Residents coping with loss
after blaze damages apartment

June 8, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

Four days after a fire tore through Twin Oaks Apartments in Greenwood, officials with the Greenwood/Abbeville Service Center of the American Red Cross are continuing to work with victims who lost their homes and possessions in the weekend blaze.
About 2 p.m. Saturday, residents noticed smoke and flames billowing from the roof and windows of one of the buildings in the complex.
The blaze originated in an entrance cable that connected a power meter to apartment 7CC, which was one of the eight apartments damaged by the fire, Greenwood City Fire Chief Terry Strange said.
Though only five of the damaged apartments were inhabited, 19 people were left without a home, said Barbara Turnburke, Greenwood/ Abbeville Service Center Manager with the American Red Cross.
“They lost pretty much everything. There wasn’t much that could be salvaged,” Turnburke said.
“Normally, we only deal with one family when we respond to a scene, but this was a large fire and it affected a lot of people. Everyone was in shock, and they were all asking what they should do next.”
Twin Oaks resident Tracie Ellis and her two children, Alexis Rolando, 11, and Devante Rolando, 12, watched in shock as their building went up in flames.
Their apartment, 7B, sustained severe water and smoke damage, and Ellis said most of their belongings were ruined by the heat.
“I was lying on the bed when my daughter came in and told me that the roof was on fire. I was scared and nervous, and I didn’t know how to take it,” she said. “I was crushed. I had just gotten all of our stuff paid for, and now I have to start back over.”
After it was determined that the families would not be able to return to their apartments, Turnburke said the service center provided the victims with food and clothing allowances and containers to store whatever possessions they could salvage from the building.
Most of the people displaced by the fire were able to find temporary shelter with other family members, but the service center, which is part of the Upstate South Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, placed two families in local hotels.
“We have the ability to pay for a hotel room for up to five days,” Turnburke said.
After those five days, the organization can help victims with the first month of rent payments, but Turnburke said the allowance is limited and based on the number of people in the household.
Since the blaze, Ellis and her children have been making their home in a hotel room at the Fairfield Inn in Greenwood. Ellis said she doesn’t expect to move back into her old apartment, but with the help of the Red Cross, Grace Community Church and others in the community, she and her children have already found a new place to call home.
For Alexis Rolando, the outpouring of support has been a great relief for her family.
“I thought all of our stuff would be in ashes, but we have been really blessed because we did have clothes left,” the Northside Middle School student said. “We’ve been really lucky that we have a place to go and that people have been helping us out.”

Dorothy Clayton

GREENWOOD – Dorothy Allen Clayton, 98, resident of Janeway Ave., died June 6, 2005 at Wesley Commons.
Born in Enoree, SC, December 10, 1906, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Joseph Wofford and Cecelia Menke Allen. She was a 1927 graduate of Converse College earning a Bachelor Degree in Music. Ms. Clayton formerly taught in the Ninety Six School System and was a retired music teacher from Greenwood School District 50. She also taught piano and served as church organist and choir director for the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church for a number of years.
A member of the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, she was also a member of the Grier Bible Class of the church. She was also a member of National and South Carolina Retired Teachers Association, The American Guild of Organist, National and State Music Educators Asso-ciation and the National Choral Directors Association.
Mrs. Clayton will be long remembered by many children who found out that music can be fun. She believed that “children have a ‘Bill of Rights’ which entitles them to learn to sing and to play at least one musical instrument.” She practiced this belief for 21 years in Green-wood County’s Public Schools with music through singing games and rhythm bands for elementary age children and through the Folk Singing Club and the High School Chorus before retiring in 1972. Her musical programs were a source of joy and entertainment for young and old alike.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Ernest (Dottie) Mitchell of Savannah, GA and two sons, Rev. Joseph Allen Clayton of Blacksburg, SC and David E. Clayton of Greenwood; a sister, Louise Colvert of Greenwood; six grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 PM Wednes-day from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Don Elliott officiating.
Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Mickey Baker, Bob Bowyer, George Davis, Dr. Phil Tinkler, Don Urquhart, Emmett Davis, Robert Davis and Stephen Davis.
Honorary escort will be active and inactive Session Members of the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. The family is at the home of a son, David Clayton, 306 Glenwood Street, and will receive friends at the funeral home from 2:00 to 3:00 Wednesday afternoon.
Memorials may be made to the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Music Department, 1635 Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC 29649.
For additional information please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home is assisting the Clayton Family.
PAID OBITUARY

Roger Daniel

CATAWBA — Roger Keith Daniel, 50, of 491 Rowells Road, husband of Jackie Peagler Daniel, died Sunday, June 5, 2005 at Wallace Thomson Hospital in Union.
Born in Fort Benning, Ga., he was a son of the late Clinton “Pete” and Laura Wells Daniel. He was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam era and owner and operator of Roger’s Painting in Catawba. He was a member of First Church of the Nazarene in Rock Hill.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Clinton Keith Daniel and Troy Lynn Daniel, both of the home; two stepsons, Robert Blackmon and Larry Blackmon, both of Florence; two sisters, Lane Laney of Greenwood and Mary Alice Daniel of North Augusta; and a granddaughter.
Graveside services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Greenwood.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home, Greenwood.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene, Jones Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Woodrow Fisher

Services for Woodrow Fisher are at noon Thursday at Morris Chapel Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Jonathan Greene, assisted by the Revs. Dr. Willie S. Harrison and Kelly Marshall. The body will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. Burial is in The Evening Star.
Pallbearers are Samuel Turner, Willie James Wideman, Clarence Morton, Hubert Fisher, Albert Morton and Mike Smith. Flower bearers are granddaughters and friends of the family.
The family is at the home, 628 Gage St. and at the home of a daughter, Minnie Lee, 206 Louvenia Ave., Greenwood. Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Elsie Mae Rice

NINETY SIX — Elsie Mae Barnes Rice, 83, widow of Vest Rice, formerly of 302 Pettit Drive, died Monday, June 6, 2005 at McCormick Health Care Center.
Born in Macon County, N.C., she was a daughter of the late Charlie Henderson and Effie Miller Barnes. She retired from Abney Mills and Emerald City Cleaners. She was a member of Augusta Highway Baptist Church and the Senior Ladies Sunday School Class of the church.
Survivors include a son, Dewey “Buddy” Willis of Saluda; four daughters, Doris Willis Chappells of Pickens, Patricia “Pat” Rice McNaughton of Sun City Center, Fla., Linda Rice Boswell of Myrtle Beach and Norma Rice Selin of Ninety Six; a brother, Charlie Henderson Barnes Jr. of Westminster; 16 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Augusta Highway Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Craig Hughes. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are grandsons.
Honorary escorts are members of the church Senior Ladies Sunday School Class.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Harley Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of a daughter Norma Selin, 608 Sherard Road.
Memorials may be made to Augusta Highway Baptist Church, 3720 Highway 25 S., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Barbara Rousey

ABBEVILLE — Barbara Deese Rousey, 52, of 114 Whitehall St., wife of Danny “Red” Rousey, died Tuesday, June 7, 2005 at her home.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.

Elsie S. Uldrick

ABBEVILLE — Elsie S. Uldrick, 89, formerly of 810 Highway 201, widow of Harold E. Uldrick, died Tuesday, June 7, 2005 at Abbeville Nursing Home.
Born in Hart County, Ga., she was a daughter of the late James L. and Elizabeth Dooley Stamps. She was a retired seamstress and a member of New Hope Presbyterian Church and the Men and Ladies Sunday School Class of the church.
Survivors include two sons, Owen Uldrick and Jim Uldrick, both of Abbeville; a brother, Rudolph Stamps of Anderson; six grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at Harris Funeral Home. Burial is in Long Cane Cemetery.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
Family members are at their respective homes.
Memorials may be made to New Hope Presbyterian Church, Building Fund, 1484 Highway 28 Bypass, Abbeville, SC 29620. Harris Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at harrisfuneral.com

Martha J. Williams

Services for Martha Jane Nelson Williams are 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Mount Herman Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Norris Turner, assisted by the Revs. Dr. Willie S. Harrison, Arthur Kemp and Herbert Martin. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Vincent Anderson, Tony Williams, Robert L. Nelson Jr., James Gilchrist, Robert Briggs and Johnny L. Briggs Jr.
Flower bearers are Leola Robinson, Brenda Laboinsen, Kathryn Preston, Judy Burton, Patricia Lawson and great-nieces.
There will be no viewing at the church.
The family is at the home of a granddaughter Vivian Williams-Covington, 303 Taggart St., Greenwood.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Robert K. Winton

McCORMICK — Memorial services for Robert Keith “Bob” Winton are 3 p.m. Thursday at Republican United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Wade Everett.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Post 20 rips Belton in opener

Legion team pounds out 13 hits and starts season with 15-3 victory

June 8, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Rain delayed the Greenwood American Legion Post 20 baseball team’s season-opener Monday night in Easley.
The Belton Post 51 team probably wished there would have been a downpour in Greenwood Tuesday, because that would have been the only thing that could have stopped Post 20.
Greenwood (1-0) pounded out 13 hits and took advantage of 10 walks to blow out Belton, 15-3, at Legion Field, in a game called after seven innings because of the mercy rule.
“Everybody got here early today and went to the (batting) cages to hit. We wanted to play yesterday (Monday), but we came out and turned it on today,” designated hitter Lamar Dukes said.
Post 20 will make up Monday’s game at 7:30 tonight in Easley. The team will play at 7 Thursday at Irmo, before coming back home for a 7:30 game Friday night against Walhalla.
“I was happy with the way the kids came out early,” Post 20 coach Billy Dean Minor said. “We hit the ball early. Overall, first game, you have to be happy. But we have to get ready to play tomorrow, because we play four nights in a row.”
Dukes led Post 20 at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Two of the former Saluda High School standout’s hits came in Post 20’s big eight-run third inning.
With Greenwood up 3-0, the team opened the third with a fly out and a walk. Dukes then smacked a single into left field, the first of five straight singles off Belton starter Blair Carson.
“We knew what he was throwing, so it was just see the ball and hit it,” Dukes said. “We knew we wanted to come out and get on them early tonight to put it away.”
Clint Burden’s one-bagger, the third in a row, went down the first-base line, scoring a pair of runners. Justin Lovvorn and Clint Richey followed with RBI singles.
After a ground out, Post 20 shortstop Kyle Behrendt singled to right to bring in two more.
Dukes closed out the inning with his second single to plate Behrendt and Will Gary to give Post 20 an 11-0 lead. In all, Greenwood sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, getting seven hits and three walks, with two of those walked scoring.
“We talk about getting into hitter’s counts and we did that tonight,” Minor said. “We just kept hitting the baseball. We have the possibility of being a good offensive team if we can get in hitter’s counts.”
That was more than enough run support for Greenwood starter Nick Milford, but that was not all he would get.
Greenwood added one run in the fourth and three more in the sixth to go up 15-1.
Milford pitched five scoreless innings to earn the victory. Lovvorn came in relief in the sixth and gave up three unearned runs on two hits.
After two hits in the first, Milford pitched four hitless innings.
“I knew I had to come out and shut them down in the next (second) inning,” Milford said. “I wanted to get in there and get out quick so that we could keep our bats going.”

End the petty bickering, do what’s best for state

June 8, 2005

The only thing constant is change ….. even when it takes 11 years.
David Wilkins, R-Greenville, has been speaker of the S. C. House of Representatives for all that time. Now, though, that’s changing, and the Palmetto State will have new leadership to guide us into the future via the influence of a new speaker.
That, of course, will be Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, who has been chosen by his peers to succeed Wilkins, who is to be U. S. ambassador to Canada.
For purely selfish reasons, folks around Greenwood would have preferred Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Richland, as the new speaker. Harrison, a Greenwood native, withdrew when it became obvious he didn’t have the votes to win.

HARRISON, THOUGH, WOULD have been a very good speaker. He’s demonstrated, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that he’s a leader and can get things done. He has, in fact, all the qualifications needed for the post.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that Harrell doesn’t have the qualifications and ability. He does. He’s proved that without question during his service in the House ….. especially as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
However, Harrell will, as speaker, be one of the top three government leaders who come from Charleston, and that could be a concern for some. The others, of course, are Governor Mark Sanford and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell. The question is, will all sections of the state get the same attention. Also, will the testy relationship between Harrell and Sanford improve and facilitate the work of the people?
Harrell says yes, and he also says he will treat all sections of the state fairly.

REP. DOUG JENNINGS, D-Marlboro, who also wanted to be speaker, sees no problem. “Bobby is a good enough leader to know he has to be sensitive to other geographic areas, especially since we re-elect a new speaker in, what is it, 18 months?”
Harrell said after his win that “This is about everyone in the House working together – both political parties, all races – to improve South Carolina.”
There has been so much divisiveness in recent times, some downright meanspirited, that the public is fed up with the petty partisanship. Not partisanship. Petty partisanship. If Harrell, McConnell and Sanford can help put an end to it, and get other lawmakers to join the effort, the people will be served well.
We can only hope. Politics is politics and statesmanship is not always part of the equation.