The earthly life of Mrs. Emma Mae Smith Steen, age 90, came to a close at 5:35 a.m. on January 16, 2015, in the Brookview Healthcare Center.

Daughter of the late Foster and Mary Tiger Smith, she was born on June 6, 1924 in Spartanburg County.
She was the widow of Russell Steen and was also preceded in death by a daughter, Minister Mary Ann Steen Smith.

Emma was a member of Limestone Baptist Church where she served as a member of the Senior Choir. She was a retired employee of Limestone College.

She leaves to cherish loving memories: a daughter, Mrs. Fannie (Rev. Eugene) Sykes of Bayonne, NJ; four grandchildren, Ms. Lynn Sykes of Plainfield, NJ, Ms. Tonya Sykes of Charlotte, NC, Bishop Kirkland (Gloria) Smith of Gaffney, and John Christopher Sykes of Denpasar, Indonesia; 3 great-grandchildren, Kristin Smith of Columbia, SC, Brandi Douglass and Leann Smith, both of Gaffney; a brother, Robert (Lisa) Smith of Ahoskie, NC; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral Services will be Friday, January 23rd, 11:00 a.m., in Limestone Baptist Church with Rev. Michael Golden officiating and her grandson, Bishop Kirkland Smith delivering the eulogy. Interment will follow in Gaffney Memorial Park.

She may be viewed at The Gilmore Mortuary Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. She will be in state in the church Friday at 10:00 a.m.

Sarah Oglesby Edwards, 85, of 808 W. Fairview Ave., entered eternal rest on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Widow of Willie Lee Edwards, she was born in Cherokee County and was the daughter of the late Rev. Nathaniel Oglesby and the late Ora Fernanders Oglesby. She was a member of True Holiness Church, where she served as a missionary and Senior Choir member.

Mrs. Edwards was a retired employee of Cherokee County schools and served for several years as a cafeteria worker at Luther Vaughn Elementary School.

She was preceded in death by nine siblings, Stacy, Paul, J.D., Joe and Johnny Oglesby, Rosa Lee Dawkins, Pearlie Tate, Robena Poole-Phillips and Barbara Smith-Tate.

Surviving are two sons, Rev. Milton Edwards and Franklin Edwards (Jamie), of Gaffney; three daughters, Linda Duncan (Rev. William “L.C.”) of Gaffney, Wanda Proctor (Hubert) and Marilyn Taylor (Ricky), of Columbia; eight grandchildren, Jasmine Edwards, Tron Thompson (Kinisha), Franklin Edwards, II, Shanelle Smith, Ashley Fisher (Rodney), Denzel Dawkins, Eris and Maya Taylor; five great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law, Ruby Nell Edwards and Venus Oglesby, both of Gaffney, and Lucille Edwards of Union.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. at Concord Baptist Church with Dr. Michael Bridges, Overseer Theodore Lockhart and Rev. Milton Edwards. Interment will be in Gaffney Memorial Park.

Mrs. Edwards may be viewed at The Gilmore Mortuary on Friday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. until noon. She will lie in state in the church Saturday from 1- 2 p.m.

The family is at the home of her son, Rev. Milton Edwards, 140 Brittany Road.

Arrangements by The Gilmore Mortuary.