Week of May 3, 2017

Frank McLeod Flowers, Sr, age 88, passed away Tuesday, April 25, 2017 in Morrell Nursing Center. Funeral services were held 3 p.m. Friday, April 28th at Black Creek Baptist Church, with burial following in Auburndale Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and other times at 3120 Leavensworth Rd. Darlington, SC 29540.

Born July 30, 1928, Frank is the son of the late George Wellington Flowers and Eula Springs Flowers. He attended grammar school in Dovesville, SC and was valedictorian of his class. He was a 1947 graduate at St. John’s High School. Frank was a member of the National Honors Society, Charter President of the Key Club, a Collack Medal Recipient, and lettered in football, baseball, basketball, and track.

In 1951, Frank graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. He was Cadet Captain in his senior year, and in 1951 was a member of “Commission of Three Hundred” to study the future of Clemson University. Frank was inducted into the Clemson University Dairy Hall of Fame in 1999.
After graduating from Clemson University, Frank served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in U.S. Infantry as riffle battalion leader in 224thInfantry regiment. He served in three major companies during the Korean Conflict and was awarded for his service with the Combat Infantry Badge, three battle stars, and received a purple heart. He retired as 1st Lieutenant and was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. of Darlington.

Frank was a member of the Darlington County Farm Bureau since 1954 and served as the first vice president until joining the S.C. Farm Bureau as a district field representative and later promoted to field service director. He later resigned his position as field service director to assume full-time control of his dairy and farming operations. In 1975, he was elected as vice president of the Pee Dee Farm Bureau District, and held that position until 2014.

During his tenure in S.C. Farm Bureau, he also served as co-chairman of the National Farm Bureau Dairy Advisory Committee, a member of the S.C. Farm Bureau Dairy Committee, and chairman of the executive committee of the dairy committee for 13 years, prior to his retirement from dairy farming in 1998. He was a 1983 recipient of the S.C. Farm Bureau distinguish service award.

Frank served as president of the Darlington Kiwanis Club, past member of the board of directors for Federal Land Bank, a member of the board of directors of Darlington County Mutual Savings and Loan, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and a past President of Darlington County Agricultural Society.

He was a life-long member of Black Creek Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday School superintendent for 35 years, and was a Deacon for many years and was chairman of the board of Deacons for many terms. He was a member of the board of trustees, and also held many other positions in the church. Frank was a longtime contributor and supporter of the Lord Cares Ministry, Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, and the Free Medical Clinic in Darlington.

In 1973, Mr. and Mrs. Flowers expanded their farming operations by purchasing Auburndale Plantation. He along with his family built a new dairy operation known as Auburndale Jerseys. The dairy herd had a reputation of being one of the top Jersey herds in the nation. The Jersey Herd was sold in 1998 to a Dairy Farm in Tifton, California. The plantation was converted totally into row crops and beef operations following the dairy cattle sale.

Surviving are his three sons, Dr. Frank McLeod Flowers, Jr of Laguna Beach, California, Marshall Flowers and his wife Kathi, Damon Flowers and his wife Susan, both of Darlington; his daughter, Meg Flowers Clark and her husband Don of Hartsville; his grandchildren, Ginny F. Munson and her husband Kevin of Darlington, Marshall “Wells” Flowers, of Darlington, Dr. Damon Flowers, Jr., of Baton Rouge, LA, Susanna Flowers of Mt. Pleasant, Caroline Clark of Greenville, Anna Clark, and Don Clark, Jr, both of Hartsville; his great-grandchildren, Tillman Munson, Bennett Munson, McKinley Weaver, and Marshall Wellington Flowers, III.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years, Margaret Steger Flowers; his sisters, Mary Flowers Kirven, and Georgia D. Flowers; his brother, Paul T. Flowers, and infant brother, George W. Flowers, Jr.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Black Creek Baptist Church, 137 Mont Clare Rd, Darlington, SC 29540, or to Clemson University Foundation in memory of Frank M. Flowers, Sr., 110 Daniel Dr. Clemson, SC 29631, attention Margaret Owens.

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

Angel Love Duncan Cole, age 77, died Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at the McLeod Hospice House. A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at Shady Grove United Methodist Church in South Boston, VA, directed by Belk Funeral Home.

Born in Person County, NC on June 29, 1939, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin Harrison ‘Horace’ Duncan and the late Ila Day ‘Dolly’ Duncan. Angel worked for Pee Dee Cooperative in Darlington, retiring after 37 years of service. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and did much volunteer work there. When her health allowed she enjoyed working in her yards and tending to her flowers. She also enjoyed reading and spending time with her ‘grandchildren.’

In addition to her parents, Angel was preceded in death by her husband of almost 50 years, John Robert Cole, her brothers: Elmo, Mitchell, Daniel, Jerry and Harry Duncan; sister-in-law, Wilsie Cole Francis, brothers-in-law: C.B and Thurman Cole, and her god-daughter, Marjorie Shayne Bryant.

She is survived by her god-daughter, Bethany Bryant (Brad) Eaddy, grandchildren, Bradley ‘Cole’ Eaddy and Copeland Shayne Eaddy, all of Florence, and very special friends and parents to her god-children, Wayne Bryant and Tara Jackson (Butch) Workman, sisters-in-law, Mary Duncan, Peggy Cole Burton, Louise Cole Jones, Ann Cole and many nieces and nephews.

The family received friends from 6 until 8 p.m. at the home of Bethany and Brad Eaddy, 191 Timberlake Dr, Florence. (Palmetto Shores)
Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, PO Box 16, Darlington, SC 29540 or McLeod Hospice Foundation, PO Box 100551, Florence, SC 29502-0551.

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

John R. Stevens, Jr., age 80, passed away Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in the home that he built. A graveside service was held Thursday, April 27th in Pine Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home.

Born January 31, 1937 in Winchester, TN, John was the son of the late John R. Stevens, Sr. and Alma Juanita Jones Stevens. He served in the U.S. Army, and then worked in the trucking industry.

Surviving are his wife, Cecelia W. Stevens; two daughters, Vickie (Roz) Longo of Florence, Tammie (Jamie) Tyner of Darlington; his grandchildren, Ashley Howle (Allen) Abernethy, Dominick Longo, Raymond Blake Evans, Jarett Russell (Pamela) Evans; his great-grandchildren, Aiden Abernethy, AnnaLeigh Abernethy, Carter Russell Evans, Rylee Royston; his siblings, Annie (Ronald) Bultena, Rosie Swift, Daisy (Richard) Yenson, Jonah (Carol) Stephens, Joseph (Phyllis) Stephens, Nancy Richardson, and Alice Stephens.

Memorials may be made to Pine Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery, 2635 S. Center Rd. Timmonsville, SC 29161.

Steven Lee Turner, 59, of Darlington died on Thursday, April 27, 2017.

Funeral services were held Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of Kistler Hardee Funeral Home. Burial followed in Grove Hill Cemetery. The family received friends from 5 until 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the home, 2725 Dewitt Circle, Darlington and from 2:30 until 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, 2017 at Kistler Hardee Funeral Home.

Lee was born in Florence, South Carolina. He was the son of the late F.C. “Sonny” Turner and Peggy Jean DuBose Turner. Lee was a member of Soul’s Harbor Pentecostal Holiness Ministries where he served as Secretary and Treasurer. He was a lifetime member of NRA and was Sonoco Fireman of the year 2009. Lee touched so many lives and will be missed dearly.

Surviving are his loving wife, Wendy Britt Turner of Darlington; his loving children, Stephen Lee Turner and wife, Felicia of Columbia and Susan Elizabeth Turner and fiancé, Jason Barnes of Lexington; his loving grandchildren, Shawn Turner, Richard Turner and Brittany Golden; his loving mother-in-law, Becky Britt and husband, the late Joseph H. Britt, Jr. his loving brothers, Gene Turner of Darlington and John Wayne Turner and wife, Patsy of Tennessee; and many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorials may be made to Soul’s Harbor Pentecostal Holiness Ministries, PO Box 1107, Hartsville, SC 29551 and McLeod Hospice House of Florence, 1203 E. Cheves Street, Darlington, SC 29532.

Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at www.kistlerhardeefuneralhome.com.