Ninety Six fire chief hoping retirement will ease schedule

January 3, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

NINETY SIX — A trip to the West Coast or down South to Texas is what Ninety Six native Tommy Price hopes to take with wife Tina once his retirement is official.
Price, owner of Price’s Heavy Duty Towing, will leave his post as the town’s fire chief at the end of this month. He is semi-retired from his towing and garage business, but continues to tow.
“I’ll still be connected here (at the garage),” he said.
Price said he’s enjoyed his time there, but the fire department has gotten more hectic for him. It’s hard to leave a business to attend a training class, Price said.
Price had intentions to quit sooner, but he said it just never happened.
In the latter part of 1965, Price joined the Ninety Six Fire Department. In the late 1960s he was the fire department secretary, and in 1974 he was promoted to assistant fire chief. In 1989, after former fire chief W.A. “Bubba” Summers retired, Price became chief.
Much like the garage is owned and operated by the Price family so firefighting remains in the family.
Price, his three brothers, three nephews and son-in-law have all served together or at some time on the fire department. His father Charles was a fire chief, and also served as mayor.
Price recalled how things have changed over the years since his father was chief.
“When we were smaller, we thought we had to go, too,” he said.
The children were able to tag along when the fire department responded to a call.
Today, sometimes grandson Hampton, 12, tags along to help tow.
Price joined the Army in 1959 and finished his service about two years later, when he began a business with his brother.
Price and his brother began their shop, Price Brothers, in Saluda and eventually opened in Ninety Six.
In 1976, Price bought full ownership of the garage.
In the early part of the 1980s, Price added wrecker services to his garage business. Now the company provides heavy, medium and light duty wrecker services.
“My wife, she’s been supportive of me and my grandchildren — I couldn’t ask for any better,” he said.
He and his wife will have their 40th anniversary in June. They have always had plans to travel to Louisiana or Texas once they both retired, he said.
“I hope to have more time,” Price said. “When I did have time, I always felt like I needed to be here for the fire department.”
Price has been a member of the Masonic Lodge for more than 25 years. He has attended First Baptist Church all his life, where he was a Sunday School superintendent and on the deacon board.
Price has two children Greg and Mary Price-Burch who help operate the garage, and five grandchildren.

Logan shines in final game for Georgia Tech

January 3, 2005

By MICHAEL STONE
Index-Journal sports editor

Mark Logan always thought he could play quarterback at the collegiate level.
After five years at Georgia Tech, he finally got a chance to prove it.
The Greenwood High School graduate, and the former Mr. Football for South Carolina, helped the Yellow Jackets defeat Syracuse, 51-14, in the Champs Sports Bowl. And while teammate Reggie Ball was named the game’s most valuable player, the senior also made good on a promise to himself.
“I couldn’t say I’d be satisfied here until I showed the world that I could play quarterback,” Logan said. “I got my shot in the bowl game and showed that I could run the offense.”
Logan played the final 18 minutes for the Yellow Jackets, completing one pass for 21 yards, carrying the ball four times for 22 yards and leading Georgia Tech to its final touchdown.
The pass was the only one Logan threw in his career with the Yellow Jackets.
He did catch a few, however.
Logan, who quarterbacked the Eagles to the Class AAAA Division II state championship in 1999, had hoped to do the same at Georgia Tech.
But when the Yellow Jackets needed receivers, he was willing to change positions to get the chance to play.
In the 2002-03 seasons, Logan caught 10 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown.
The score was a diving catch in the end zone against Auburn, which lifted the Yellow Jackets to a 17-3 victory. Logan said that touchdown was the best play of his college career.
This spring, when the Yellow Jackets were short-handed at quarterback, Logan returned to his old position, playing behind Ball and running the Georgia Tech scout teams in practice.
He appeared in 11 of Tech’s 12 games this season, mostly returning punts and kickoffs on special teams.
“I would have played defense if they needed me too,” Logan said.
Even though he is finished playing at Georgia Tech, Logan isn’t about to give up on football.
He has three more classes to finish before earning his bachelor’s degree in business, and will stay in football shape so he can make an impression on NFL scouts at the annual combine.
Logan knows the odds are against him, but his bowl game performance might just have been enough to get the right person to take a second look.
“I’ve been playing football all my life and I know one out of a thousand people make it into the league, but I still want to give it a shot,” Logan said. “I’ve shown my versatility and I know my coaches support me. I just want to show what I can do.”

Obituaries

Norma Stewart Biumi

Norma Jean Stewart Biumi, 66, formerly of 2220 Montague Ave., Lot 98, widow of Harold Biumi, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005 at Wesley Commons Healthcare Center.
Born in Ware Shoals, she was a daughter of Mary Butler and the late Robert Butler. She was retired from Defender Services and a member of the North Greenwood Church of God. She was twice married, first to the late Maxie Logan Stewart.
Survivors include her mother of Ware Shoals; three sons, Marion Stewart, Thomas Stewart and Maxie Stewart, all of Greenwood; three sisters, Susie Boggs, Helen Odell and Robbie Lynn McAllister, all of Ware Shoals; a brother, Danny Ray Butler of Ware Shoals; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services are 12 noon Tuesday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Ray Boggs. Burial is in Reedy Grove Pentecostal Holiness Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Jesse Weeks, Willie Masters, Ray Stewart, Ray Beasley and Andrew Stewart.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Harley Funeral Home.
The family is at the home, 2220 Montague Ave., Wildwood Trailer Park, Lot 98.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

James Brown

ABBEVILLE — James Brown, 75, of 1741 Hwy 28, widower of Martha Brown, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Richie Funeral Home Inc.

Nancy Bell Gary

HODGES — Nancy Bell Gary, 80, of 125 Roundtree Drive, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005 at her home.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Clarence and Lillie Mae Chapman Gary. She attended Greenwood Public Schools and was a member of Mount Tabor Baptist Church, where she served as a former missionary and a former member of the senior choir. She was a member of the Women’s Aide Society No. 55 and was a dietician for the Greenwood Methodist Home.
Survivors include three sons, Paul Gary and Terry Gary Sr., both of Greenwood and John L. Gary of Abbeville; three daughters, Mrs. Reynolds (Jennie Ruth) Rapley of Greenwood, Mrs. Earnest (Hattie Bell) Ward of the home and Mary Jo Gary of Columbia; two sisters, Mamie Foster of Greenwood and Mattie Sanders of Greenville; 17 grandchildren, two reared in the home, Terry Gary Jr. and Malcolm Smith; 30 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Tabor Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Ulysses Parks, assisted by the Pastor Tony Foster and Elder Charlie Myles. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are grandsons, Billy Gilchrist and Jimmy Griffin.
Flower bearers are granddaughters, Jackie Bowles, Lilla Ray, Yvette Cloud and Mattie Quarles.
Visitation is 6-8 Tuesday at 125 Roundtree Drive, Hodges.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary, Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Bertha Mae Chapman Lewis

SALUDA — Bertha Mae Chapman Lewis, 64, of 446 Shiloh Road, wife of Willie Lee Lewis, died on Friday, Dec. 31, 2004 at the Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Greensboro, N.C., she was a daughter of the late Queen Chapman Dawkins. She was a member of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where she served as a missionary, a member of the Pleasant Hill Senior/Gospel Choir and a member of the Women’s Home Aide Society No. 126. She was a retired employee of the Saluda Shirt Plant.
Survivors include her husband of Saluda; two sons, Charles Lewis and Kevin Lewis, both of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; two daughters, Audrey Lewis and Marshall Etheredge, both of Saluda; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services are 1 p.m. Thursday at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Clarence Kenner. The body will be placed in the church at 12 noon. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are family and friends.
The family is at the home.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home is in charge.

Ernestine Louise Mayes

NINETY SIX — Ernestine Louise Mayes, 89, of 117 Little Mountain Road, wife of Heubert Mayes, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Meyers Mill, Barnwell County, S.C., she was a daughter of the late Johnny R. Meyer and Janie Dunbar Meyer. She was a LPN and retired from Walter Reid Hospital in Washington and a seamstress for Ninety Six Cleaners. She was a member of Young Mount Zion Baptist Church in Chappells.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Marsha Mayes Jackson of Greenbelt, Md.; two sisters, Alean M. Hay of Augusta, Ga. and Rose Ella Holloway of Sanford, Fla.; two grandchildren, one reared in the home, Brian Jackson.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.