12-10-2008 Obituaries

Bettye Ann Langley Butler

Mrs. Bettye Ann Langley Butler, of Collier Street in Plum Branch, wife of James Butler, died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008 at heartland Hospice in Augusta, Ga.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Methodist Church in Plum Branch. Burial was in Plum Branch Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul Methodist Church, P.O. Box 9, Plum Branch, SC 29845.
Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Margaret "Margie" Sheppard Rhodes

Mrs. Margaret "Margie" Sheppard Rhodes, 76, of Currytown Road in North Augusta, wife of Otis L. Rhodes, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008 at Edgefield County Hospital.
Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. at Sweetwater Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Rhodes was born in Aiken and was a member of Sweetwater Baptist Church. She was a veteran of the Korean Conflict and was a retired medical supervisor, having worked for the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Kylstra in Edgefield and for the Edgefield Mental Health Office.
In addition to her husband, survivors include two daughters, Debbie (Rocky) McKie and Donna (Scott) Sherman, both of North Augusta; two sons, John (Sandra) Hanyok, North Augusta, Chris (Nancy) Rhodes, Edgefield; seven grandchildren, Ashlie, Melissa, Megan, Scott, Derek, Katie and John Michael; and a great-grandchild, Trent.
Memorials may be made to Sweetwater Baptist Church Building Fund, 198 Sweetwater Road, North Augusta, SC 29860.
Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Barbara Dunn Robertson

Services for Mrs. Barbara Dunn Robertson, 56, of Johnston, were held Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. at Bland Funeral Home. Burial was in Sunset Gardens Memorial Park.
Mrs. Robertson, a native of Johnston, died Sunday, Dec. 7. She was a daughter of Claire and Allen Dunn. She was a school teacher with Edgefield County Public Schools and had received National Board Certification. For 13 years, she served as a missionary in the Philippines. She was a member of Stillwaters Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Carole Collum (Clint); son, Greg Robertson (Caro); brothers, Howard (Mary) and Al (Robyn) DunnÕ a sister, Marilyn McCormick (Richard); her parents; and a grandchild, Claire Collum.
Memorials may be made to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, S.C. Chapter, 107 Westpark Blvd., Suite 150 Columbia, SC 29210.

Mattie B. Merriweather Brunson Screen

Mrs. Mattie B. Merriweather Brunson Screen, 83, of Atlanta, Ga., formerly of Augusta, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008 at Southern Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services were held Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 at 1 p.m. at Thankful Baptist Church, Augusta, with the Rev. Henry R. Merriweather officiating. Burial was in Cedar Grove Cemetery.
Mrs. Screen, a native of Edgefield County, was a member of West End Church of Christ and a former member of Thankful Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Bill Brunson Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.; three daughters, Brenda Brunson-Bey, Brooklyn, N.Y., Cheryl (Anthony) Leakes, and Cassandra Santiago (Demetris) Lewis, Atlanta, Ga.; two sisters, Georgia (James) Pugh and Estella (Claude) Dixon, Augusta, Ga.; four brothers, Jerry (Thelma) Merriweather and Joseph (Jeannette) Merriweather, Augusta, Frank (Barbara) Merriweather, Hartsdale, N.Y., and Lawrence (Ella) Merriweather, Hidden Hollow, N.J.; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
G.L. Brightharp & Sons Mortuary, North Augusta, was in charge of arrangements.

Annie Bell Simpkins

Funeral services for Ms. Annie Bell Simpkins, of Johnston, were held Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008 at 2 p.m. at Johnston Seventh Day Adventist Church on Long Cane Road, with the Elder C.C. Varner Halback, pastor. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Survivors include four brothers, David (Lillian) Simpkins, Johnston, Pierce (Tammy) Simpkins Jr., James (Ruth) Simpkins, Miami, Fla., and Willie Simpkins, Edgefield; four sisters, Mamie Crawford and Alberta Bargman, both of Miami, Fla., Lelia Culbreath, Johnston, and Lilliam (Calvin) Robinson, Tony, Ala.; and an additional sister-in-law, Luella Simpkins, Forth Washington, Md.
Amos & Sons Funeral Home, Johnston, was in charge of arrangements.

Elizabeth Strom

Funeral services for Miss Elizabeth Strom, 82, of Riverview Drive, North Augusta, who died Dec. 4, 2008, were conducted Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of North Augusta. Dr. Gary C. Redding, the Rev. Jerry T. Matthews and Dr. Randy Cooper officiated. Burial was in Eastview Cemetery in Edgefield.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Sheffield Club. Active pallbearers were Tim Strom, Bill Rearden, Bob Morgan, John Byars, David Belger and Philip Belger.
Miss Strom was a native of Edgefield, having made North Augusta her home for 52 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church of North Augusta where she served as Minister of Education for 35 years. She was past Youth Minister of Education, past Minister of Senior Adults and Homebound and Minister of Senior Adults Emeritus. She was responsible for organizing the Sheffield Club, Kingergarten, Youth Program and Singles Program at the church and was a member of the Sheffield Club and Lew Jolly Sunday School Class. Miss Strom was a past member of The General Board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and a former Trustee of the Baptist Homes for the Aging.
Survivors include a sister-in-law, Beulah Strom, Boca Raton, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of North Augusta ChildrenÕs Learning Center, 625 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta, SC 29841.
Posey Funeral Directors of North Augusta was in charge of arrangements. Visit the registry online at www.poseyfuneralhome.com.