Obituaries – January 2, 2019
Posted on Tuesday, January 1, 2019
LAMAR – God granted peace for Mary Lee Derrick Howell Wilkes on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, at the age of 86. Funeral services were held Sunday, Dec. 23, in the Lamar chapel at Belk Funeral Home, with burial following at Newman Swamp Cemetery. The family received friends Sunday at the funeral home.
Mary was born in Leesville, daughter of the late Ryan Robert Derrick and Pearl Eargle Derrick, but lived most of her life in Lamar. She retired from General Electric. Mary enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, and she had a gift of making those around her feel welcomed and loved.
She always had an open door for anyone who wanted to visit, and always greeted everyone with a smile. She was a member of Newman Swamp United Methodist Church, and loved spending time with her church family.
Surviving are her daughter, Lois Thomas; son, Terry Howell, both of Lamar; grandchildren, Stacy (Mitchell) Burton, Scott Jeffords, and Brian (Rachel) Howell; great-grandchildren, Kelsey Jeffords, Jonathan Jeffords, McCuen Eadon, and Holdon Howell; step-daughter, Karen (Bryan) Gainey; step-granddaughter, Ashley Robin (Johnny) Ellington.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Frank Howell; her second husband, Dillon Wilkes; siblings, Louise Watt, Robert Derrick, Clyde Derrick and Linda Faye Cassidy.
The family would like to give a special thanks to everyone at Heritage Home for their care of Mary.
A guestbook is available online at belkfuneralhome.com.
LAMAR – Burnice T. Windham passed away Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. She was born Burnice Ervena Truett in 1927 in Lamar. She was a graduate of Lamar High School and Converse College, and worked for and retired from Southern Bell (now AT&T).
Burnice was devout in her Christian faith and enjoyed traveling when able. She is preceded in death by her parents, Capers Carlisle Truett and Eula Pearl Stokes, 10 brothers and sisters and husbands Olin Therrell, F. Samuel Long and Harold E. Windham.
Burnice and Sam had three children, Frederick Long (Barbara) of Columbia; Victoria Long Orem (Jack) of Beaufort and Crystal Long Wickersham (John, dec.) of Folly Beach. When she later married Harold they had one child, Kathy Windham Priest (Dwayne) of Manassas, Va. She also had 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
The family received visitors at Belk Funeral Home in Lamar Dec. 28. A service to celebrate her life was held. Burial was at Magnolia Cemetery in Hartsville immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
A guestbook is available online at belkfuneralhome.com.
