Funeral services for Isaac David Clifton, 82, of Denmark, were held Saturday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Denmark. He was born April 23, 1927, in Denmark, a son of the late John and Annie Clifton.

Donald Richard "Don" Cole, 86, of Bamberg, died Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at UPAC of Bamberg after an extended illness. Funeral services were held Friday, October 16, 2009, in Bamberg. "Don" was born March 16, 1923, in Brazil, Ind., son of the late Roy M. Cole and the late Edna Diskin Cole.

Funeral services for activist Amos K. "Pete" James, 75, of Springfield, were held Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, at New Beginning United Methodist Church in Norway. He was born Sept. 6, 1934, in Orangeburg County, a son of the late Calvin James Sr. and Sadie Robinson James.

The funeral for Pastor Ebell Tucker, 73, of Orangeburg, were held Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, at Garden of Prayer Church. She was born Nov. 19, 1935.

Born out of wedlock, her mother didn't want her and her father couldn't own her. She was labeled in her neighborhood as "nothing" and "nobody." She was neglected and mistreated for most of her young life, even overhearing a relative telling her daughter, "I don't want you playing with that little nasty thing!" Although rejected she kept telling herself "life has to be better than this." Pastor Tucker took the Red Cross Nursing Course and also became a beautician but neither career was in the plan of God.

In 1959, Pastor Tucker was diagnosed with cancer and was literally dying. Hearing the voice of Mattie B. Poole bellowing over the airwaves "Why die when others are living and, Why go to Hell when God has prepared Calvary." Pastor Tucker gave her life to Christ in Chicago, Illinois. She lived for God three years and backslid. When Pastor Tucker turned away from God, He turned away from her. She began to drink until the whiskey shook in her stomach. She became a chain smoker and walked the streets looking for cigarette butts to smoke. Because of the persistence of two women who came to her house every day for six months to witness, Pastor Tucker came back to God during a youth service. She was saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost that same night. Three weeks later she was ordained into the ministry.

Pastor Tucker sought to excel in the works of God taking her from heights until heights and He showed her His glory. Having gone through adverse situations and circumstances, she didn't know what God had predestined for her life. She was a woman of purpose who became a woman of excellence.

From 1966 to 1978, Pastor Tucker served as assistant pastor under several ministries. In 1978, heeding the voice of God, she founded the Garden of Prayer Ministry with eight adults and a few children. The ministry moved from its first location (a greasy garage) to another building that was renovated and the mortgage burned within nine months. The present sanctuary sits on 88 acres of land. The current property also includes a day care center, family life center that seats 700, a community softball park, several snack bars.

Pastor Tucker has ministered across the United States, from Niagara Falls to Miami, Florida, endeavoring to reach the lost at any cost and has impacted lives across the country. She has served as the chaplain for the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department as well as the correspondence secretary for Black Adoption in S.C. She has been an overseer for churches in Cope, Bamberg, Denmark and St. Matthews, South Carolina. Forced to drop out of school in the eighth grade, she has proclaimed throughout that God can take a "nobody" and make "somebody" out of them because He is not looking for your "ability" but rather your "availability." Therefore, when offered a Doctorate of Divinity on several occasions, Pastor Tucker declined the offer so she wouldn't have to change her testimony. For her motto is "God will pick up the pieces of your broken life and put it back together again but the key is you've got to give God all of the pieces." Despite many obstacles, from 1966 until this present hour, Pastor Tucker has endeavored to please God often saying, "I've lived three lives -- the life of a sinner, the life of a backslider and now I'm living the life of a saint -- I'd rather die now while I'm ready than to live 50 more years and be lost."

Jack Ellery "Bud" Turner Jr., 57, of Bamberg died Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, at his residence. Graveside services were held Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in the Zion United Methodist Church Cemetery, in Branchville. Jack Ellery "Bud" Turner Jr. was born March 31, 1952, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., a son of the late Jack E. Turner Sr. and the late Lois Burnett Turner.