Obituaries

John Harold Breland, 92, of Columbia, died Dec. 1, 2023. A native of Philadelphia, Miss., he attended Baylor University and was a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as associate... Continue Reading »

Billy Lee Mew, 77, of Seneca, died Nov. 17, 2023. A native of Andrews, he grew up in the town of Blackville and was a member of Blackville First Baptist Church, where he was later ordained to the ministry.... Continue Reading »

Joe Frank Peek, 89, of Rock Hill, died Oct. 15, 2023. A native of Nashville, his family later moved to Knoxville, where he was called to ministry and ordained at his home church there. He was a graduate of... Continue Reading »

Howard Wayne Norton, 84, of Greenville, died Oct. 31, 2023. A native of Stony Point, N.C., he was a graduate of Carson Newman College, and served with his wife as missionaries to Oklahoma, working with the Choctaw Indians. He... Continue Reading »

Betty Ann Taylor Killian, 95, of Columbia, died Sept. 28, 2023. She was the widow of the late Harold Killian, who served as pastor of churches in South Carolina, North Carolina and Indiana. A native of Enon, N.C., she... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »

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,... Continue Reading »

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.... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »