O.B. Davis

Government worker

O.B. Davis, 88, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at his home at 1931 Hamlin St., N.E., Washington, D.C.

Son of the late Roland and Eliza Davis, he was born on April 28, 1917, in Gaffney. he was a veteran of World War II and a retired government worker.

Mr. Davis was preceded in death by two brothers, Oliver Davis and Douglas Davis, and four sisters, Maggie Stiger, Carrie Willis, Bessie Littlejohn and Lillie Brown.

Surviving are a daughter, Linda Ferrell Davis of the home; a sister, Amy Foster of Gaffney; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

The family is at the home of his daughter, Linda F. Davis, (202) 832-3433.

(Courtesy of Foster Funeral Home.)

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Jack Bradley

Vietnam veteran

Jack Bradley, 61, of Waldorf, Md., died Monday, June 27, 2005, at Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma caused by exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.

Mr. Bradley graduated from Gaffney High School in 1963 and attended American University in Washington, D.C. At the time of his death, he was a sergeant in charge of training for the Supreme Court of the United States Police in Washington, D.C. He was retired after 21 years as a detective with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Bradley, who received a Purple Heart last year for wounds he sustained during a firefight near Da Nang in 1965, served in the United States Marine Corps, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines from 1964 until 1967. Recently inducted into the Cherokee County Hall of Bravery, he was a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 2222, Southern Maryland Leatherneck Detachment of the Marine Corps League and the Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Mr. Bradley was an avid bicyclist, reader, gardener and cat lover. Born June 30, 1943, in Gaffney, he was the son of the late Albert Bradley and the late Minnie Bradley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Frederick Bradley.

Mr. Bradley is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jean; brother, Billy Dean Bradley and his wife, Kay, of Gaffney; brother, Donnie Bradley and his wife, Pam, of Vienna, Va.; sister-in-law, Dianne Bell, and her husband, Ron, of Richmond, Va.; and many other relatives and friends.

A memorial service with full military honors will be held at First Baptist Church in Gaffney on Sunday, July 10, at 3 p.m.

Burial will begin with a police-escorted funeral procession at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at Lee Funeral Home. The procession will travel past the U.S. Supreme Court and the Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C., before going to a service at 11 a.m. at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer, Va. Burial with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery will follow the service.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd., Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057; or the Alley Cat Allies, 7920 Norfolk Ave., Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814-2525.

Arrangements by Lee Funeral Home, Clinton, Md.

John Paul Hood

Avid golfer

John Paul Hood, 61, of 142 Teal Drive, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, in Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

A native of Spartanburg County, he was the husband of Patricia O. Hood and son of the late Alfred D. Hood and the late Dorothy Gault Hood.

Mr. Hood was custodian of Southside Baptist Church, which he attended. He was a member of Pacolet Mills Baptist Church and served for 10 years in the South Carolina National Guard. A Mason and Shriner, he was an avid golfer and member of Cherokee National Golf and Recreational Club.

Surviving in addition to his wife are two brothers, Dawsey Hood of Inman and Carroll Hood of Cowpens; a sister, Tina Peeler of Gaffney; a son, Mark Hood of Gaffney; a daughter, Brandi Hood of Gaffney; a stepson, Kenny Brown of Gaffney; a stepdaughter, Renee Brook of Abbeville; and seven grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Hood was preceded in death by a brother, David Hood.

Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Shuford-Hatcher Chapel – Downtown, conducted by Dr. Wofford Caughman. Burial will be in Pacolet Memorial Gardens, Pacolet.

Pallbearers will be Bill O'Connell, Mike O'connell, Matt O'Connell, David Brooks, Josh Peeler, Todd Hood and Dee Hood.

The family will receive friends tonight from 7-9 at Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home – Downtown and at other times they will be at 147 Fawnhurst Drive.

Memorials may be made to Gibbs Cancer Center, c/o SRMC, 101 E. Wood St., Spartanburg, S.C. 29303.

Martha McClure

Homemaker

WESTMINSTER – Martha Ellen McClure, 87, of 704 Seed Farm Road, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, in Oconee Memorial Hospital.

Born in Conyers, Ga., on Feb. 22, 1918, she was a homemaker and member of Westminster Baptist Church.

Survivors include a son, William Thomas "Trip" McClure III of Westminister; a daughter, Mrs. Julian (Cindy) Wilson of Gaffney; a sister, Nanelle Burley of Walahalla; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mrs. McClure was preceded in death by her husband, W.T. McClure Jr.; parents, James Merriman and Effie Jane Holland Henderson; a son, James Hobert "Jim" McClure; a daughter, Martha Jane McClure; a brother, Hubert H. Henderson; and two sisters, Gladys Nuchols and Frances K. Elrod.

Graveside services were held Thursday at 4 p.m. at Oconee Memorial Park in Seneca.

The family is at the home of her son, Trip McClure, 781 Seed Farm Road, Westminster.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Westminster Baptist Church, P.O. Box 375, Westminster, S.C. 29693.

Arrangements by Sandifer Funeral Home, Westminster.

Ricky L. Stroup

Oklahoma native

Ricky Lynn Stroup Sr., 46, of 306 Union St., died unexpectedly on Monday, June 27, 2005.

A native of Lawton, Okla., he was a son of the late L.D. Stroup and Dorothy Kizziah Stroup Douglas. He was the stepson of Russell Douglas of Blacksburg and a U.S. Navy veteran.

Surviving in addition to his stepfather are a daughter, Angela Cunningham of Hollis, Okla; a son, Ricky Lynn Stroup Jr. of Tennessee; five brothers, Larry Stroup, Johnny Douglas, both of Blacksburg, Clarence Douglas of Abilene, Kan., Neal Douglas of Anniston, Ala., and William Douglas of Seattle, Wash.; three sisters, Pam Wells, Carol Ann Stacy, both of Blacksburg, and Essie Stroup Dove of Vista, Calif.; and two grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Kenny Stroup, and a grandmother, Thelma Stroup.

A memorial service was held Wednesday, June 29, at 5 p.m. at 136 Wendy Dr., Blacksburg, with the Revs. Lucky Earls and Gregg Martin officiating.

Arrangements by White Columns of Blacksburg.

Esther W. Phillips

Delaware native

NEWTON, N.C. – Esther Louise Walker Phillips, 71, of 3975 Robinson Road, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba County.

A native of Wilmington, Delaware, she was the widow of Luther Edward "Buck" Phillips and daughter of the late Howard Walker and the late Edna Lemair. She was a former employee of Magnolia Finishing Plant and was a longtime resident of Gaffney.

Surviving are two daughters, Brenda P. Tomlinson of Hickory, N.C., and Joann Cote of Spartanburg; a son, Vincent John Vassallo of Bluefield, W.Va.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a stepson, Wayne Phillips of Gaffney; two stepdaughters, Diane Crook of Spartanburg and Mary Vasiloff of Finley, Ohio; and five step-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held today at 11 a.m. at Frederick Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home at Frederick Memorial Gardens.

Family members are at their respective homes.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba County, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, N.C. 28658.

Arrangements by Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home at Frederick Memorial Gardens.

Sue C. Wood

A gracious and loving mother

Susie Lee Cash Wood, 94, of 202 E. Rutledge Ave., died Thursday, June 30, 2005, at her home with many of her family members present. She was the widow of Mr. Maynard Wood, I. She was often called "Sue" but she was respectfully called "Gammie," "Gan Gan" and "Nan Nan" by her family members and was a proud matriarch of a loving and dear family.

Surviving are her seven children, five daughters and two sons-in-law and two sons and one daughter-in law: Fronnea and John Q. Little of Gaffney, Becky Wood of the home, Jackie Cole of Manchester, Ga., Charlotte Hartman of Gaffney, Maynard Wood of Gaffney, Zeb and Sheila Wood of Gaffney and Lee and Larry Jones of Blacksburg.

Also surviving are 16 grandchildren: Quincie Moore, Quay Little, Queenie Little, Dixie Sanders, Libby Taylor, Georgia Bunzendahl, Jimps Cole III, Trip Hartman, Tim Hartman, Zeb Vance Wood II, Laura Jones, Lana Hames and Larry Jones III; five grandsons-in-law, Steve Moore, John Sanders, Greg Taylor, Jim Bunzendahl and Justin Hames; five granddaughters-in-law, Chrissy Little, Marsha Cole, Juliet Hartman, Brandy Hartman and April Wood; and 16 great-grandchildren, Allie Little, Elyse Little, John Quint Little, LeElle Sanders, Cole Sanders, Jessa Taylor, Kailey Taylor, Brant Wiggins, Sandi Bunzendahl, Molly Cole, Elaina Hartman, Ty Hartman, Zeb Vance Wood III, Avery Wood, Leeanna Hames and A.J. Hames.

She is also survived by three nieces, Carolyn Smythe of Spartanburg, Harriet Cash of Greenville and Deloris Perrin of Gaffney.

Sue was born on March 4, 1911, in the Midway Community of Cherokee County and was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. John Belton Cash Sr. and Hattie Turner Cash; two sisters, Ruby Cash Garvin and Nell Cash Perrin; and one brother, John Belton Cash Jr.

She married October 12, 1927, and moved to Gaffney with her husband and became a mother and caterer. She was famous for her homemade pimento cheese and loved to prepare it and sell it to the employees at her husband's bottling company, Wood's Beverages. Later on, she became the receptionist/ switchboard operator at Cherokee County Memorial Hospital for several years and she would walk to work each day, two and a half miles one way.

Sue was a kind and gentle person who loved her family dearly. She always put others first and never wanted anyone going out of their way to take care of her. She always looked forward to holidays and birthdays when the family would get together and celebrate, tell old stories and laugh, and truly honor her as she was so deserving.

She loved flowers, in particular azaleas, having planted more than 300 in her yard on Rutledge Avenue. She loved cats and Elvis and you would often see her sporting one of her many famous hats while wearing something with a cat or Elvis on it. She loved to play the piano and as someone so eloquently put it, "She did it her way."

Sue loved the Lord and was a member of First Baptist Church of Gaffney. She was a patient woman and a beautiful woman. Her smile would light up a room with its glow. Her strength was unmatched and she will greatly be missed. The wonderful end to the story is that she has left behind an incredible family that will continue to carry on her legacy and respectfully honor her and pay tribute to her each and every day.

The family would like to thank all the wonderful nurses and staff members of Hospice Care of S.C., who faithfully took care of "Gammie" during her illness the past several weeks and genuinely appreciate the comfort you gave us.

The family will receive friends at the home. Graveside services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 2, 2005, in Oakland Cemetery with the Revs. Joel Sellers and Brian Harris officiating. Her six grandsons will serve as pallbearers and her two sons-in-law will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of S.C., 1612 N. Limestone St., Gaffney, S.C. 29341.

Arrangements by Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home, Gaffney.

Michele M. Jones

Gaffney native

Michele Marcy Jones, 28, of 910 Chesnee Hwy., died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, in Upstate Carolina Medical Center.

A native of Gaffney, she was the wife of Larry C. "Chuck" Jones and daughter of the late William E. Murray and Sandy Matson Murray.

Also surviving are two daughters, Delani and Aubree Jones, both of the home, and a brother, Erik Murray, of Macon, Ga.

The family will receive friends and family Saturday from 6-7 p.m. at Covenant Christian Center, with services following at 7 p.m., conducted by the Revs. Barbara Rhodes and Jim McClure.

The family is at 208 Matthew Road, Gaffney.

Arrangements by White Columns of Gaffney.