Week of February 1, 2017

Jordan Funeral Home, Inc. – Funeral services for Mr. Sylvester Samuel of Darlington were conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2017 at Spaulding Junior High School Gymnasium in Lamar.

Interment followed in Mount Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery in Timmonsville, directed by Jordan Funeral Home, Inc. of Darlington.

Mr. Samuel was born on April 1, 1950 in Darlington County to the late Pearly and Gladys Samuel. He died on January 21, 2017.

Sylvester attended the Darlington County Schools and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1968.

“Vester” as he was affectionately called, served in the U.S. Army for four years. He later became a bus driver for the Darlington County School District. He also was a truck driver for R. E. Goodson Construction, where he retired.

Survivors are: his loving and devoted life companion of 33 years, Sandra Jordan; three sons, David Dixon, Deon Shannon and Sylvester Jordan; one daughter, Fentress Jordan; a nephew he reared as his own, Maxie Gainey; two grandchildren he reared as his own, Fa`Nya and Nicholas; one brother, Robbie (Patricia) Samuel; four sisters, Valeree (Elijah) Wright, Perlina (Charles) Johnson, Jeanette Waiters and Berneta (Lonnie) Thomas; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Gainey; twenty-two grandchildren; five great grandchildren; a niece that he helped raise, Tonya Gainey; a god-son, Bradley Brockington; a host of other relatives and friends.

The family received friends at the residence, 1508 South Center Road, Darlington.

Belk Funeral Home – Albert ‘Sam’ Marion Amerson, age 74, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017. A memorial service was held 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 31st in the Lamar chapel at Belk Funeral Home. The family received friends from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Born October 25, 1942, Sam is the son of the late Woodrow and Marie Windham Amerson. He worked for Dupont and retired after 20 years, and he owned and operated Amerson’s Nursery.
Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Monika Coffey Amerson; his children, Scott Albert (Nancy) Amerson, and Chris James (Tamara) Amerson, both of Lamar; his grandchildren, Matthew Scott Amerson, Joshua Wesley Amerson, Hannah Deree Amerson, Trisan A. (William) Freeman, Sommer Nicole Amerson, and Cody James Amerson. Also surviving are his siblings, Tommy (Leona) Amerson, William (Nellie) Amerson, Billy Ray (Paula) Amerson, Gwen Carroway, Mary Ethel Amerson, Carolyn (Jakie) Calcutt; and his sister-in-law, Diane Amerson.

Sam was preceded in death by his brothers, Kenny Amerson, and C.W. Amerson.

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

Belk Funeral Home – Mary ‘Baby Sister’ Gandy Baird, age 91, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017. A graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m. today in Black Creek Cemetery, with a visitation following at Black Creek Baptist Church, directed by Belk Funeral Home.

Born July 9, 1925, ‘Baby Sister’ is the daughter of the late Simmons Abel Gandy, Sr. and Nelle Livingston Gandy. She taught school for over 40 years in Aiken and Darlington Counties. She encouraged everyone to get educations, worked diligently to teach illiterate adults to read, and taught numerous community children how to swim, which were a few of her many passions. ‘Baby Sister’ was always willing to help others in her community. She was a life-long member of Black Creek Baptist Church and held positions there, such as Superintendent of Children’s Services and WMU Director.

Surviving are her son, Edward Williams (Edwina) Baird, Jr of Darlington; her daughter, May L. (Joe Heffernan) Baird of Sumter; her grandchildren, Brice L. Baird, Ainslee J. Heffernan of Sumter, A.W. Tait Heffernan of Sumter; and her sister-in-law, Betty Gail Gandy.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Williams ‘E.W.’ Baird; two brothers, Benjamin ‘Benji’ Franklin Gandy and Simmons Abel Gandy, Jr.; her sister, Joyce Gandy Garrison.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to: Connie Maxwell Children’s Home (PO Box1178, Greenwood, SC 29648) or Black Creek Baptist Church (137 Mont Clare Rd, Darlington, SC 29540).

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

Belk Funeral Home – Velma M. Graham, age 80, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017. Funeral services were held 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 30th in Mechanicsville Baptist Church, with graveside held at 2 p.m. in Florence National Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home.

Born December 3, 1936, Velma is the daughter of the late Van and Bertha Jordan Cooper. She loved to cook and was famous for her homemade biscuits. She was a member of Mechanicsville Baptist Church.

Surviving are her daughters, Barbie Smith (Judy Dickard), and Mary Ann Teal; her grandchildren, Tammy (Frank) DuRant, Denise Port (Darrell Scott), Freddy (Rebbecca) Teal, Wesley (Ashley) Teal; her great-grandchildren, Rabin Mott (Germichael Wright), Reid DuRant, Jr Port (Jenny Register), four great-great-grandchildren; her brother, Willie Joe Cooper of Gresham, South Carolina, and all of the Graham family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Grover H. Graham; and her daughter, Rachel Carroll.

The family received friends from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, January 29th at Belk Funeral Home.

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