Funeral services for Virginia Hebrard Carrigg, 77, of Bamberg, were held Saturday, January 14, 2012, at First Baptist Church of Bamberg. Mrs. Carrigg, widow of Harry Robert Carrigg, died Tuesday, January 10, 2012. Born June 12, 1934, in Norway, she was the daughter of the late Alexander Theodore and Annie Lou Fort Hebrard. She was the owner/operator of Carrigg Manor for 38 years and was on the board of the S.C. Association of Residential Care Facilities for more than 20 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Bamberg and a member of the Robert Black Sunday school class and Virginia Hill WMU Circle. She was also a member of Dirt Dabblers Garden Club, American Legion and Eastern Star.

Funeral services for Janae Victoria Greggs, 4, of Denmark, were held Thursday, January 12, 2012, at Mount Zion Baptist Church, Lees. She died Friday, January 6, 2012, at her residence. Born March 16, 2007, in Orangeburg to John and Katrina Greggs, Janae attended Denmark-Olar Primary School, where she was in Pre-K 4 year-old kindergarten. She was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Lees.

Funeral services for Vernell Jeter, 91, of Bamberg, were held Friday, January 13, 2012, at Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Olar. She died Thursday, January 5, 2012. Born September 8, 1920, to the late Fletcher and Maybelle Gilbert in Bamberg County, she was educated in the Colston community schools and graduated from Wilkinson High School and Claflin College. Known to her family and friends as Vermell, she joined Ebenezer United Methodist Church, where she most recently served as church mother.

James Wesley Pruitt, 62, of Neeses, died Monday, January 9, 2012. Graveside funeral services were held Saturday, January 21, 2012, at Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery. Mr. Pruitt was born in Henderson, Ky., a son of the late David S. and Dorothy Ashley Pruitt. He was employed by Bamberg County Emergency Services.

Mrs. Margaret Ann Hebrard Smith Sanders, 69, of Bamberg, died Friday, January 13, 2012, at the Hospice of Charleston in Mount Pleasant. Mrs. Sanders was born Dec. 25, 1942, in Norway, a daughter of the late Alexander Theodore Hebrard and the late Annie Lou Fort Hebrard. She was retired from Carrigg Manor as a certified nursing assistant for 35 years.

Funeral services were held Sunday, January 1, 2012, for Juanita Hair Steedly of Waverly. Mrs. Steedly, 86, passed away Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Mrs. Steedly was born December 8, 1925, in Bamberg County. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Waverly and Town and Country FCE member.

Mrs. Mary Helen Robertson Strickland, 78, of Berea Road, Smoaks, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg. She was the widow of Edwin Willis ‘Wick’ Strickland. Funeral services were held Friday, January 13, 2012 at Berea Advent Christian Church. Mrs. Strickland was born August 29, 1933 in Colleton County and was a daughter of the late Ray Robertson and Rena Crosby Smyly, and after the death of her father at a young age, was raised by her step-father, the late Gilbert Smyly. She was a faithful and active member of Berea Advent Christian Church, a church she loved dearly. Mrs. Strickland loved hummingbirds, but most especially will be remembered for centering her life around her children and grandchildren and for the love she gave them.

Joseph Deer Thomas, MD, 87, passed away on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, at his home in Denmark. He was born in Fairfax on July 22, 1924, the son of Benjamin Franklin Thomas and Lilla Deer Thomas. Funeral services were held Saturday, January 14, 2012, at Denmark First Baptist Church. Dr. Thomas attended The Citadel and graduated from Yale University. He obtained his medical degree from MUSC and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War. In 1950, Dr. Thomas began his practice of family medicine in Denmark, where he served the surrounding communities for six decades. In addition to being a physician, he was a very dedicated citizen to his community. As a devoted member of First Baptist Church, he served in many capacities.