Louenia Wilson Tate, 71, of 203 Mt. Sinai Church Road, Shelby, NC, passed away Thursday, October 7, 2021, in Atrium Health, Shelby.

Wife of Howard Tate, she was born in Cherokee County and was a daughter of the late J.W. Wilson and Hazel Marlowe Wilson.

She was a graduate of Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio and received an Associate Degree in Business from Cleveland College in Shelby.

Louenia was a member of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church where she served as a Missionary, Deaconess, Sunday School Teacher, and former member of the Musical Choir.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Marlowe; a sister, Joyce Ann Carr and Janet Cooper. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son, Brandy Tate, (Nichole), of Dallas, NC; a daughter, Droxie Tate, of McLean, VA; two brothers, Lewis Blanton (Pat) and Rev. Rodney Davidson (Lisa), of Gaffney; two sisters, Doris Wilson and Gwen Marlowe, of Dayton, OH; grandsons, Brennen Tate and Brentson Tate, both of Dallas; aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends.

A Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, 2:00 p.m., in Mt. Sinai Baptist Church with The T Pastor, The Reverend C.A. Wallace, eulogist and The Reverend Robert Dover officiating.
Interment will be in the church cemetery. She will be in state in the church Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.

Ethel Mae Gooden Norris was born on October 10, 1932, in Gaffney, South Carolina. She was one of six children born of the late Rev. Dock and Delia Gooden. She quietly went home to the Lord, departing this world on Saturday, October 2, 2021.

After graduating from Granard High School at age 17, Ethel moved to Washington D.C. Soon after, she met and married James Author Norris. Mr. and Mrs. Norris had four children, Yvonne Montgomery, James Author Norris Jr., Ronnie Norris, and Gloria Norris.

Ethel was a go-getter, and she worked hard for her family. She worked at FDIC and retired after thirty years. Ethel wasn’t one to sit still for too long. Before her family knew it, Ethel began a new career in administrative work and education. Ethel was family-oriented. She followed her granddaughter and worked at each school her grandchild attended.

Before anything, Ethel was firstly a woman of God. She was a member of Peace Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where she served as a Pastor’s Aide for over thirty-plus years. Ethel was a beautiful and graceful woman who was very caring and giving. She truly believed it was better to give than to receive. She would want us to remember her as the beautifully strong and lovely woman that she was.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory: her sister, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, four children, nine grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A Graveside Service will be held Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., in Gaffney Memorial Park Cemetery.

Gary Lee Armstrong, Sr., 55, of 1431 Swofford Drive, Cowpens, SC, passed away Sunday, October 3, 2021, in Spartanburg Medical Center.

Husband of Rebecca Camp Armstrong, he was born, April 12, 1966 in Cherokee County, SC and was a son of the late Watson Armstrong, Sr. and the late Forestine Byers Armstrong.

He was member of Island Creek Baptist Church and a retired employee of Kohler.

In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by a brother, Jonathan Bernard Armstrong.

He leaves to cherish loving memories: wife, Rebecca Camp Armstrong; step-father, Calvin Linder, of Gaffney; two daughters, Asia Cierra Armstrong and Amber Alexis Armstrong, both of Gaffney; a son, Gary Lee Armstrong, Jr., of Boiling Springs, SC; brothers, Watson Armstrong, Jr., of Gaffney, Reverend James Freeman Armstrong, Mark Anthony Armstrong, Ricky Dean Armstrong, James Robert Thompson, all of Cowpens, SC; Daniel Colston, Shane Colston, Calvin Studyvance, Travis Colston, and Calvin Thompson, all of Gaffney; sisters, Evelyn Vernon, of Spartanburg, SC, Minister Linda Kaye Armstrong, of Greenville, Yolanda Evette Armstrong, of Cowpens; Shameka Denise Armstrong, of Gaffney; grandchildren, Zayden Lee Thompson, Ace Santa Greene, Kingston O’Marion Reid and Kashton Prince, Joseph Reid, all of Gaffney, SC; special friend, Victoria Montgomery; uncles, Henry Armstrong (Lorraine), Davis Armstrong (Teresa), both of Cowpens, and Rochelle Byers (Diane), of Fayetteville, SC; sister- in-law, Lois C. Oglesby, of Charlotte, NC, Louise Blanton, of Gaffney, SC; brother-in-law, Howard Camp, of Inman, SC, Roger Camp, and Avery Camp (Ros), of Gaffney; other relatives and friends.

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, 3:00 p.m., in Island Creek Baptist Church with The Reverend Dr. Timothy L. Hunter officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. He will lie in state in the church Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The family is at the home of The Reverend James Armstrong at 2152 Battleground Road, Cowpens.