Lester Province Branham Jr., 89, of Florence, died Oct. 22, 2023.
A native of Camden, he was a longtime member of Springvale Baptist Church, Lugoff, where he first was called to ministry. He was a graduate of Wake Forest University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a Baptist minister in South Carolina for 67 years, beginning with four small country churches in Dillon County, alternating holding services at two every Sunday. After that, he was pastor of Parkway Baptist Church in Chester, First Baptist Church of Loris, First Baptist Church of Orangeburg, and for 25 years at First Baptist Church of Lake City, where he retired in 1998. After retirement, he continued preaching at numerous churches as interim. He served on the board of trustees of Furman University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Dorothy Hayes Branham, two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.