Mrs. Hilda Mae Wilson Degree, 82, of 200 Friday Street Apt 3-3, Blacksburg, SC, passed away Friday, in Spartanburg Regional Mary Black Campus.

She was born in Cherokee County on April 25, 1938 by the late Kelly and Gennevie Hopper Wilson and widowed to .

She worked as a domestic worker for over fifty years.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Christopher Degree; a brother, Russell Wilson (Janie of Blacksburg.)

Hilda leaves to cherish loving memories:  five sons, Billy Degree (Karen) of Gaffney, Bruce Degree (Zina) of Abseon, N.J., Jeffrey Degree of Blacksburg, Corey Degree (Stacey) of Shelby, and Carpenter Degree of Columbia, SC; two daughters, Charlotte (Sgt. Eric Misher) of Fayetteville, N.C. and Valerie Degree (Julius) of Gaffney; two brothers, Kelly Wilson (Lillian) of Spartanburg and Howard Wilson (Brenda) of Gaffney; three sisters, Gladys Wilson of Gaffney, Mary Logan of Gaffney, and Diane Williams of Green Acres, FL; 12 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; other relatives and friends.

Funeral Service will be Thursday, 1:00 p.m., in The Gilmore Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Anitonette Frazier, officiating. Interment will follow in Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Blacksburg.

*Masks and Social Distancing* will be required at the mortuary and cemetery.

John Franklin Lightening, 56, of 102 McArthur Street, passed away Tuesday morning, September 8th, in his home.

He was born in York County, SC and was a son of Mary Lightening and Winnie B. Parker Feemster. John was a former employee of Brown’s Packing Company.

He was preceded in death by his mothers; fiancé, Parnice Studyvance Hughes; grandmother, Mattie Parker; a sister, Jean Ervin; and brothers, Harold Parker, Sr. and Charlie Lightening; aunts, Ole Mae Howell and Jessie Mae Foster; nieces, Jeannie and Tammy Parker.

He leaves to cherish loving memories: brothers, John Lightening and Arizona Reid; brother-in-law, Nathaniel Ervin and 9 others; 7 sisters-in-law; nephews, Harold Parker, Jr. (Kim), Tyrone Parker (Shawn), Mike and Travis Parker, Corey and Martain Ervin; including Marcus Valentine of Gaffney and L.J. Goode of Lyman who were reared as his sons; nieces, Mary Bromell, Patricia Byars, Lisa Robinson (J.J.), Sheryl and Portia Ervin; a special friend, Sherry Rodgers, who was like a sister; aunts, Helen Camp and Helen Butler; 17 great nieces & nephews; 12 great-great nieces & nephews; other relatives and friends.

Funeral Service will be Sunday, 2:00 p.m., in Mount Sinai Baptist Church with Rev. C.A. Wallace officiating. Interment will be in Gaffney Memorial Park.

Public Viewing  will be Saturday from  12:00 – 6:00 p.m.

*Masks and Social Distancing* will be required at the church and cemetery!

Zoar “Zo” Watts, 84, of Gaffney, passed away Thursday, September 3rd, in Spartanburg, SC.

Husband of Barbara Sarratt Watts, he was born in Cherokee County, South Carolina to John Henry Watts and Sadie Manning Watts.

He was a member of Concord Baptist Church and a retired truck driver.

Zoar loved driving trucks, watching westerns, drinking coffee, and being a practical joker to
everyone.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four siblings, Audrey Johnson, Nellie Littlejohn, Christine Thompson, and John Henry Watts, Jr.; a grandson, William O’Brian Smith; mother-in-law, Maggie Bell Sarratt.

He leaves to cherish loving memories: his devoted wife, Barbara Watts, of the home; daughters, Charlene Watts of Gaffney, Chief Warrant Officer Wanda Watts, U.S. Coast Guard, San Francisco, CA., Dr. Bobbie Watts of Simpsonville, SC, and Kim Watts, of Gaffney; a son, 1st Class Gunner’s Mate Zoar “Lee” Watts, Jr. (Ai)of the U.S. Navy, Japan; grandchildren, Vincetta Danielle Smith of Gaffney; Zara and Zowie Watts, of Japan; great-grandchildren, William “Zhy” Haney and Larenzo Evans, of Gaffney; sister-in-law, Fannie Valentine; brother-in-law, Leon Valentine; 8 nephews; 8 nieces; other relatives and friends.