Services for Paul Hayes, 64, of Bamberg, S.C., were held Friday, July 6, 2012, in the Orange Grove United Methodist Church, Bamberg. He was born on March 19, 1948, to the late Quinton Holiday and Flossie Hayes. He worked for Mr. Edward Brown of Norway for many years. Paul was reared in Denmark, where he attended the public schools. He was married to Rosa Myers.

Ross J. Horton, 85, of Branchville, died Friday, July 6, 2012. Funeral services were conducted on Monday, July 9 at Branchville Baptist Church. Mr. Horton was born in Bethune, a son of the late Wade C. Horton and Maggie Jones Horton. He was retired from the Branchville public schools after many years of teaching, coaching and leading as principal. He was an avid golfer, hunter and fisherman. A champion golfer, he won many awards, including four-time SCGA Senior Men’s Championship and one-time Men’s Senior CGA Championship. He graduated from Newberry College after receiving a baseball scholarship for four years, and earned his master’s degree from Western Carolina University. Horton Athletic Field in Branchville was named in his honor. He was a member of Branchville Baptist Church and a lifelong resident of the community.

The funeral for Sammie Trent Hutto, 65, of Bamberg, was held Friday, July 6, 2012, in the First Baptist Church of Bamberg. Mr. Hutto died Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at his home after an extended illness. He was born December 12, 1946, in Orangeburg, a son of the late Heyward Cecil Hutto Sr. and Lizzy McCollum. He was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Cordova. He was retired from the Edisto Electric Co-Op, Bamberg, S.C., with over 22 years of service.

Baby Girl Zylan Jones of Bamberg, died Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at the Regional Medical Center, Orangeburg. Graveside services were held Monday, July 9, 2012, in Bamberg Memory Gardens.

Mrs. Cecile Moorer Reeves Marchant died Thursday, July 5, 2012, at Roper Hospital in Charleston. A graveside service was held Sunday, July 8, 2012, at Magnolia Cemetery, in Reevesville. Mrs. Marchant was born June 5, 1934, in Branchville, a daughter of the late William Murch Moore, Jr., and Dorothy Wolfe Moorer. She graduated from St. George High School and was a member of Indian Field United Methodist Church. She owned and operated Cile’s Florist and Gifts for many years.

Rev. Paul Edward Matheny, Jr., 65, husband of Betsey Cox Matheny, died Sunday, July 8, 2012 at the Rainey Hospice House. A memorial service was held Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at Boulevard Baptist Church. Born March 25, 1947 in Orangeburg, SC, he was the son of the late Paul Edward and Charsey Moreau Matheny, Sr. He grew up in Bamberg, SC and was a 1965 graduate of Bamberg High School where he was awarded the Lion's Club International Good Citizenship Award. Rev. Matheny was a 1967 graduate of Anderson College with an Associate of Arts in Music and a 1969 graduate of Mars Hill College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Music. He received a Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX.

Rev. Matheny served as a part time pastor and minister of music in churches while in college and seminary. After graduation from Southwestern Baptist Seminary, he became the full time Minister of Music and Education for the First Baptist Church of Thomasville, NC, 1972-1977; from 1977 to 1994, Rev. Matheny served as Minister of Education and Church Administrator for Boulevard Baptist Church, Anderson. In 1994 he moved to Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia where he was second of eight full time ministers serving as Minister of Adults and Church Administrator. Rev. Matheny was an ASSIST leader with the Saluda Baptist Association, A State approved trainer for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and a National Campaign Leader with Adults for the Baptist Sunday School Board, Nashville, TN. He also led in training at Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center, White Oak Conference Center, and in local churches. After retiring from the ministry, Rev. Matheny served as full time Building Consultant for America's Home Place and was a licensed realtor with Anderson Area Properties.

Mrs. Lucile Mingo of Ehrhardt died Monday, July 2, 2012, at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 7, 2012, at Rizers Chapel United Methodist Church in Ehrhardt.

Dr. Martin McGee Reeves, age 73, of Suwanee, Ga., passed away June 22, 2012. A memorial service was held Monday, June 25, in Alpharetta, GA. Dr. Reeves’ family is from Branchville and was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Effie Reeves; brothers, Sinclair Reeves and Ernest Redfern Reeves. Dr. Reeves served as flight doctor in the U.S. Air Force out of Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico. He completed his anesthesia residency at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. He and Dr. John Patton started the Anesthesia Departments at both Shallowford Hospital and Northside Hospital, where they were the first doctors in Atlanta to provide epidural services for women in labor. Dr. Reeves completed his career as medical director at Atlanta Outpatient Peachtree Dunwoody Surgery Center.

Henry Calhoun Tant, 83, of Orangeburg, passed away Thursday, July 5, 2012. The funeral service was held Saturday, July 7, 2012, at Northside Baptist Church. Mr. Tant was born February 11, 1929, in Denmark, a son of the late William “Bill” and Alma (Robinson) Tant. He graduated from Denmark High School in 1950. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he attained the rank of sergeant. He was a member and former deacon of Northside Baptist Church. He was retired from the Department of Public Utilities as line foreman. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He especially enjoyed working in his vegetable garden and spending time with his grandchildren.

Funeral services for Earlease Wilson, 96, of Ehrhardt, were held Saturday, July 7, 2012, at Gethsemane Baptist Church, Bamberg. Mrs. Wilson died Saturday, June 30, 2012 at her residence. One of 11 children, she was born in Lodge to the late Webster and Florrie Henderson Walker. She became a member of Hickory Hill United Methodist Church, Smoaks, at a young age. After her marriage to the late Fletcher Wilson on Oct. 2, 1936, she joined Gethsemane Baptist Church, Bamberg. Their marriage lasted 54 years before he was called home to be with the Lord. To this union, 10 children were born, five of whom preceded her to heaven, along with four grandchildren and nine siblings.