Jane Evelyn Sandifer Ayer, 68, of Cope, died September 10, 2011, at the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg. She was married to the late Bonell Nathaniel Bryant. She was born June 25, 1943, in Bamberg. Funeral arrangements will be announced.

Funeral services for Mrs. Dorothy ‘Wilhelmenia’ Hilliard Cantey, 92, of Bamberg were held Tuesday, September 13, 2011, in the Refuge Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith. She was born April 15, 1920, a daughter of the late Frances Hilliard. Mother Cantey was educated in the public schools of Bowman and later graduated from Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Bronx, N.Y.

Memorial services for Caroline Hudson Fickling, 77, of Denmark, were held Saturday, September 10, 2011, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Denmark. She was born October 3, 1933, in Horry County to the late Alfonso and Beulah Hudson, she was educated in the public schools of Horry County and continued her education at Allen University with a degree in nursing.

Mrs. Frances Gooding, 77, of Orangeburg, died Saturday, September 10, 2011, at the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg. Graveside services were held Tuesday, September 13, 2011, at Crocketville Cemetery, near Hampton. She was born September 17, 1933, in Bamberg, the daughter of the late Thomas F. Knight and the late Sybil Smoak Knight. She was a member of Memorial Church of the Nazarene and was retired from Warren's Fabric.

Funeral services for Charles Henry Nimmons ‘Beaky’, 65, of Denmark, were held on Monday, September 12, 2011, at 11 a.m., in the Honey Ford Baptist Church, Denmark. He was born September 27, 1945, to the late William H. and Lucille Geter Nimmons in Bamberg. Beaky, as he was known to his many friends and family in and around Denmark, was a participant with the Bamberg County Disability and Special Needs Board. He was a kind, generous, warm, hardworking and fun-loving person.

Funeral services for Mary Louise Stokes, 71, of Walterboro, were held at noon, September 8, 2011, at Lovely Hill Baptist Church, Smoaks. She was born February 18, 1940, a daughter of the late William Isaac and Celestine Boatwright. She graduated from Ruffin High School in 1958.

Funeral services for the Rev. Leroy ‘Shorty’ Thomas Jr., 76, of Orangeburg, was held Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at Williams Chapel AME Church. Rev. Leroy ‘Shorty’ Thomas Jr., the son of the late Leroy and Leverta Wade Thomas, was born June 10, 1935, in Orangeburg. He graduated from Wilkinson High School, Class of 1953. He received a bachelor's degree from South Carolina State College, where he was an outstanding drummer with the marching band. He served active duty in the United States Army and later became a member of the Army Reserve, from which he retired after 25 years. He was employed as a plant supervisor at Greenwood Mills Textile Plant.