Deacon Avery Clayton Thompson, Sr.
YEMASSEE - Deacon Avery Clayton Thompson, Sr. was born on September 2, 1956 in Brooklyn New York to Elder Robert Arnell Thompson, Jr. and Lady Ruby Alexander Thompson. During his early days, he attended P.S. 219 in Brooklyn, NY. Also, he worshiped at Mount Sinai Church of God in Christ, where he was active in the youth and music ministry.
As a teenager, he relocated to South Carolina, where he graduated from Wade Hampton High School and worshiped at Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ. While a student at Wade Hampton, he was an avid basketball player receiving numerous awards including induction to the Hall of Fame. He will always be remembered as the first commissioner of the Hampton County Junior Hornets Youth basketball program. Avery also possessed a passion for fishing, but his award-wining catch would include: red breast, bream, bass.
Avery loved music; singing, training voices, and especially playing the lead guitar. As a youth, Avery, along with several male cousins, formed a group at Mt. Sinia COGIC called “House Wrecking Highlights” in which he led many of the songs. In his late teens, he sang and recorded with The Soul Survivors. Also, he played his guitar and sang for several churches including churches across the nation.
He was united in holy matrimony to the former Verta Mae Grant on July 4, 1975. He was a medic in the United State Army and served the South Carolina National Guard. This Union was blessed with four children.
During his later years, while living in Maryland, he accepted Christ as his personal savior and served as a faithful deacon, musician and sound technician at New Bethel Church of God in Christ in Washington D.C. Avery loved people and especially his family. He loved his children and grandchildren with much affection and was pleased with all of their accomplishments. He had a musical bond with his siblings and they had much in common.
On Monday morning April 3, 2017, God called Avery from labor to reward at his residence surrounded by his loving family.
He leaves to cherish his memory a devoted wife, Evangelist Verta Mae Thompson, of 42 years; loving parents, Pastor Robert Arnell and Lady Ruby Thompson of Early Branch, South Carolina; one daughter, Stephanie (Stacy) Frazier of Early Branch, SC; three sons, Avery Clayton (Elizabeth) Thompson, Jr. of Columbia, South Carolina, Lee Alexander Thompson of Washington, DC and Cedric John Thompson of Chicago, IL; seven grandchildren, Stacia, Cameron, Zier, Layla, Avery, III, Zhamira and Devin; two brothers, Alvin Thompson of Summerville, SC and Pastors Robert Arnell and Danita Thompson, III of Columbus, NJ; one loving sister, Minister Robin (Elder Earnest) Wright of Ridgeland, SC; sisters and brothers-in-law, Loretta (Jimmy) Mixson, Brenda Faye Gordon, Mary (James) Collins of Varnville, SC amd Lola Robinson of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; loving aunts, Thelma Sexton and Virgie Evans of Brooklyn, NY, Juanita (Eddie) Maldon of California and Rose Mae Martinez of Brooklyn, New York; Annie Virginia Rivers, Annette Grant, Verna Grant, and Mary Grant; uncles, Clarence Thompson of Early Branch, SC; Willie Grant, and Johnny Robert Haynes, and a host of nieces, nephew, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Open Arms Fellowship, Hampton with burial in the Harmonia Baptist Church Cemetery, Varnville.
Riley’s Funeral Home, Hampton Chapel, Inc. was in charge of the arrangements.
Jesse Washington Bennett
Mr. Jesse Washington Bennett, Jr., aged 93, died peacefully on April 18, 2017, at the Ridgeland Nursing Center in Ridgeland, SC after a brief illness. He was born July 7, 1923 in Estill, South Carolina, the son of Jesse Washington Bennett, Sr., and Ada Pulaski Bennett. Mr. Bennett was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lillian (“Pinkie”) Reeves Bennett in 2011, and by an infant grandson, Matthew Reeves Bennett in 2001. He was a graduate of Estill High School and attended electronics school in Moline, Illinois. Mr. Bennett was a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II, serving in the United States and in Europe, where his unit’s duty was in combat airplane radio maintenance.
After the war, Mr. Bennett returned home to Estill, where he operated a radio and television repair shop for over 20 years. He also worked for Wholesale Radio and Supply Co., in Charleston, and taught electricity and electronics at Trident Technical College in Charleston. For over 20 years before his retirement, Mr. Bennett worked as a Field Engineer for South Carolina Educational Television. His hobbies included fishing, reading, and woodworking. Mr. Bennett was a member of Lawtonville Baptist Church and a member and Past Worshipful Master of Sunset Masonic Lodge No. 331 in Estill.
He is survived by his son, Charles Stephen Bennett, and his daughter in law, Bonnie Kinard Bennett, of Ridgeland; by three grandsons: Michael Stephen Bennett of Salt Lake City, Utah; John Carlton Bennett of Atlanta, Georgia; Peyton Kinard Bennett of Ridgeland; and by one granddaughter, Megan Elizabeth Bennett of Ridgeland. He is also survived by his two nieces and one nephew, Sharon Reeves Meeks of Peachland, North Carolina, Paula Reeves Feasel of Richmond, Virginia, and Curtis Victor Reeves of Richmond, Virginia, and by his cousins from Bamberg, South Carolina: Mr. Billy Mixon, Jimmy Mixon, Alice Mixon Rice, and Michael Mixon.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, April 20th, at 11 AM in the Lawtonville Cemetery near Estill directed by Peeples-Rhoden Funeral Home of Hampton. The family will receive friends following the service at the Cemetery.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Lawtonville Cemetery Association, Post Office Box 200, Estill, South Carolina 29918.
Kenneth Leland Sutton
Mr. Kenneth Leland Sutton of Jarrell Street in Hampton, died Saturday night at his residence after an extended illness.
Mr. Sutton was born in Savannah, Georgia, June 26, 1944, a son of the late Archie Vilus Sutton and Mary Hortense Cox Sutton. He was the owner and operator of Hampton Glass and had served in the Hampton National Guard Unit. He enjoyed Fishing and Playing Cards.
Surviving are: Two sons: Kenneth Adam Sutton of Hampton and Shane Sutton of Aiken; Daughter: Dee Dee Sutton Jarrell and husband Ron of Estill; Sister: Glenda Stone and husband Bobby of Ridgeland; Grandchildren: Brandon, Kimberly and Adelyn Sutton, Windee Hill and Josee Nettles. The family would like to give special thanks to Vickie Brown, Rebecca Jackson and Melanie McAlhaney.
Mr. Sutton was predeceased by a daughter: Wendy Sutton, 4 brothers and 1 sister.
Funeral services will be 4 P.M. Monday in the Chapel of Peeples-Rhoden Funeral Home, conducted by Rev. Jeff Sutton, with burial in the Hampton Cemetery.
Visitation will be Monday prior to services beginning at 3 P.M. at the Funeral Home located at 300 Mulberry Street West in Hampton.