Obituaries

Joseph Ray Batson, 90, of Suwanee, Ga., died Sept. 3, 2016. Born July 3, 1926, in Sumter County, S.C., he graduated from North Greenville College, Carson Newman College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His early years in the ministry... Continue Reading »

William F. West Jr., of Laurens, a retired minister and English professor, died Aug. 5, 2016. He was ordained into the ministry upon graduation in 1944 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Throughout his lifetime, he served as a full-time... Continue Reading »

Helen Elizabeth Goodwin Roberts, 90, of Greenville, widow of former Baptist Courier editor John E. Roberts, to whom she was married for 61 years, died Aug. 24, 2016. Born June 28, 1926, she graduated from Greenville High School in... Continue Reading »

Hector Lee Rodriguez, 60, of Lexington, died June 10, 2016. He was born Aug. 28, 1955, in Wisconsin and was a graduate of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Mich., where he earned a degree in pastoral studies and foreign... Continue Reading »

Magnolia Elizabeth Smith Lockaby, 96, of Belton, wife of the late pastor George W. Lockaby, died June 29, 2016. Born in Pelzer, she was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church. She served churches with her husband for more... Continue Reading »

Matthew Jones, 75, of Georgetown, died July 7, 2016, in Manning. Born March 26, 1941, in Horry County, he was a U.S. Army veteran. He was a Baptist minister and served at Chaparral Baptist Church in Moncks Corner and... Continue Reading »

Nancy Vivian Watts Hayes, 80, wife of Lancaster pastor Buford Hayes, died June 14, 2016. She was born Aug. 26, 1935, in Kershaw County, and was a homemaker. She was a member of White Springs Baptist Church. In the... Continue Reading »

Jimmie Creighton Gaines, 89, of Anderson, died July 8, 2016. Born in Greenville on Jan. 27, 1927, he was a pastor for more than 40 years. He served in the following churches: Eastside Baptist Church, Friendship Baptist Church, Good... Continue Reading »

Robert Fewell Gabriel, 83, of Columbia, died June 8, 2016. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor at Belmont Baptist Church, Columbia, North Jacksonville Baptist Church, and... Continue Reading »

Riley W. Eubank Jr., 91, of Austin, Texas, died June 13, 2016. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he served churches in Texas and Oklahoma, and later supervised chaplaincies at the Baptist medical centers in Columbia and Easley.... Continue Reading »

Robertson McQuilkin, 88, of Columbia, an author and missions leader who was noted for resigning the presidency of Columbia International University in 1990 to care for his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife, died June 2, 2016. Muriel died in 2003. McQuilkin was... Continue Reading »