Herschel Leonard Crain, 81, of Greer, died Oct. 20, 2023. He served as senior pastor at Apalache Baptist Church, Greer, for 16 years and at Central Baptist Church, Cowpens, for 18 years. Survivors include two daughters, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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 […]

Joseph “Joe” Borgkvist Jr., 79, of West Columbia, died Oct. 23, 2023. A native of Portsmouth, N.H., he served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and was led to Christ by a Southern Baptist chaplain. After his call to ministry, he graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and served in youth ministry at churches […]

Ryan Bellman Eklund, 91, of Greenwood, died Sept. 18, 2023. A native of Orangeburg, he was a graduate of Furman University and served in the South Carolina Army National Guard. After graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., he returned to South Carolina, where he served as pastor of 12 churches and was […]

Ron Satterwhite, 69, of La Belle, Mo., died June 21, 2023, at the Baptist Home in Ironton, Mo. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., he was a graduate of Florida Bible College, Hollywood, Fla., and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a pastor and staff member for Southern Baptist churches for over 50 years, […]

Ronald Eugene Hasty, 84, of Graniteville, died March 18, 2023. He served as pastor of Baptist churches throughout Georgia and South Carolina, led Bible studies, taught seminary classes, and shared the good news of Jesus through mission trips during more than four decades of ministry. He served in the U.S. Navy and held a doctorate […]

Leon Barry Gray, 73, of Elgin, died April 22, 2023. A native of Brunswick, N.C., he was a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor in Sand Springs, Okla., before answering a call in 1996 to serve as associate pastor at Shandon Baptist Church, Columbia. Survivors include two children and two grandchildren. […]

Steve Allison Rutledge, 85, of Greenville, died March 5, 2023. A native of Atlanta, Ga., he served as pastor of Swift Creek Baptist Church, Darlington; Portside Baptist Church, North Charleston; Northside Baptist Church, Rock Hill; and Welcome Baptist Church, Greenville. He taught classes at North Greenville University, served as director of missions for North Greenville […]

Joseph Benjamin “Buster” Benton III, 70, of Conway, died Feb. 15, 2023. A native of Conway, he was pastor of several South Carolina Baptist churches during his ministry. At the time of his death, he was pastor of Gurley Baptist Church in Loris. He was also employed with Bi-Lo, retiring after 29 years of service. […]