Courier Obituaries 1-11-17
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Iretha Castle Olson
Pickens — Mrs. Iretha Castle Olson, 88, wife of the late Ronald Eugene Olson, passed away Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at AnMed Health Cannon hospital.
Born in Yakima, Wash., a daughter of the late Ted and Inas Guarde Castle, Mrs. Olson was a retired CNA and a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Pickens.
Surviving are a son, Michael L. Lodge of Glendale, Calif.; a daughter, Linda Weilep of Spokane, Wash.; two sisters, Juanita Johnson of Tennessee and Doreen Soderberg of Arizona; and four grandchildren.
Services were held Jan. 7 at the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Pickens.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
Emmitt James Duncan
Easley — Emmitt James Duncan, our precious angel, entered into eternal rest on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016.
Surviving are his parents, Daniel and Rachel Roesch Duncan of Easley; a brother, Elijah Roesch of the home; grandparents, John and Elizabeth Roesch, Kenny and Angel Duncan, and Leroy and Michelle Lance.
Private services for the family will be held at a later date.
The family will be at the home.
Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Jenny Ramey
Easley — Mrs. Mary Virginia Martin “Jenny” Ramey, 93, wife of the late John Claude Ramey, passed away Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at her home.
Born in Laurens County, she was a daughter of the late Ben and Mary Hill Martin.
Mrs. Ramey was a 1941 graduate of Ware Shoals High School. She was formerly employed with Regal Manufacturing in Ware Shoals and Her Majesty in Mauldin. She loved and adored her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was a member of Crosswell Baptist Church.
Surviving are a daughter, Gloria Ramey Tims (David), of Piedmont; two granddaughters, Lisa Dimsdale and Amy Odom; three great-grandchildren, Bethany Spain (Andrew), Amanda Odom and David Odom; two great-great-grandchildren, Bella Spain and Hunter Odom; a sister, Joanne Cathcart; and a sister-in-law, Joyce Martin.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a brother, Lewis Martin, and a brother-in-law, Robert Cathcart.
The family would like to express their love and appreciation to the granddaughter, Lisa Dimsdale, for her special care and love she gave to her grandmother, Jenny.
Funeral services were held Jan. 5 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, with burial following in Graceland West Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 82 Orchard Park Dr, Greenville, SC 29615, The American Heart Association, 156 Milestone Way A, Greenville, SC 29615, or Homestead Hospice, Building 1A, 109 Laurens Rd, Greenville, SC 29607.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
Arnold E. Bohnstadt
Easley — Arnold Edward Bohnstadt, 63, of 106 30th St., passed away Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.
Born in Lockport, N.Y., he was the son of the late Elsworth Arnold Bohnstadt and Adeline Trombley Bohnstadt.
Arnold was retired from Consolidated Southern Industries. He loved his family and enjoyed traveling.
Surviving are his children, Michelle Norton (Chad), Angela Moreland (Jonathan) and Jason Bohnstadt (Jodie), all of Easley, and Timothy Bohnstadt (Misty) of Greenville; 12 grandchildren; a sister, Judith Hoste of Lockport, N.Y.; and a niece, Tammy Hoste (Greg) of Lockport, N.Y.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Jan. 11, from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, with a memorial service to follow at 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.
Flowers will be accepted.
The family will be at their respective homes.
Condolences may be expressed online by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, 1425 Powdersville Road, Easley, SC 29642, which is assisting the family.
Robert William Chapman
Pickens — Robert William Chapman, 59, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at his home.
Mr. Chapman was born in Pickens County and son of the late Jessie Virginia Street Chapman and William Henry Chapman.
Survivors include two daughters, Andrea Chapman and Kelley Chapman, both of Pickens; one brother, Harold Chapman of Pickens; and three grandchildren; Cale Chapman, Cade Chapman and Ansley Chapman, all of Pickens.
A celebration of life was held Jan. 5 at the Aartun Bridge in Eastatoee Valley in Sunset.
Mountain View Funerals and Cremations is assisting the Chapman family.
Joe Morris Lanning
Pickens — Joe Morris Lanning, 81, husband of Joyce Lanning, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017.
Mr. Lanning was born in Salem and was the son of the late Erby and Bertie Manley Lanning
Mr. Lanning was the owner operator of Pickens Culvert and Pipe in Pickens since 1992, served in the United States Army and attended Truth Missionary Baptist church in Greenville.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years; one son, Morris Lanning of Pickens; two sisters, Eleanor Sweezy of Newberry, and Katherine Holland (Charles) of Anderson; three grandchildren, Jonathan Tyler Lanning, Austin Joe Lanning, Brandon Douglas Lanning all of Pickens; and a sister in law, Barbara Lanning. In addition to his parents, Mr. Lanning was predeceased by a son, Doug Lanning; a brother, Haskell Lanning; and a sister, Juanita Smith.
Services were held Jan. 7 at Dillard Funeral Home, with burial following at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens in Pickens.
Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.dillardfunerals.com. Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Lanning family.
Becky Maxine Bowen Kingery
Easley — Becky Maxine Bowen Kingery, 64, went to be with the Lord Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.
Mrs. Kingery was born in Greenville County and the daughter of the late Ed and Grace Bowen.
Mrs. Kingery was a lab tech at C.H. Patrick until her retirement. She also was a member of Peters Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Toby Gosnell (Wendy) of Anderson and Shaun Gosnell of Pickens; one daughter, Bonny Galloway (Jim) of Sunset; six grandchildren, Crystal Lollis (Dale) of Liberty, Jamie Reece (Anna) of Pickens, Braden Gosnell of Pickens, Lilly Klein, Serenity Gosnell and Sammi Gosnell and step-grandchild, Kenny Mclellan, all of Anderson; great-grandchildren, Brooke Lollis of Liberty and Dale Lollis of Liberty; one God daughter, Sandy Logan (Stephen) of Easley; two sisters, Elaine Blackwell of Piedmont and Annette Harvey of Greenville; and one brother, Leon McCoig of Easley. Mrs. Kingery also leaves in her memory many nieces and nephews .Mrs. Kingery was predeceased by one son, Travis Bostic; three brothers, Donnie Bowen, Danny Bowen and Charles McCoig; two sisters, Kay Murphy and Janice Heath; and a daughter-in-law, Kim Gosnell.
Visitation was held on Jan. 10 at Peters Creek Baptist Church. Service was also held at Peters Creek Baptist Church, with burial following in the church cemetery.
Memorial may be made to the Peters Creek Baptist Church general fund at 972 Shoals Creek Church Road in Easley.
Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.dillardfunerals.com. Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the Bowen family.
Gert Bagwell
Pickens — In the early morning of Jan. 7, 2017, 81-year-old Geneva Gertrude Bagwell passed away at home with her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter by her side.
She was born in Franklin, N.C., to George W. Gregory and Stella Gregory. Everyone knew her as Gert.
Gert enjoyed working in her garden, cooking, doing word search books and spending time with her granddaughter, Hunter Green. She loved sharing vegetables from her garden with everyone and cooking food and sharing with her friends and neighbor Conethel, Cooter, Lee and Lisa. At Christmastime, she made her well known fudge for everyone with love and a big smile. She had many jobs in her life time but the last place she worked was at Sangamo.
Survivors include daughter, Diane Green; son-in-law David Green and granddaughter Hunter Green of Pickens and Lisa Hudson and Lee Hudson (which she loved as if they were her own children); brothers Lona (Sonny boy) Gregory of Tennessee, and Ronald (Bitty Fella) Gregory of South Carolina; sister-in-law and best friend Mabel Gregory of Franklin, N.C. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, John Harold Bagwell, son, James (Pee Wee) Gregory, brothers (Gilm and Dick), sisters (Bet, Lorene, Sit and Evelyn).
Visitation for family only was held Jan. 10 at Mountain View Funerals and Cremations. Graveside service followed at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens.
Mountain View Funerals and Cremations is assisting the Bagwell family.
Iva Davis
Bethesda, Md. — Iva Davis, of Bethesda, Md., and Davis, N.C., died on Dec. 30, 2016, after a brief illness.
She was the beloved aunt of James M Labriola of Great Falls, Mont., Barbara and Dan Sonnino of Bethesda, Md., Virginia Stratton of Beaufort, N.C., Phyllis Willis of Davis, N.C., Lennie Saunders of Atlantic, N.C., and Iva Marie Stratton of Pickens, and several great-nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her beloved sisters, Mildred and Luna Mae. Iva was born in Davis, N.C. on Sept. 13, 1917.
She moved to Washington, D.C., in the late 1930s to seek better job opportunities. From February 1942 until her retirement in February 1975, she worked as an administrative assistant for the Bell Telephone system (now Verizon). She returned to Davis, N.C., in 1975 with her older sister Mildred and her brother-in-law, James Labriola, and in later years cared for them until their deaths. In the spring of 2003, she moved to Bethesda where she resided with her niece and nephew until her death. In Bethesda she enjoyed the friendship and caring attention of friends and neighbors, and the kind staff of the Westbard Hair Studio, and her favorite restaurant, Positano’s.
Our dear Aunt Iva was an open-minded, modest, loving person who will be missed by all those whose lives she touched. Her family wishes to thank the wonderful nurses and aides at Sibley Hospital who cared for her in her last days and special thanks to Ashura Omar who was the Home Health care aide who assisted in her care. Memorial services will be held in Bethesda and North Carolina at a future date.