Ms. Odessia Jefferies, 89, of 523 West Montgomery Street, passed away Monday, May 20, 2019, in Lancaster Convalescent Center, Lancaster, SC.

She was born in Cherokee County and was a daughter of the late Benjamin and Mattie Littlejohn Hemphill Jefferies.

Odessia was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church where she served as an usher and missionary. She was a member of the Cherokee County NAACP and a charter member of the Senior Citizen’s Red Hatters.  

She was preceded in death by siblings: William Hemphill, M.B. Jefferies, L.D. Jefferies, Vera McCluney, Ozelia Jefferies, and Annie Jefferies.

Surviving are: a son, Dennis (Drena) Jefferies, of Lancaster, SC; a daughter, Brenda (George) Patterson, of Fort Washington, MD; seven grandchildren, including: Anthony (Sheila) Jefferies, of Shelby, NC, Terrance Jefferies of Fort Mill, SC, and April Jefferies of Bowie, MD; seventeen great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Rosa Roberts of Chicago, IL, and Lorraine Jefferies of Jamaica, NY; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

The Funeral Service will be Saturday, 1:00 p.m., in Mt. Zion Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. A.L. Brackett officiating.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery.  She will be in state in the church Saturday at 12:00 noon.

The family is at the home of Anthony and Sheila Jefferies, 310 James Love School Road, Shelby, NC.

The Gilmore Mortuary

Helen Devona Watkins, 45, of 125 Beltline Road, passed away Friday, May 3, 2019, in Cherokee Medical Center.

She was born in Gaffney and was a daughter of Monroe Twitty of Chesnee and the late Laura Watkins.

Helen was a 1992 graduate of Gaffney High School, a member of Suck Creek Baptist Church, and a former employee of Norma’s Truck Stop.

In addition to her father, she is survived by: her step-mother, Sheila Twitty, of Chesnee; three brothers, Chris Watkins (Tracie) of Gaffney, Clay Proctor of Spartanburg, and Chris Proctor of Chesnee; six sisters, Sandra Funderburk (John), Tiffany Watkins, Sophia Lipscomp and Charlotte Watkins all of Gaffney, Katrina Jeter (Jamie) of Chesnee, and April Proctor Holston (Michael) of Atlanta, GA,

The Funeral Service will be Friday, 3:00 p.m., in Suck Creek Baptist Church with Rev. Tony Macomson officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. She will be in state in the church Friday at 2:00 p.m.

The family is at the home of Sandra and John Funderburk, 308 Peachtree Street.

The Gilmore Mortuary