carolina, it was an embarrassment that left most of them wondering why anyone with an obviously bright future in politics would do such a thing.
Of course, Ravenel, like everyone, is innocent until proven guilty. That, though, doesn’t erase a natural tendency to believe charges. To some Ravenel is already convicted. Time and the legal system will tell, though.
Meanwhile, the situation is already being exploited for all it’s worth politically. In the political climate of today it would be naive to think it wouldn’t. It’s refreshing, then, to read what Calhoun Falls native Grady Patterson had to say. Patterson, a longtime Democratic treasurer who lost to Ravenel, took the high road. “It’s my hope for Thomas Ravenel and the people of this state that the charges don’t hold true,” Patterson said.
Regardless of politics, we can all hope. If Ravenel is guilty, though, it’s a crime and an insult to all. Let the justice system prevail.