Week of March 22, 2017

Belk Funeral Home – Ray McIver Clanton, of Darlington, died on March 15, 2017. Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 18th at 2 p.m. at the Darlington Presbyterian Church. Burial followed in Grove Hill Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family received friends from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home on Friday evening.

Mr. Clanton was born in Darlington, South Carolina on September 7, 1927. He was the son of the late James Corbett Clanton, Sr. and Isla Blackmon Clanton. He was a 1945 graduate of St. John’s High School where he was active in all sports. He played fullback on the 1944 South Carolina Shrine Bowl Team and had numerous college scholarship offers to play football. In the fall of 1945, Mr. Clanton was 16 when he entered Clemson with a four-year scholarship to play under legendary college football coach Frank Howard. Mr. Clanton played left guard on Clemson’s single wing football team and played both offense and defense, as all players did at the time. The 1948 team was the second Clemson team to attend and win a bowl game, the Gator Bowl, and the second Tiger team to go undefeated and untied, second to the 1903 team coached by John Heisman. After graduation in 1949, Mr. Clanton remained at Clemson to serve on the coaching staff. The following year, after his father’s heart attack, Mr. Clanton returned to Darlington to help run the family business, Clanton’s Auto Auction, where he worked until he retired in 2006.

Because he felt that he owed so much to Clemson, Mr. Clanton was a life-long supporter of Clemson and IPTAY. Mr. Clanton had the distinction of being named to Frank Howard’s All-Time Dream Team, made up of players chosen from 1931 to 1969.

On December 28, 1950, Mr. Clanton married his high school sweetheart, Mary McFadden, in a double wedding ceremony with her identical twin sister, Marian, and her husband Bill Harper. Mr. Clanton and Mr. Harper were volunteer football coaches for many years at St. John’s High School under Coach Jimmy Welch. They enjoyed their association with many of the young men through the years.

As a young man, Mr. Clanton served with the Darlington County National Guard in the Medical Unit. Over the course of his lifetime, Mr. Clanton served on several boards, including the Darlington County Board of Education, First National Bank of Darlington, Wachovia Bank of Darlington and the Darlington Country Club. He was a charter member of the Florence Fitness Forum and member of the Darlington County Associated Club and the Brockington Hunting Club.

Mr. Clanton was a member of the Carolina Independent Auto Dealers Association, the Southern Auto Auction Association, the National Auto Auction Association and other regional, state and local dealers associations. He was actively involved in all of these associations and enjoyed working with his faithful employees and the dealers that made his business so successful. In 1993, 50 years after the auction’s founding by Mr. Clanton’s father, the business was one of the ten largest auto auctions in the United States.
As a faithful and dedicated member of the Darlington Presbyterian Church over the course of his lifetime, Mr. Clanton was a member of the Men’s Sunday School Class, served on the administrative board, and served as a Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Deacon, Chairman of the Deacons, Elder, Clerk of Session and Chairman of three pastor search committees.

Mr. Clanton loved his family, Darlington, Clemson, football, hunting, fishing, all outdoor activities and practical jokes with his friends.

Surviving are his wife of 66 years, Mary McFadden Clanton; his sons Richard McFadden Clanton and wife Lynn of Hilton Head, SC, and Robert Dean Clanton and wife Mary Beth of Darlington; his five grandchildren Mary Carolyn Longbrake and husband Kyle of Lynchburg, Virginia; William Richard (Will) Clanton of Clemson, SC; Thomas Ray Clanton and wife Kayla of Easley, SC; Anna James Clanton of Greenville, SC, and Rosalyn McFadden (Rosi) Clanton; three great-grandchildren Colton, Ray Longbrake, Nathan Jordan Longbrake and Jillian Margaret Longbrake; a sister Bernice (Bunny) Clanton Thomas of Florence and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Clanton was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Ray McIver Clanton, Jr, in 1990, and two brothers, James Corbett (JC) Clanton, Jr. and Laurie Harold Clanton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Darlington Presbyterian Church for the Mozambique Bible Project 311 Pearl Street, Darlington, SC 29532 or the Susan Johnson Memorial Fund, 311 Pearl Street, Darlington, SC 29532.

A guestbook is available online at www.belkfuneralhome.com.

Belk Funeral Home – William Edward “Eddie” Sheffield, age 79, died at Medford Place on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service was held in the chapel at Belk Funeral Home on Saturday, March 18th at 11 a.m. Burial followed in Grove Hill Cemetery. The family received friends from 4 until 6 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home, and other times at 141 Dogwood Avenue, Darlington.

Born in Darlington on August 6, 1937, he is the son of the late Street Edward Sheffield and the late Vera Odom Sheffield. Eddie graduated from St. John’s High School in 1956 and then served in the US Navy for four years. Mr. Sheffield then went to work for the SC Public Service Authority, Santee Cooper Division, as a lineman, and retired as a foreman after 33 years of employment. Mr. Sheffield liked antique clocks, and owned quite a few of them. He was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church, where he served in many capacities, including being an usher for his entire church life.

He was a devoted husband to Peggy Taylor Sheffield for fifty-two years, a loving father of two sons: Timothy Edward (Ashley) Sheffield, Michael Edward Sheffield, all of Darlington; a grandfather to his grandson, Seth Edward Sheffield, and his step-grandson, Brandon Avery Ard, and two sisters: Lu Ann (Junior) Lee of Florence and Julia Ruth Moody of Charleston.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Roberta Sheffield Lemons.

The family expresses their gratitude to the staff and caregivers at Medford Place Nursing Home for their care.

Memorials may be made to Epworth United Methodist Church, c/o Mark Stokes, 240 Pinewood Circle, Darlington, SC 29532.

A guestbook is available online at www.belkfuneralhome.com.

Belk Funeral Home – Barbara Jones Dixon, age 86, died Thursday, March 16, 2017. A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2017 in Grove Hill Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family received friends from 5 until 7 p.m. on Saturday evening at the funeral home.

Born June 11, 1930 in Darlington, she is the daughter of the late Louis Jether Jones and the late Lena Hatchell Jones Taylor. She will be remembered as a loving and devoted mother and housewife. Barbara loved her Lord and enjoyed many trips to the Holy Land. Mrs. Dixon was raised in First Baptist Church in Darlington and was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hartsville and Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN.

She is survived by her children: Graylon B. Dixon, Jr. of Kenneesaw, GA, Della Tammy Dixon Woodard of Gastonia, NC, Robert “Butch” Gardner, Jr. of N. Myrtle Beach; Connie Lou Knotts of Hartsville; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a sister, Della Jones Allen of Peachland, NC.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Graylon B. Dixon, her daughter, Ruth Gardner Huggins, a granddaughter, Joanna Haire, a brother, Louis Jones and a sister Louise J. Bryant.

A guestbook is available online at www.belkfuneralhome.com.

Belk Funeral Home – Mary Georgia Psillos, age 79, passed away Friday, March 17, 2017. Funeral services were held 12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, in the chapel at Belk Funeral Home with burial following in Grove Hill Cemetery.

Born on August 19, 1937 in Walterboro, SC, Ms. Psillos was the daughter of the late John I. Psillos and Ellen J. Psillos. Mary was a very family oriented woman whose life revolved around her family. She was often found with her late sister, Joanna Ethel Psillos traveling the world together, as well as taking care of their many cats. She also lovingly worked as a teacher at Bishop England in Charleston, SC as well as various high schools in Baltimore, M.D., Hampton, V.A. and Byrnes in Florence, S.C. Ms. Psillos was a loving and devoted daughter, sister, and aunt.

Surviving are her sisters, Elizabeth and Lucille Psillos of Charleston; her nephew, John Psillos of Charleston, and her nieces, Vicki Watson of Savannah, and Sandra Psillos of Athens, GA; and many extended family members. In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her two brothers, James Psillos & Sanford Psillos and sister, Joanna Ethel Psillos.

The family received friends from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesday at Belk Funeral Home.

A guestbook is available online at www.belkfuneralhome.com.

Belk Funeral Home – Myrtle Gandy Simmons, age 94, passed away Saturday, March 18, 2017. Funeral services were held 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, in Black Creek Baptist Church, with burial following in Darlington Memory Gardens, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family received friends from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday at the church.

Born September 9, 1922, Myrtle is the daughter of the late Allen Gandy and Lottie Tuttle Gandy. She worked for Dixie Cup, Cato’s Department Store, and then worked for 20 years at Coggeshall’s Department Store where she enjoyed interacting and helping people in the store. She was a lifelong member of Black Creek Baptist Church and was a member of the Grace Wells Circle at the church and was a Sunday school teacher. Myrtle also enjoyed working in her yards and was a member of the Pilot Club.

She is survived by her daughter, Jonnie Sue (John E.) Garland of Darlington; her sons, Milton (Betty) Simmons of Cheraw, and Billy Simmons of Darlington; her grandchildren, Robbie (Sharon) O’Neal, Elizabeth (Scott) Hill, John Allen (Dawn) Simmons, Kate Simmons, William (Ashley) Simmons, Matthew (Stephanie) Simmons, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Lorene Simmons; her sister, Theo Flowers; and her brother, Jaynes E. Gandy.

Memorials may be made to Black Creek Baptist Church, 137 Mont Clare Rd, Darlington, SC 29540.

A guestbook is available online at www.belkfuneralhome.com.