Willie Edwards

Willie Edwards was born June 8, 1942, in Edgefield County, South Carolina. He was the son of the late Frank Edwards and Elizabeth Marshall Edwards. His usual occupation was a farmer for many years.

Willie was a hard worker. He loved his family and he was good to his family and to his friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, George Edwards, Johnny Edwards, Bessie Mae Edwards, and Helen Edwards, children, Sarah Marshall, Fitzgerald Morton, and a granddaughter, Shemeka Morton.

He leaves to love and cherish his memories, his wife, Elizabeth Edwards of the home, sons, Lawrence Edwards (Rosa Mae Watkins), Batesburg, SC, Leroy Edwards, (Zarie Brooks), Aiken, SC, Calvin James (Debra Allen), Aiken, SC, Teresa Wise, Aiken, SC, William Edwards (Teresa Nicholas, Aiken, SC, Josephine Byrd, Aiken, SC, Cheryl Edwards Wise (Bernard, Aiken, SC, Willie Deloris Marshall, Ward, SC, Johnnie Marshall, Batesburg, SC, James Leon Marshall, North Augusta, SC, Mary Morton, Trenton, SC, Henry Marshall, (Brenda Gilliam), Saluda, SC, Lou Ann Jones, (Joe James), Ridge Spring, SC, Robert Edwards, (Teresa Kirk), Monetta, SC, 40 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, 8 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Funeral Services were held Friday, July 1, 2022 : 2:00 pm at the Chinquapin Baptist Church, Batesburg, SC with the Overseer Apostle RC Ratliff, Pastor/ Officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Brent Lashae Johnson

Brent Lashae Johnson was born June 11, 1977. She was the daughter of Carrie B. Gray Johnson and the late Sylvester Johnson. She was the youngest of four children.

As a young  child she was baptized a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church.

 Brent was a native of Edgefield County where she attended Edgefield County Schools. She was very active in school, playing the trumpet in band and many other activities in school. She was a 1994 graduate of Strom Thurmond. Following graduation, she attended Barder College.

Brent  worked for many years at Michelin Tire Company and Amick Farms. 

She was a loving and caring woman, she loved her children. They kept her going. She loved vacationing and traveling. To sum up her life , BRENT loved Life!!!  There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family and those she loved. Her memory will forever be in our hearts.

Preceding her in death is her father, Sylvester Johnson.

She leaves to love honor and cherish her beautiful memories: two children, Octavia Ethridge, California, and Jayden Curtis, Johnston, SC; her mother, Carrie Johnson, Johnston, SC;  three siblings, Angie (Harold) Nash, Greenville, SC, Tenneyson Gray(Burnell), New York and Chandlor Martin (Bernard), Aiken, SC and a host of nieces , nephews,  other relatives and friends. 

Graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2022 at 11:00 am at Sunset Memorial Garden in Johnston, SC.

Janie Abney Dunbar

Mrs Janie Abney Dunbar

Janie Abney Holland Thurmond Dunbar, affectionately known as “Nannie,” was born August 15, 1922 to Millie Abney in Saluda, South Carolina. Her siblings were the late Clara Doby, Whelen Jr. and Thomas (Duck) Abney. She departed this life on March 17, 2022.

Janie spent her early childhood years in Johnston, South Carolina. During her early teens, she began her new journey as a surrogate mother to the Halford Family and later became their housekeeper. Mrs. Annie Halford and Janie had a close loving relationship. So close that they adopted the name Halford as well.

Janie had two children, one of whom preceded her in death, Patricia Dandy, affectionately known as “Tricia.“

Janie was preceded in death by her three husbands, Albert Holland, Sr.,  Archie Thurmond, and John Henry Dunbar, Sr.

Janie accepted Christ as her savior at a young age and joined Pine Hill Baptist Church. She served on various committees and was an active member of the Sunday School, but her most prestigious role was being the oldest member of the church.

Janie was very famous for her cooking. She enjoyed cooking for her family, church, and the community. She was most famous for her pound cakes and Cha Cha.

Janie answered God’s calling on Friday, March 18, 2022, at her residence in Johnston, South Carolina.

Janie leaves to mourn her memories to her devoted son also known as her twin, Albert Holland, her special daughter-in-law, Geraldine Holland of Hempstead, New York, stepson, John Henry (Therma) Dunbar, Jr., Buffalo, New York, step-daughters, Mary Helen Howard, Betty Dunbar, and Martha Dunbar, New York, New York, her grandchildren, Felix Andrews, Johnston, South Carolina, Sandra (Anthony) Dandy, Springfield, Virginia, Wallace Dandy, Jr., Columbia, South Carolina, Sharon Parlor, Johnston, South Carolina, Nancy L. Holland, Jamaica, New York, and Richard (Gwendolyn) Holland, Sr., Rockville Centre, New York; great-grandchildren, Kenji Dandy (Tracee Ashton), Justin Cartledge, Tyler Cartledge, Jama Dandy, Teri Cartledge, Richard Holland, Jr., and Blake Holland, great-great-grandchildren, Kross Dandy and Ayanna Dandy-Williams, Janie had also developed a close loving special relationship with the Dunbar grandchildren. She also had a special relationship with Rev. Bernard (Daisy) Abney and she shared a close bond with Maude Grey and the Florida Family. Lastly, she leaves a host of sorrowful cousins and friends.

Services held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 12:00 Noon, at the Pine Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Post Office Box 517, Johnston, SC 29832, with Rev. Casey Duncan, Pastor officiating, and Rev. Jerome Coleman as Eulogist.

Betty Jean Felder

Graveside services for Mrs. Betty Jean Dobbs Felder, daughter of the late Ben Dobbs and the late Edith Cherry Dobbs was held Saturday, March 12, 2022 at the Rosa Spring Baptist Church where the Rev. Winston Oliphant is the Pastor. Rev. Lonnie Jones , officiated. The Eulogist was Minister Cynthia Howard.

Betty Jean Felder, also Known as “Ruthell” entered into eternal rest at her residence on February 28, 2022 following a brief illness. She was educated in the schools of Edgefield County. She was baptized at the Lotts Grove Baptist Church at an early age. She was a housekeeper for most of her life with her last years as a homemaker providing for her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband (James Felder, Jr.), her parents; two daughters, Macy Howard, Betty Ann Tompkins, two sons, Nathaniel Howard, Jr. and Anthony Felder; a granddaughter, Belanda Tompkins, two great-grandsons, Ty’Reius Wakefield and Edward McKenzie, Jr. Four brothers, James Walter, Willie and Bennie Joe Dobbs; and three sisters, Nancy Dobbs Oliphant, Edith Dobbs, and Tawanda Axen.

Those left to love honor and cherish her memory; four daughters, Sally Ann “Brenda” Howard, Lisa Howard both of Johnston, SC; Shirley Felder McKnight, Winter Haven FL, and Christine Felder, Ft. Peirce, FL; four sons, Jimmy Felder, Ft. Peirce, FL, Freddie Lee Howard, Johnston, SC, Donald (Lois Marshall) Howard, Ward, SC, and Robert Howard, Anderson, SC; two sisters, Susie Dobbs (Johnny) Herrin, Aiken, SC and Grace Dobbs Nicholson, Trenton, SC; four sisters-in-law, Bessie O. Dobbs, Johnston, SC, Annette Dobbs, Pelion, SC, Margaret Felder and Ruth Lee Felder both of Winter Haven , FL; two aunts, Nancy D. Miles, Johnston, SC and Ruth D Freeman, Virginia; a uncle, John Dobbs, Jr. Rockaway NY; forty-four grandchildren, Sixty-two great-grandchildren and a host of nieces , nephews, other relatives and friends.

Betty Jean Oliphant

Betty Jean Oliphant

Betty Jean Oliphant was born May 7, 1948, She was the daughter of the late Joe Lanham and Tempiu Simpkins.

She departed this earthly life bound for her Heavenly Home on February 16, 2022 at Aiken Regional Hospital in Aiken, SC.

Betty Jean, as she was affectionately known, was educated in the schools of Edgefield County.

She was united in holy matrimony to William Gilliam.

She was a member of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Edgefield, South Carolina. She worked for many years as a cook at the Edgefield County Hospital.

Betty Jean loved her family and friends, and they will miss her dearly.

She leaves to love, honor and cherish her memory her children: Ricky Benjamin Miles of Edgefield, SC, Ernest Simpkins, Columbia, SC, Angie Regina Oliphant of North Augusta, SC, Robert Oliphant of Edgefield, SC, five grandchildren, Antjuan, Brianna, Biancia, and Antonio, great-grandchildren, Tyianna Miles, Jeremiah Forest, Mekhi Davis, Aubree Miles, and Antjuan Jr., a special friend, Curtis Hartley, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Services held on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 11:00 am at Amos & Sons Funeral Home of Johnston, SC.