Category Archives: Obituaries

Barbara L. Brunson

12 December 2013, 2013, Obituaries

Barbara BrunsonBarbara Littlejohn Brunson, 70, of 904 Sanborn St., Florence, was born in Gaffney to the late Carl E. Littlejohn and Phines Talley Littlejohn. She departed her life on Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

“Bma” and “ Busy B” as she was affectionately known, received her education in the public schools in Cherokee County. She was a 1961 graduate of Granard High School and furthered her education at the Area Trade School in Demark, S.C.

On Aug. 6, 1966, she joined in Holy Matrimony to James Brunson. They were married for 47 years and 4 months.

Bma was a member of Wayside Chapel Baptist Church in Florence. While a member of Wayside, she served in many capacities including a Deaconess, Usher and Willing Worker, a member of the Sheppard’s Ministry, Culinary Arts and the Youth Department.

She was employed by Wentworth Manufacturing and Southern Bell (Bell- South) Telephone Company, where she retired after 30 years. While an employee at Southern Bell, she was a member of the Telephone Pioneers. Bma was also employed by Allstar Lanes and volunteered for McLeod Hospice until her death.

Bma enjoyed bowling and traveling with her family and friends. She was a Life member of the United States Bowling Congress, a member of The National Bowling Association and a member of a number of bowling leagues for over 30 years where she held a number of positions on the city and state level. On Oct. 1, 2011, Bma was inducted into the South Carolina Bowling Hall of Fame.

She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Pride of West Temple #301 and Liberty Temple #800 Order of the Elks.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Carl E. Littlejohn Jr. and Charlie E. Littlejohn, and her beloved daughter, Jamesina B. Brunson.

Surviving are her husband, James Brunson; daughter, Kimberely (Henry) Scott of Florence; five grandchildren, Amberlee Scott of Raleigh, N.C., Diamonique Brunson of Florence, Henry Scott Jr. of Columbia, Diamonyese Brunson of Savannah, Ga., and Diamondrea Brunson of the home; siblings, Allen Littlejohn, Leroy (Toledo) Littlejohn, Hillard Littlejohn, Walter (Leota) Littlejohn, Wilbur Littlejohn, Dorothy Alford, Phines Jones, and Wendell (Lydia) Littlejohn; five sisters-inlaw, Clara Littlejohn, Tina Brunson, Dorothy Fulwood, Ann (James) Hawkins and Yakita Brunson; three brothers-in-law, Johnny (Cassandra) Brunson, Leroy Brunson and Ellison (Deborah) Brunson.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 21, at 10 a.m. at Wayside Baptist Church, Florence. Interment will follow in Florence.

Courtesy of The Gilmore Mortuary.

Edith Dillard Williams

11 November 2013, Obituaries

Williams_edited2Edith “Putty Jean” Dillard Williams, 72, of 203 Victoria Road, entered into eternal rest Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013, in Spartanburg.

Born in Cherokee County, she was the daughter of the late Dock Dillard Sr. and the late Edith Flack Dillard. She was a graduate of Granard High School and a retired dietician at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

She was preceded in death by six siblings, Dock Jr., Elsie, Essie, Bertha, Answer and Della.

Surviving are three daughters, Carolyn “Touché” Shippy (Terry) of Spartanburg, Angela Wright (Owen) of Maryland and Tabitha Williams of Gaffney; eight sisters, Menttory Jones (Curtis) of Columbia, Gloria Williams (Frank) of Virginia, Mary Wilkins (Eston) of Spartanburg, Martha Spivey, Lucy Spivey (Ernie) and Dorothy Vasquez of New York, Annie Lipscomb (James) and Elizabeth Hopper of Gaffney; six brothers, Abraham Dillard of Charlotte, N.C., David Dillard (Sandra), Sampson Dillard (Alexandria) and Solomon Dillard, all of Gaffney, Isaac Dillard of Maryland and Dock Division Dillard of Belmont, N.C.; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at noon in The Gilmore Mortuary Chapel with Dr. Michael A. Glenn officiating. Interment will be in Dillard Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements by The Gilmore Mortuary.

Mae Dilly Valentine Surratt

11 November 2013, Obituaries

20p1Mae Dilly Valentine Surratt, 69, of 106 Blue Dawn Road, Chesnee, was called to eternal rest on Monday, Nov. 4, 2013.

Wife of Sylvester Dayton Surratt, she was born in Cherokee County and was a daughter of the late Jessie Ray Valentine Sr. and the late Mattie Watkins Valentine.

She was a member of Greater Buck Shoals Ministries, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, usher, choir member, deaconess and missionary.

Mae was also preceded in death by four siblings, Katie McKinney, James Robert Valentine, Minnie Johnson and Gaither Valentine.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Donald Ray Surratt (Virginia) of Morganton, N.C., and David Reid (Cynthia) of the home; a daughter, Teresa Burris of Spartanburg; five brothers, Joe Louis Valentine (Bertina) of Inkster, MI, Rev. L.J. Valentine (Ruth) of Cowpens, J.B. Valentine (Louise) and Jessie Ray Valentine, Jr. of Chesnee, Charles E. Valentine of Gaffney; two daughters, Kathleen Hughes (William) of Inkster, Mich., and Mittie Harris of Lavonia, Mich.; five grandchildren; 11 greatgrandchildren.; aunts, Ezee Watkins of Jamaica, N.Y., Ozee Wood and Luella Quincy of Everett, Wash., Nora Fernanders (James) of Chesnee, Cordelia Hogue (Johnny) of Grover, N.C. and Sarah Valentine of Chesnee; and uncles, J.C. Valentine and Homer Lee Valentine of Chesnee.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. at Greater Buck Shoals Ministries Church with the Rev. T.E. McDowell officiating. Interment will be in Springhill Memorial Gardens. She will lie instate in the church Monday from 1-2 p.m.

Arrangements by The Gilmore Mortuary.