Monthly Archives: February 2016
SWU hosts local leaders
CENTRAL — Many of the area’s elected and appointed officials in federal, state and local government gathered Feb. 22 at Southern Wesleyan University to get updates on “town-gown” relations during a Legislative Appreciation Luncheon Feb. 22 at the Central campus.
The purpose of the annual luncheon is to show appreciation for government officials and to focus on positive relationships these leaders have forged with Southern Wesleyan and its students through their support of federal and state financial aid. Southern Wesleyan University President Todd Voss shared about the latest projects on the Central campus, which include the near-completion of the six-court Rev. Leroy C. Cox Tennis Complex and the Nicholson-Mitchell Christian Ministry Center. He also shared future plans, which include a retirement community and he reiterated how the surrounding community benefits from present and future projects. An example he gave was the tennis complex, which will be open year-round to area tennis enthusiasts and a new ampitheatre that will be open to the community for outdoor events. Voss also shared about future events, which includes hosting of the Area 14 Special Olympics April 6.
State Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens) makes comments about the leadership role of Southern Wesleyan University in the community during the university’s annual Legislative Appreciation Luncheon Feb. 22 in Central. Looking on at left is Emily DeRoberts, a Southern Wesleyan alumna and district manager of S.C. government and the community relations team at Duke Energy.
Erin Harrison, a freshman from Belvedere and a criminal justice major, spoke about how Palmetto Fellows and the S.C. Tuition Grant scholarships have made her college education possible and thanked state lawmakers for their support of state tuition assistance.
“Growing up in a working class family, this was extremely important to me. Scholarships were the only way for me to ever get higher education,” Harrison said. “I believe I was called here to Southern Wesleyan. There’s something special about this place.”
Melanie Gillespie, Southern Wesleyan’s director of financial aid, also emphasized the importance of support for tuition programs that benefit students choosing to attend a Christian college or university “so that they may grow in their faith as well as their learning.”
Mike LeFever, President and CEO of SCICU (South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities), pointed out how the state’s private colleges “are a reflection of our population,” noting how legislative support of state grants and other financial aid makes a positive impact.
LeFever noted that private colleges don’t receive direct state or federal aid, emphasizing that campus buildings and renovations come not from state appropriations but from alumni and benefactors showing how they want to invest in the next generation of students.
“The leadership role Southern Wesleyan is playing in this community is tremendous,” said State Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens).
Six Mile Mayor Roy Stoddard praised Voss for his vision for the university and community and “putting that vision to work.”
Upstate Forever plans meetings to help public
STATE — Do you have land with important natural, agricultural, or historic resources, or advise someone who does?
Hundreds of landowners of remarkable privately owned forests and farms across our region have chosen to permanently protect their properties though conservation agreements. These lands preserve the rural culture of our region, keep our air and water clean, provide local sources of food, maintain habitat for wildlife and native plant species, protect scenic views, and sometimes preserve important historic lands and structures. We all owe deep gratitude to these landowners, who quietly and faithfully manage these protected private lands that benefit us all.
A conservation agreement (also called a conservation easement) is a contract between a landowner and a qualified land trust, like Upstate Forever, which allows the owner to permanently restrict certain undesirable uses on their property. It is also a useful tool for landowners who plan to gift or sell their land, but want to ensure it remains a farm or forest.
This agreement is permanent and remains with the land even after it has been sold, gifted, or willed to heirs. Conservation agreements typically prevent land uses such as residential subdivisions, commercial or industrial operations, and mining, while allowing traditional rural land uses, such as farming, grazing, hunting, and timbering. The terms of a conservation agreement are negotiable, and vary greatly depending on the landowner’s intentions for their property and the conservation values being protected. A conservation agreement never allows public access unless it is the express desire of the landowner.
There are significant federal, state and estate tax benefits for qualifying landowners who enter into a conservation agreement. These benefits help offset the loss in value between the most profitable use of the property (such as selling the farm for industrial development) and the value under the terms of the conservation agreement, which keeps the land essentially as it is today. The federal tax incentives for conservation were significantly and permanently increased at the end of 2015.
There has never been a better time to learn about your conservation options and the tax benefits they may include. Upstate Forever is presenting a conference in four regional locations to provide a comprehensive overview of conservation agreements and their benefits. These events are March 1, 9 a.m.-noon. at Wade’s Restaurant in Spartanburg; March 1, 3-6 p.m. at Tommy’s Ham House in Greenville; March 3, 9 a.m.-noon at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Seneca; and March 3, 3-6 p.m. at Lee’s Barbecue in Waterloo. The cost is only $20 for landowners and $75 for professionals seeking continuing education credits, and includes a meal. Visit upstateforever.org/your-land-your-legacy/ for more information or to register.
Anyone with question about conservation agreements are encouraged to contact us at 864-250-0500 ext. 26 or landtrust@upstateforever.org.
Easley woman killed in head-on collision
EASLEY — An Easley woman lost her life in a head-on collision that sent three others to the hospital last week.
Tiffany Hope Lovell, 33, of 167 Shepherd’s Ridge, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash shortly after 3 p.m. last Wednesday, according to Pickens County coroner Kandy Kelley.
Lovell was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, according to S.C. Highway Patrol Cpl. Bill Rhyne, when it collided head-on with a 2011 Dodge Ram driven by a 35-year-old Easley man on Latham Road near Easley.
Lovell, who was wearing a seat belt, died of blunt-force trauma, Kelley said.
Rhyne said the driver of the Dodge Ram and his two passengers, a 30-year-old woman and 8-year-old boy, were all injured and taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The accident is still under investigation, Rhyne said.
Gettysburg wasn’t built in a day
We are putting on a play about Manse Jolly and the time of Reconstruction in Pickens, Oconee and Anderson counties, when we were under martial law and occupied by federal troops.
One of the sets for the play is Gettysburg, or at least our interpretation of Gettysburg. We picked the area of the Devil’s Den, an area covered with large granite boulders and the site of fierce fighting and great loss of life.
Fowler is the set designer and prop builder. I paint and look up directions on how to make rock out of paper and how to make cardboard look like wood.
I found directions online which said we should first shape our boulders from chicken wire, then mix up a flour and water paste and create a rock surface out of paper mache. The step-by-step pictures online didn’t look all that hard, so we bought the wire and went to work.
Our boulders were large. One was about five feet long and three feet high. The other was slightly smaller. We got the wire shaped into what looked like a rock, then mixed up our flour paste.
We started with five pounds of flour. Before we finished the project, we’d used 15 pounds of flour.
We first used sheets of newspaper. After realizing it might take longer to cover the wire with paper than we had left to live, we switched to brown wrapping paper. We treated it like wallpaper and paste, except we coated both sides, saturating it before fitting it over the wire base.
It was one of the messiest projects ever done in the tractor shed. At least we had some assistance. All five dogs were part of the paper mache rock team. They stood beneath the sawhorses while we spread paste all over the paper.
When I started shaping the paper over the wire, they worked hard to lick all the paste off the paper.
Soon they were pretty well covered with thick splotches of flour paste. It dried on their fur and gave them a spiked look. I looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
The step-by-step directions online said the whole thing should take about two hours. I sincerely hope they were making much smaller rocks, because it took us almost a week to complete our rocks. And that was just the paper mache part. Next came the painting. I must say that was a lot easier. We took a rock out of the yard to Home Depot and got the color matched, spread it on the rock, then spray painted some lighter and darker color. It looked pretty good.
Then we had to find a place to keep the rocks, because Fowler had to move the Farmall tractor back into the tractor shed. After some rearranging, we were able to get the rocks into the bay formerly occupied by the horse trailer, which is temporarily parked in the tractor yard.
The rocks are in good company out there with the fireplace for the log cabin, the picket fence for the village green, the log cabin walls and the old wooden wagon wheel that now serves as a wheel off a field cannon, lost on the way to the battle when it came off near the rocks.
All that’s left to do now is finish painting the log cabin wall to look like logs and construct the shelving for the general store set. Fowler is building that. And then we’ll be ready.
If you want to see some pretty decent-looking rocks, come to the Liberty Civic Auditorium on March 12 and 13. They’ll be on stage.
Courier Letters to the Editor 2-24-16
Still waiting
Dear Editor,
The campaigns have begun, and I am still waiting to hear one of the GOP candidates tell me how he’s going to close the tax loopholes that allow the rich and corporations to offshore money to evade paying taxes.
I am also waiting to hear how he’ll close the loophole that allows American companies to set up phony headquarters in other countries to evade taxes.
And how he’ll stop companies from sending our jobs overseas.
Still waiting to hear how he would replace Obamacare if they repeal it, or do they care that 20 million Americans will lose their healthcare if repealed?
So far I have heard nothing, but that is expected from those who make sure the rich and powerful are protected.
One candidate even said raising taxes on the rich was class warfare — then again, cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, education, minimum wage and the Affordable Care Act isn’t class warfare?
I guess it depends on the class that gives you the most money. So it’s the same old smoke and mirror routine to distract the voters.
Larry Allen
Easley
Politics 2016
Dear Editor,
It’s another presidential election year, and the political talk is much the same as the previous 14 I’ve seen. Might as well include the 14 off-year election cycles also. They always say the same thing — “The country’s in bad shape; Elect me and I’ll fix it.” “It’s all the other party’s fault; Vote for ours and we’ll make things better again.”
Instead, the country gets in worse shape because it’s both their faults. Liberals/Democrats and Republicans/conservatives can’t get along together any better than the Sunnis and Shias over in the Middle East. It feels like what the latter has done to those countries, the former has been doing here.
For the last eight years it’s been Republicans complaining about most everything Obama’s done. They even started with the objective of making him a one-term president. The eight years before, it was the Democrats complaining about Bush II’s Republican policies. Before then, it was back to Republicans versus Clinton. Yep, it’s both their faults.
Elect an outsider as president to change/reform Washington politics — that’s just wishful thinking. Then it’ll be established Republicans and Democrats opposing everything the outsider does. I suppose that would be the only time the two would work together. Besides, what’s one person — the president — going to do by himself against 535 senators and representatives? More government shutdowns and disruptions of people’s lives when one side or the other doesn’t get their way?
Meanwhile, down in Columbia, the legislators are again talking about fixing the roads. Somehow that’s become a three-way debate, since they want to also restructure the way the money is managed and spent along with giving back some part of the tax increase. First, one would think that after 75-plus years of road building and maintenance, they would have already figured out how to do that. Second, restructuring probably means they just want to update the politics of mismanaging tax money for roads. Third, my gasoline cost will be increasing, along with driver’s license and vehicle/road-use fees, while someone else will get the benefits of reduced taxes.
Meanwhile again, back up here in Pickens County, there are those school board trustees with their school building construction and school closing issues. An earlier group of trustees decided to build new schools and upgrade existing schools. Now a later group wants to close some of those upgraded schools to save taxpayer money. Apparently the long-range planning of the trustee system is limited to about five years. Makes me wonder what the next group of trustees will want to do — re-open the closed schools to accommodate population growth? Or will it be convert them to semi-private/public, magnet schools, where taxpayer money supports an effectively private school? That accreditation group made a mistake in giving its approval of the way the school district conducts its business. Maybe closing the political school board trustee system and finding another way would be better.
Of course there are other issues — immigration, refugees, Wall Street, rich vs. poor, terrorists, gun control and all the rest. And then there’s just plain American politics, which also threatens the nation.
Jerry Hughes
Pickens
Challenges facing teachers
Dear Editor,
It’s no secret that three local elementary schools, near and dear to the hearts of small communities, are in jeopardy of being closed. Several challenges arise from this situation: unemployment and scarce jobs for teachers, less-effective teaching environments and a much larger number of students to teach. This “solution” may be effective financially, however, students are more than just a number, and schools more than just a facility.
I attended Holly Springs Elementary. This school is the perfect environment for teachers and students — one-on-one learning, everyone is included and beautiful outdoor areas to exercise and learn. If they close Holly Springs and place these students and teachers in an over-crowded dump, teachers will not have the opportunity or blessing to get to know the students and figure out how they learn individually. This will stunt the growth of a student’s learning academically and morally, and prevent them from blossoming into a unique, confident individual.
For a teacher, it’s impossible to teach a large amount of kids that are all on different levels. Teachers can’t just make them grow up and pay attention — it was only a few years ago they were in diapers.
I teach guitar and mandolin for the Young Appalachian Musicians Program at Six Mile Elementary. Whether I have three students or 10, I have to teach a tune to them one by one. These students tell me every week about what’s going on in their lives. They are more attentive and care about what I have to say because I listen and care about them. I think this is important, and a big plus in small elementary schools. In big schools, a teacher cannot engage them in the same way, and the student will reflect a no-care and non-attentive attitude that will follow the student throughout high school. That is if they finish.
With a tight budget, teachers will have a difficult time finding local jobs. If a teacher is employed, it will be much more stressful to keep the attention of 30 young wandering minds. It will be tragic for teachers to see the absence of growth and family-like qualities in a classroom.
Danielle Yother
Pickens High School junior
Questioning Collins
Dear Editor,
House District 5 Rep. Neal Collins voted no on HR3521, which as written bans Sharia (Islamic) law and any other foreign law in South Carolina. He chose to vote against this protection for our state and citizenry.
Rep. Collins justified his no vote in part by citing his fear for future legal battles for the state. But perhaps his trip to Turkey and his interaction with Muslims there last year has shaped his current convictions.
I am disturbed that my representative chose to oppose banning this barbaric Muslim law for our state.
Fortunately, this bill did pass by the majority yes votes of strong leaders taking a stand. Our state still has elected officials who chose to approve this bill for our protection and to keep the principals of our established American way of life.
As one who originally voted for Rep. Collins, I am now regretting my support and vote. In monitoring his positions and votes, his record reveals his support for safe, politically correct issues. However, his stands on actual hard issues which require strong leadership are lacking.
Collins has announced his intention to seek re-election for a second term. All voting citizens are urged to review his record. His aspirations for a long-term career in politics should be questioned to determine if he warrants re-election for our particular local area.
Pickens House District 5 residents deserve strong leadership supporting our local values, especially in these unsettling times.
Marie Vaughan
Easley
Flawed thinking
Dear Editor,
Here are the thinking skills that reflect not only some on the Pickens County School Board but the other people cheering them on to raise taxes and close schools. The thinking goes like this — “I am going to set aside funds within the budget for the eventual replacement of roofs and air conditioners. And If I set aside too little, then I’ll just have to borrow or tax more to replace those items when they inevitably fail, or I can just close the school, kick everyone out and move them into another school that doesn’t need a roof or air conditioner just yet.”
These types of thinking skills are flawed. Obviously they didn’t set aside enough funds for the roof replacements or air conditioners because they knew they always had a backup plan to fall back on called raising taxes.
They used poor judgment and mismanaged our tax dollars … now they think they only have three choices to make up for this poor judgment. They need to borrow more or get more revenue or close schools.
They don’t want to think about the fourth option of cutting back on “wants” and saving more till you have the funds for the true needs … because that’s too hard and requires effort.
What is going on in the SDPC is too much emphasis on “convenience” and beautification. Everyone wants things that make their job easier and looks good, which costs more funds. The SDPC does not understand the difference between wants and needs — it is as simple as that. I taught the difference between wants and needs to my first graders, and they get it better than the SDPC does, As a former teacher, I know why the funds aren’t getting to the classroom, and it’s called mismanagement of funds plus wrong priorities plus too many administrative employees equals not enough money for the classroom, which equals let’s fleece the taxpayer for more funds.
More than half of my income goes toward 100 different taxes the government imposes on us — it is time to stop denying me my rights to provide for my families’ needs by over-taxation!
Johnnelle Raines
Pickens
Courier Obituaries 2-24-16
Myrtie C. Stokes
Easley — Mrs. Myrtie Cantrell Stokes, 97, wife of the late John Wesley Stokes, passed away Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, at her home.
Born in Pickens County, a daughter of the late Wallace and Minnie Chapman Cantrell, Mrs. Stokes retired from Alice Manufacturing Company and was a member of Arial United Methodist Church.
Surviving are a son, Jay Stokes (Shirley) of Virginia Beach, Va.; three daughters, Muriel Hester (J.D.), Geraline Houston and Patricia Booty (Noah Jean), all of Easley; one brother, Charles Cantrell of Cleveland, Ohio; one sister, Lyvonne Greene of Greenville; seven grandchildren, Mitch Hester, Scott Hester, Cynthia S. Durham, Sonya Houston, Andrea B. Simpson, Larry Booty, and John W. Stokes; 10 great-grandchildren, Jennifer H. Going, Mitchell Hester, Daniel Hester, Jessica Durham, Brandon Booty, Megan Booty, Sarah Hester, Simon Durham, Daniel Simpson and Wayde Stokes; and two great-great-grandchildren, Skylar Hester and Jameson Going.
In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Stokes was predeceased by three brothers, James, J.B. and John Cantrell; four sisters, Lois Davis, Winnie Duncan, Mildred Ellison and Marie Willimon; and a son-in-law, Jack Houston.
Graveside services were held Feb. 18 at Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Flowers will be accepted and memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
Kathryn S. Galloway
Central — Kathryn Smith Galloway, 86, of Central, widow of Edward Glenn Galloway, completed her journey home to be with her lord on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Cottingham Hospice House.
Born in Oconee County, she was a daughter of the late Hampton Smith and Katie Waters Smith.
She was a retiree of Westpoint Stevens. For more than 20 years she has worked at Memory Gardens. She was a very active charter member of East Clemson Baptist Church and volunteered many years with Vacation Bible School and served on the Fellowship Committee of the church. She was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.
Surviving are daughter, Kathy Elliott (George Brown); son, Michael (Angie) Galloway; grandchildren, Blake (Katie) Elliott, Tori and Madi Galloway; sister, Pearline S. Rhodes; many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her brothers, David Smith, Levi Smith, Nathan Smith, Albert Smith, Elijah Smith and LC Smith; and sisters, Rena Reeves and Ellen Boggs.
Funeral services were held Feb. 19 at East Clemson Baptist Church, with burial following in Memory Gardens.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, 810 Maxwell Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646, or to a charity of one’s choice.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to all of the caregivers at Cottingham Hospice House for providing such tender and caring service to Mrs. Galloway and her family.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home.
Zoie James Hawthorne
Easley — Zoie James Hawthorne, 90, of Easley, died Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016.
Born in Anderson, she was the widow of William E. Hawthorne Sr. and a daughter of the late John James Sr. and May Young James.
She retired from Dunean Mill and was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving are a daughter, Janice Sturner (Rudy) of Central; a son, Russell Grantner (Regina) of Pickens; five stepsons, Allan, Donnie, David and Robert Hawthorne; a brother, William Harold James of Central; two grandchildren, Penny Winchester and Jon Sturner; three great-grandchildren, Tiffany Barnes, Will and Katie Sturner; and a great-great grandchild, Dakota Barnes.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Sandra Hawthorne, a stepson, W.E. Hawthorne Jr., four sisters, Martha Grant, Lois Davis, Ruth Boggs and Betty Cater, and a brother, John James Jr.
Services were held Feb. 18.
Liberty Mortuary and Cremation Services are assisting the family.
Evelyn S. Elrod
Easley — Evelyn Sizemore Elrod, 79, formerly of Rice Road, wife of the late William R. Elrod, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016.
Born in Greenville County, she was the daughter of the late Frank and Florence Redmond Sizemore.
Mrs. Elrod was retired from Engineered Custom Plastics in Liberty and was a member of Tabor United Methodist Church.
Surviving are her daughter, Sandy Elrod Shelton (Billy) of Easley; and two grandchildren, Will Shelton and Eric Shelton.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a sister, Ruth Ladd; and three brothers, Charles, Carl and Roy Sizemore.
Funeral services were held Feb. 19 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, with burial following in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Pickens.
Flowers are accepted, or memorials may be made to Tabor United Methodist Church, 119 Biltmore Drive, Pickens, SC 29671. Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
HOWELL L. “WILLIE” SCARBOROUGH
Central — SMG Howell Leon “Willie” Scarborough, S.C. Army National Guard, Ret., 88, husband of Rebecca Samples Scarborough of Central, died Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at the Richard M. Campbell Veteran’s Nursing Home.
Born in Franklin County, Ga., he was a son of the late Alex and Icie Christian Scarborough. He served in the Merchant Marines during WWII and served for more than 38 years in the S.C. Army National Guard and retired in the rank of Sergeant Major. He was a member of the “Ole Timers Club” of Battery C with the Clemson National Guard.
Surviving in addition to his wife are two daughters, Shelley (Roger) Roper of Central and Susan (Dennis) Nash of Seneca; stepdaughter, Jennifer (Brad) Elliott of Clemson; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy Blume Scarborough.
Funeral services were held Feb. 22 in the chapel of Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, with Rev. Larry J. Timmerman officiating. A burial with full military honors was held at M. J. “Dolly” Cooper Veteran’s Cemetery in Anderson following the service.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to Richard M. Campbell Veteran’s Nursing Home, 4605 Belton Highway, Anderson, SC 29621.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home.
Mary P. Moore
Easley — Mary Patterson Moore, 78, of Moore Drive, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at her home.
Born in Anderson, she was the daughter of the late Otis and Bessie Saxton Patterson.
Mrs. Moore was a homemaker and attended Six Mile Church of God of Prophecy. She loved her family dearly and had a passion for growing flowers.
Surviving are her husband of 62 years, Bud Moore; two sons, William Perry Moore (Lisa) of Simpsonville and Greg Moore (Teresa) of Easley; a daughter-in-law, Mary Moore; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Betty Waldrop of Powdersville and Sunny Posey and Faye Lollis, both of Easley.
A special “thank you” to the staff of Hospice of the Upstate for the exceptional care of Mrs. Moore.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a son, Marty R. Moore; three sisters, Doris Hammontree, Carol Smith and Beulah Norris; and three brothers, Calvin, Bob and Jewel Patterson.
Funeral services were held Feb. 19 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, with burial following in Six Mile Church of God of Prophecy Cemetery.
Flowers will be accepted. Condolences may be expressed online by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
Mike Brown
Easley — Mr. Charles Michael “Mike” Brown, 65, husband of Paula Griffin Brown, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Rainey Hospice House in Anderson.
Born in Pickens County, a son of Catherine Winslett Brown and the late Perry Ford Brown, Mr. Brown was the retired owner and operator of Mike Brown Grading and was a member of Brushy Creek Baptist Church.
Surviving, in addition to his wife of 42 years and his mother, are two daughters, Kiley Michal Brown and Adison Marie Brown, both of Easley; two brothers, Bobby Brown (Kay) and Ricky Brown, all of Easley; two sisters, Ann Brown and Libby Dodson, both of Easley; and a sister-in-law, Betty Brown. In addition to his father, Mr. Brown was predeceased by a brother, Donnie Brown.
Funeral services were held Feb. 19 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, with an entombment following in the Chapel of Reflections Mausoleum of Robinson Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621, or to Pruitt Health Hospice, 1510 North Fant Street, Anderson, SC 29621.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.
James Mack Barbee, Jr.
Liberty — James Mack Barbee Jr. 93, husband of Alline Chandler Barbee, passed from this life on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016.
Mr. Barbee was born in Harrisburg, N.C., a son of the late James Mack Barbee Sr. and the late Lulu Springs Howie Barbee. He was retired from Cannon Fieldcrest in Kannapolis, N.C., and he was a member of East Pickens Baptist Church. Mr. Barbee was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving in artillery.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Alline, of the home, his daughter, Tina Barbee Byrum (Kevin) of Pickens, grandchildren, Wesley Byrum (Ashley) of Greenville and Ryan Byrum (Alexis) of Central. He is also survived by a sister, Betty Lee of Harrisburg, N.C.
Services were held Feb. 19 at Dillard Funeral Home in Pickens, with burial following at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens.
A message of condolence may be expressed to the family by visiting www.DillardFunerals.com
Dorthy B. Galbreath
Pickens — Dorthy Bowen Galbreath, 65, of Pickens, passed from this life on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at her home.
Dorthy was born in Pickens County, a daughter of the late Eugene and Myrtle Brissey Bowen. She was formerly employed in textiles and also at St. Jude Medical, and she attended Gap Hill Baptist Church.
Survivors include her son, Hubert Marion Pelfrey of Six Mile, her daughters, Melissa McCall of the home and Genna Talbert of Pickens, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a brother, Edward Bowen of Tamassee.
Funeral services were held Feb. 19 at Gap Hill Baptist Church, with burial following in the church cemetery.
A message of condolence may be expressed to the family by visiting www.DillardFunerals.com.
Inez M. Powell
Easley — Inez Moore Powell, 75, of 709 Rice Road, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, at Baptist Easley Hospital.
Born in Edgefield, she was the widow of Milton F. Powell and a daughter of the late Samuel Clark Sr. and Florence Bryant Moore.
She retired from Ellenburg Nursing Home in Anderson.
Surviving are a son, Robert Powell and his wife, Evelyn, of Liberty; three brothers, John, Benny and Ray Moore; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Connie Frances Johnson; two sisters, JoAnne Kelley and Nancy McGlothin; and two brothers, Sam and Clarence “Bug” Moore.
Graveside services to honor the life of Mrs. Powell were held Feb. 22 at Liberty Memorial Gardens. Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Pauline S. Stewart
Easley — Pauline Stewart, 89, of Fruit Mountain Road, wife of the late I.H. Stewart, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, at her home.
Born in Oconee County, she was a daughter of the late James and Julia Leffell Stewart.
Mrs. Stewart was retired from Baptist Easley Hospital and was a member of United Wesleyan Church in Easley.
Surviving are her children, Isom Phillip Stewart (Brenda) and Cam S. Surrett, all of Easley; four grandchildren, Julie Surrett Collins, Jennie Surrett Bruner, Crystal Stewart Chandler and Leslie Stewart Bailey; and nine great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a son-in-law, Buck Surrett; sisters, Katie, Irene and Mary; and half-sisters, Ruby and Viola; brothers, Bob and Roy; and a half-brother, Ray.
Funeral services were held Feb. 21 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, with burial following in Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Flowers are accepted, or memorials may be made the charity of one’s choice.
Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown.
Corby Lee “Chuck” Charles
Marietta — Corby Lee “Chuck” Charles, 66, husband of the late Lois Charles, passed Feb. 18, 2016.
Mr. Charles was born in Raysal, W.Va., the son of the late George Charles and Goldie Hicks Charles of Marietta.
Mr. Charles was a self-employed electrician and retired from Hess.
Survivors include three daughters, Goldie Finley (Chris) of Marietta, Crystal Finley (Brian) of Greenville and Tia Charles of Indiana. Mr. Charles is also survived by two stepsons and two stepdaughters. He also leaves in his memory six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services were held Feb. 20 in the Dillard Funeral Home chapel, with entombment following at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Mausoleum I and II.
Mr. Charles was predeceased by his father, one brother and six sisters.
Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.dillardfunerals.com.
Dillard Funeral home is assisting the Charles family.
Carrie Margaret “Marnie” Singleton
Sunset — Carrie Margaret “Marnie” Singleton, 45, wife of Matthew Lewis Brown, went to be with the Lord Thursday Feb. 18, 2016, at her home.
Mrs. Singleton was born in Greenville County, a daughter of the late Barbara Ann Dean Singleton and Jimmy Wayne Singleton of Pickens.
Survivors include her husband of 20 years; two sisters, Lesile Singleton Dalton (Russell) of Pickens and Anna Singleton Norton (Keith) of Pickens; six nieces, Andie Dalton, Madeline Dalton, Jordan Brown, Bailey Brown, Kaylyn Brown and Anna Hudson; and four nephews, Cody Brown, Joshua Hudson, Zachery Hudson and Reid Norton.
Services were held Feb. 21 in the Dillard Funeral Home chapel.
Mrs. Singleton was predeceased by her mother.
Memorials may be made to the Pearlie Harris Center for Breast Health, 131 Commonwealth Drive, Suite 220, Greenville, SC 29615. Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Singleton family.
Tiffany Hope Lovell
Easley — Tiffany Hope Lovell, 33, passed from this life Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016.
Born in Greenville County, Tiffany was a daughter of Stella Marie Reeves Lovell of the home, Marion Kenneth Lovell and his wife, Cathy Lovell, of Easley.
Tiffany was a member of New Image Church and enjoyed dancing and fishing and loved her family.
Survivors include her mother, Stella Lovell of the home; father and stepmother, Marion and Cathy Lovell of Easley; a fiancé, Rickey Smith of Easley; two sisters, Rachelle Lovell of Easley and Marie Gray (Keith) of Easley; three brothers, Wesley Reid (Trace) of Six Mile, Tony Lovell (Miranda) of Greenville and Matthew Lovell of Easley; a niece and nephew, Leeanne Reid and Blake Reid, both of Easley; and a special cousin, Cameron Morgan of Easley.
Services were held Feb. 23 in the Dillard Funeral Home chapel, with burial following at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens.
Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.dillardfunerals.com.
Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Lovell family.
Clifford H. Renfro
EasleY — Mr. Clifford Howard Renfro, 91, husband of Eloise Cooper Renfro and the late Opal Mae Stewart Renfro, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, at his home.
Born in Snowflake, Va., a son of the late Robert David and Clara Davidson Renfro, Mr. Renfro served in the U.S. Army and retired from the U.S. Air Force. He served in WWII, landing on Utah Beach in Normandy. He served two tours in the Vietnam War, where he was listed missing in action on two occasions during the war, and was nominated for the Silver Star. Howard was a member of Easley First Pentecostal Holiness Church, where he served as deacon and elder.
Surviving, in addition to his wife Eloise Cooper Renfro, are three sons, Howard Douglas “Doug” Renfro (Becky) of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Brian Renfro (Mary), and David Renfro, all of Easley; four daughters, Zeondra “Sis/Muffin” Patrick (Clifford) of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Rhonda Youngblood (Gary), Kathy Cox (David) and Sonya Calvert, all of Easley; a sister, Louella Brown of Granite City, Ill.; 19 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, Makenna Grace. In addition to his first wife and parents, Mr. Renfro was predeceased by five brothers and four sisters.
Funeral services were held Feb. 22 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown. Burial and graveside services will follow at a later date in the Burkburnett Cemetery in Burkburnett, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Easley First Pentecostal Holiness Church, P.O. Box 1227, Easley, SC 29641, or to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
James Tillman Davis
Pickens — James Tillman Davis, 56, husband of Pamela Anne Mosley Davis, passed away Thursday Feb. 18, 2016.
Mr. Davis was born in Macon County, N.C., a son of the late Lillian Eulena Calloway and Arthur Roland Davis II.
Mr. Davis was an avid outdoorsman and also enjoyed working on cars. Pa Tillman cherished his family with all of his heart, especially his grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years; one daughter, Stephanie Renee’ Davis-Hoover (Chris); one son, Jeremiah Tillman Davis (Bethany) of Charlottesville, Va.; four sisters, Robin Guard of Highlands, N.C., Marie Davis of Mountain Rest, Teresa Rogers (Scott) of Salem and Carolyn Shepard (Richard) of Cape Coral, Fla.; one brother, David Davis of Charlotte, N.C.; and two grandchildren, Madison Hoover and Chase Hoover, both of Easley.
A graveside service was held Feb. 22 at Griffin Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mr. Davis was predeceased by his parents and one brother, Arthur Roland Davis III.
Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Davis family.
Wilma R. Bono
Easley — Mrs. Wilma Kathleen Robinson Bono, 90, wife of the late Alvin Jerrold Bono, passed away Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, at An Med Health, Anderson.
Born in Granite City, Ill., the daughter of the late William Ren and Chlo Stearns Robinson, Mrs. Bono earned her master’s degree from the University of Illinois and retired from Collinsville Illinois Elementary School with 25 years of service. She was a member of Easley First United Methodist Church.
Surviving are a son-in-law, Jack Smith Parrish Jr. of Easley; a brother, Wayne Robinson of Denver, Colo.; and a granddaughter, Frances Kathleen Parrish of Easley. In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Bono was predeceased by a daughter, Amy B. Parrish.
Private memorial services will be held at a later date.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.
A first-person perspective on Jim Crow in 1950s Southern Appalachia — part 2
Federal troops escort “the Little Rock Nine” into Little Rock Central High School against the orders of Gov. Orval Faubus in 1957. Events such as the forced integration of LRCHS were characteristic of the struggle with integration around the South.
Courtesy photo
As we drove into the parking area at the black Pleasant Grove Church to attend Homecoming, I saw Mark and Luke, the African-American twins, walking into the church. They were talking and laughing with a very pretty black girl wearing a beautiful but simple white dress. The summer heat was stifling, and most of the girls wore similar cotton dresses.
When I entered the church building, it was obvious why they wore cotton dresses — it was hot! The windows were all opened wide, and every available handheld funeral home fan seemed to be taken. Some of the fans had a picture of a guardian angel helping two kids across a rickety bridge that was over a dangerous river, like the Conasauga River in the Cohutta Wilderness near where we were in the little mountain town of Ellijay, Ga. Dad, my brother, Nat, and I fished that dangerous river for rainbow and brown trout regularly. The other handheld fans had Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of The Last Supper with Christ and his Disciples. Anyone not lucky enough to get one of the fans would use papers, hats, books or whatever was available to stir the air. Big black and red wasps would fly in and out the open windows. I was accustomed to that, because our old white, wooden, foot-washing Northcutt Church building was also blessed with summer heat and many, many wasps. However, in the aisle at Pleasant Grove, unlike our church, was an enormous metal wash tub like my mom used in washing our clothes. The wash tub was full of ice and very cold soft drinks, right in the aisle where the drinks were handy for Homecoming treats. I thought my church-going had already resulted in my going to Heaven. I most recently asked my brother, Nat, what he remembered most about Pleasant Grove Church, and it was the cold drinks in the big wash tub.
Mothers at our own foot-washing church would often bring cold drinks and cornbread or crackers and place them under the pews. I can vividly remember the quart and half-gallon jars of milk mothers would bring for the long revival services that would many times continue for hours with people lying in the altar.
As we walked into Pleasant Grove Church, Floyd Roberts met Dad and grabbed Dad’s hand with both of his. I heard him say, “Welcome, Mr. Cloer; thank you all for coming, and make yourselves at home.”
Nat and I looked at Joe Charles and Horace, Floyd Roberts’ boys who were close to our ages, and they looked back at us. We were caught in a time in history when nothing seemed that wrong to any of us; it just was as it was. I glanced at the twins, Mark and Luke, who had sat next to the pretty black girl in the white dress, and they looked confident, the way they did when we tried to play them in basketball — not like they did when walking in town. The pretty girl in the white dress was sitting next to the window, and could best turn around unnoticed. She stole a very brief glance at my older brother.
The preacher held his handkerchief in his hand and would thrust it upward toward Heaven as he exclaimed, “Jesus is our rock! You can depend on Jesus!” Immediately, the others in the church agreed and called, “Yes! Jesus is the rock!”
I looked at Mom and Dad to see how they were going to respond. I could tell they were interested and wanted to see what happened, too.
“Now, I want our Pleasant Grove Quartet to come up here and sing a special song for all our visitors today. We don’t want to embarrass no one, but if you are here as a visitor, please raise your hand!”
I was relieved to see several black people raise their hands.
I looked at Nat, Mom and Dad, and as they raised their hands, I timidly raised mine. Joe Charles, Horace and the twins looked at Nat and me as we both raised our hands. I didn’t quite understand then why the preacher had us raise our hands as visitors. There seemed to be something that immediately identified us. But, when I asked Dad later, he explained that was the way the black minister used to help make us feel special in their church. There were also black visitors he wanted to acknowledge.
“God bless you!” the preacher exclaimed when the visitors raised hands. “We want you to feel at home and worship our God in spirit and in truth,” the preacher exclaimed as he urged everyone to pray for the quartet as they sang.
Photo courtesy Dr. Thomas Cloer III
Floyd and Elnora Roberts are pictured during a social event in the 1950s.
When the singing began, it was very obvious that the singing came easily for them. The group was spiritual, talented, enthusiastic, and creative. Individuals in the quartet would improvise artistically. Songs were expanded; words and phrases were repeated. The singing was totally and beautifully authentic. I had never seen or heard anything quite like it. I thought they sang as naturally and skillfully as Mark and Luke excelled in basketball. I even managed to garner the nerve to clap my hands along with the members.
I felt terribly awkward when we dismissed and the twins walked by me.
“Hey, man!” Luke said as he glanced toward me.
“Hey, Luke! You still swishing that basketball net?” I said in an attempt to appear cool. Luke just grinned slightly.
I didn’t speak to Horace and Joe Charles. What would I say? Something like, “Now! It is your time. You must come to my church, Northcutt, next month, the third Sunday in August. We will have plenty of fresh fried okra, corn on the cob, and lots of coconut cake! Come and eat with us!” I didn’t run the show, nor did my fellow parishioners at our little humble Northcutt Church; Jim Crow laws did.
As we rode home in our bright red 1953 Dodge Ram, I asked, “Dad, if Floyd Roberts and his wife brought their family to our church, would our preacher say, ‘I don’t want to embarrass no one, but if you happen to be a visitor, would you help us by raising your hand?’”
Dad simply said, tiredly, “I doubt it.”
To use a line from Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”
Brown vs Board of Education (1954)
The death of Jim Crow laws was a very slow process. The beginning of the end was another landmark United States Supreme Court decision, a unanimous decision. The U.S. Supreme Court justices totally reversed the ruling of 58 years earlier that had declared “separate but equal” was constitutional. The court of 1954 ruled unanimously that even if school facilities were equal, and even if the faculty members were of equal quality, segregation itself was harmful and unconstitutional. The court held that “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” The court further ruled that a significant psychological and social disadvantage was given to black students through segregation.
Alabama Gov. George Wallace stands defiant outside the doors of the University of Alabama to protest integration in the 1950s. Courtesy Photo
I think it is probably true when trying to change the status quo, change mostly comes about slowly around the edges, and not from the center. This 1954 court ruling came when I was still a youngster, and although a defining, pivotal point in history, things did not change suddenly. At the time of this court decision, 16 other states, not counting Georgia and Washington D.C., required segregation through Jim Crow laws. It really was not until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, under President Lyndon Johnson, that racial segregation, for the most part, finally ended.
I remember Gov. Lester Maddox of Georgia, and how he refused to serve African-Americans in his Pickrick Restaurant in Atlanta, even into the 1960s. I remember Gov. George Wallace of Alabama blocking the door so that a black student could not enter the University of Alabama in 1963. This was the year I finished high school, almost a decade after segregation was ruled unconstitutional in the United States. Do you remember Gov. Orval Faubus of Arkansas, who became governor after the 1954 court decision? In 1957, he ordered the Arkansas National Guard to block the integration of Little Rock Central High School, whereby President Dwight Eisenhower responded by federalizing the National Guard troops, and thereby putting the guard under federal jurisdiction.
Reflections and Conclusion
It has been many years since I knew the Roberts family in the Northcutt Community. I knew that Mark, Luke, Horace and Joe Charles had an older brother who had done extremely well, Jim Crow laws notwithstanding. A dear friend of mine still living in Gilmer County, Ga., sent me information on David W. Roberts, who was that older brother who also had gone to that black school in another county. He had subsequently received bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and had become a school administrator in Atlanta. He retired as an administrator after 30 years in Atlanta and returned to college to receive a degree in Biblical Studies. His years at Pleasant Grove Church had beckoned him back to his spiritual roots.
My dear friend in Gilmer County also has kept me informed about Mark, Luke, Horace and Joe Charles. All four married and had families. Mark held a position at Emory University for 30 years before retiring and moving, ironically, to Fayetteville, Ga. Fayette was the name of Mark’s great-grandfather, who had been a slave. Luke had died at age 50. Horace had attended Fort Valley University, married, and had three beautiful daughters. Joe Charles, the boy one year older than I, graduated from that black high school in Pickens County, Ga., and joined the Peace Corps. After his time in the Peace Corps, Joe Charles received his Bachelor of Science degree. He taught in the Atlanta schools, and subsequently worked for MARTA in Atlanta.
I was moved emotionally when I read the newspaper article from the local Ellijay Times-Courier newspaper that my old friend sent me. The heading read, “Only Black Man in Gilmer Is Dead.” The article had been written by Chet Fuller. I had known the Fuller family; Sandy Fuller was a former classmate and close friend of mine. The Fullers had also lived in my Northcutt Community, just down the road from the black Pleasant Grove Church. The writer also said, “He (Floyd Roberts) came from a long line of people born in this county,” but all the other people had either died or had moved. Even Floyd’s beloved Elnora had died two years earlier.
A second article written later about Floyd’s passing was titled, “Floyd Roberts Dies of Stroke.” The article had listed as honorary pallbearers some names of important and prominent people whom I recognized, such as Bandy Fuller, Glen Marshall and officers from various churches. Glen Marshall was president of The Bank of Ellijay, and was quoted in the article as having said, “His death will sadden the whole town. He was such a nice man and had so many friends here.”
Bandy Fuller was president of Hampton Mills, a rug manufacturing company in Ellijay.
“I wouldn’t doubt if the whole town turned out for his funeral,” the Hampton Mills president said. “He used to joke all the time about being the only black man left in all of Gilmer County, but would always end by saying how many friends he had. … Roberts was a religious man.”
The fact that all these important and well-positioned people felt a deep need to say positive things about Floyd Roberts and his family speaks volumes. The fact that my enduring friend would keep me informed about this particular family is telling. And as I am writing about this beloved family, even now, in a time Elnora, Floyd and Luke Roberts obviously didn’t ever get to see, is a testimony of their character, integrity, intelligence, diligence, resilience and value in my life. I, like so many other people of Gilmer County, Ga., will always remember the courageous and talented Roberts family of Northcutt Community in Ellijay, Ga., in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
I also recommend metal tubs containing ice cold drinks in the aisles of our Pickens County churches during the unbearably hot dog days of summer.
About the author: Dr. Cloer is Professor Emeritus, Furman University. Dr. Cloer was honored as a recipient of the 2004 Maiden Invitational Award from Furman University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. The honor is awarded to one faculty member annually at Furman for outstanding assistance to international and minority students.
Brown bag lunch series
Dr. Raul Chavez, associate professor of Southern Wesleyan University’s School of Business, was the featured speaker at the first in a series of luncheons on Feb. 10 at Baptist Easley Hospital. The topic for February was key management skills for supervisors. Chavez 
unpacked essential components of leadership, followed by some interactive exercises. The free series, designed for current managers and emerging leaders, is being offered on the second Wednesday of each month at Noon at Baptist Easley. A partnership of Southern Wesleyan University with Baptist Easley Hospital and the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce is making the series possible. For details or registration, contact the chamber office at (864) 859-2693.
Enrollment open for Appalachian evening music program in Upstate
COUNTY — Would you like to learn how to play the guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin? Enrollment is now underway for the Appalachian Evening Music Program. The winter session will begin the “week of” Monday, March 14, at various locations. The enrollment period is open now and will run through Thursday, March 17.
This program is open to students from third grade through adults of all ages. It is designed to teach students to play Appalachian music with the guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin. The cost is $60 for a six-week session and $25 for instrument rental, if needed.
Anyone interested in signing up for this new session should contact one of the following program directors:
In Easley, the classes will be on Tuesday nights at the First Baptist Church. Contact: Susan Ware-Snow at (864) 979-9188 or susu9196@gmail.com.
In Pickens, the classes will be on Monday and Thursday nights at the Pickens Community Center. To enroll, contact Steve McGaha at (864) 283-4871 or blindpunkin54@yahoo.com
In Six Mile, the classes will be on Monday nights. For more information, contact Jan Nations at (864) 608-3171 or jhnations64@aol.com
The Evening Music Program is sponsored by Preserving Our Southern Appalachian Music Inc. (POSAM), a charitable nonprofit organization. For more information on the Young Appalachian Musicians (YAM) program, visit www.YAMupstate.com, Facebook: “YAM (Young Appalachian Musicians),” or contact Betty McDaniel (director) at (864) 878-4257 or mcdanibw1@gmail.com.
Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee announces tourism projects funding availability
COUNTY — Pickens County is now accepting accommodations tax funding applications for projects for the 2015-2016 fiscal year from organizations involved in tourism-related activities or projects.
These funds, collected from Pickens County Accommodations Tax, are intended to be used to further the growth of the tourism industry in Pickens County by attracting or providing for tourists.
The distribution of these funds is approved by Pickens County Council who receives recommendations from the Pickens County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee. This committee will determine its recommendations on completed Funding Request Applications received and will be meeting during the month of March 2016 to review these applications. The deadline for the receipt of all funding applications is February 26.
Any Pickens County organization whose efforts primarily involve or affect area tourism efforts is encouraged to apply for potential funding.
Funding request applications can be obtained by writing the Pickens County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee at 222 McDaniel Ave. No. B-2, Pickens, SC 29671, by phone at (864) 868-2196, by e-mail at dalep@co.pickens.sc.us, or online at co.pickens.sc.us/documents/.
