Clara Byers Smedelay, was born in Gaffney, South Carolina on July 13, 1948, and was a daughter of the late Violet Byers, Edward Tate, and adopted daughter of Genevieve Smedelay
Clara passed away on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, in the Peachtree Centre, Gaffney.
She was a 1965 graduate of Granard High School in Gaffney. She furthered her education at Clinton Jr. College in Rock Hill, SC and Morris College in Sumter, SC. She was a member of Allen Temple C.M.E. Church.
She was predeceased by a daughter, Wanda Smedelay Hopper; sisters, Mae Edna Newsome, Nellie Steen, Mary Violet Byers Dawkins; brothers, Leroy Byers, Wright Byers, and Shedrick Byers.
Clara leaves to cherish loving memories: two sisters, Cathy Smedelay Martin, and Elwillie Belton; a brother, Rev. Dewey Whittenburg (Mary) of Gaffney; son-in-law, Everett Hopper, Sr.; grandchildren, Quaterra Howard (Elvis Howard, Sr.), and Everett Hopper, Jr. (Xavier Gibbs); great-grandchildren Elijah Howard and Elvis Howard, Jr. other relatives and friends.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, February 16th, at 2:00 p.m., in The Gilmore Mortuary Chapel. Interment will follow in Gaffney Memorial Park.

William Mitchell Lockhart, Sr., 87, of Blacksburg, SC, passed away Friday, February 11, 2022, in his home.


Widow of Betty Lockhart, he was born in Cleveland County, N.C. and was a son of the late Theodore Lockhart, Sr. and the late Mary Gill Lockhart.

He was a member of The Divine True Holiness Church of God in Blacksburg where he served as a Deacon, Sunday Superintendent and Teacher, and Father of the Church.

He was a former employee of Sloan Construction Company and a retiree of T.E. Hendron Company.

“Brother Mitch” was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and a son, Vernon Lockhart, sisters, Deanna Sizemore, Esther Whitener, Carolyn Lockhart; brothers, Bishop Eddie Lockhart, Charles Lockhart, Louis Lockhart, Ronnie Lockhart, and Excel Gill; brothers-in-law, Luther Whitener, Henry Galmer, Hayward Galmer; sisters-in-law, Helen Lowry, Willie Frances Smith.

He leaves to cherish loving memories; a daughter, Martha Lockhart, of the home; a son, William Mitchell, Jr. (Avery-Deceased); grandchildren, Trice Culp (Terrance), William M. Lockhart, III, Taylor Lockhart; great-grandchildren, Emry and Loren Culp; brother, Overseer Theodore Lockhart, Jr. (Alzenia), of Blacksburg, Benjamin Lockhart, Sr. (Henrene), of Kings Mountain, NC; sisters, Margaret Hames (Willie Louis), of Charlotte, NC, Barbara Roberts (Belton, Sr., of Kings Mountain, Mary Lockhart, of Grover, NC, and Leatha Lockhart, of Selby, NC; brothers-in-law, Melvin Sizemore; sisters-in-law, Barbara Lockhart, Priscilla Lockhart, and Debra Lockhart; nieces; nephews; other relatives and friends.

A Graveside Service will be Wednesday, 11:00 a.m., at The Divine True Holiness Church of God in Blacksburg with Overseer Theodore Lockhart, Jr.

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Charles Van Dewberry, 84 of Gaffney, SC, passed away Wednesday morning, February 9th, in his home.

Funeral Services will be Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 2:00 pm., in Island Creek Baptist Church; 2112 Battleground Rd. Cowpens, SC. Body will lie in state in church from 1:00 p.m. until hour of service.