Obituaries

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 »

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,... Continue Reading »

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... Continue Reading »

Lawrence “Larry” Southerland, of Anderson, died Jan. 29, 2023. A native of Easley, he was a graduate of Erskine College, Furman University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Japanese Language... Continue Reading »

David Eugene Duncan, 65, of Macon, Ga., died Dec. 11, 2022. A native of Pickens, he was a graduate of Southern Wesleyan University. He served in many ministry positions, including minister of music, youth pastor, and senior pastor for... Continue Reading »

Henry Lee Chennault, 84, of Aiken, died Jan. 17, 2023, following a period of declining heath. He was a native of Dalhart, Texas, and was ordained into the ministry in 1956 at First Baptist Church, Altus, Okla. He was... Continue Reading »

Jennie Rae Surratt Clayton, 76, of Blacksburg, and wife of Rev. Joseph Clayton, died Nov. 7, 2022. She was a graduate of Lander University and served as a pastor’s wife, church pianist, music teacher, and substitute teacher. She and... Continue Reading »

Redden Thames, 90, of Lexington, died Nov. 23, 2022. He was a graduate of Stetson University and Southern Seminary, and did graduate studies at Chandler School of Theology. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Stetson in 1971. A... Continue Reading »

Thomas Rhame Nelson, 91, of Myrtle Beach, died Dec. 26, 2022. A native of Charleston, he was a graduate of the College of Charleston. He was also a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the University of Kentucky.... Continue Reading »

Robert Beaman, 89, of Huntsville, Ala., and father of Gwen Hollingsworth (wife of SCBC Executive Director-Treasurer Gary Hollingsworth), died Dec. 14, 2022. After serving in the military, he worked as an engineer at NASA for more than 37 years... Continue Reading »

William Calvin “Bill” Howard, 84, of Spartanburg, died Nov. 19, 2022. A native of Greer, he was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He graduated from North Greenville College, Limestone College and Luther Rice Seminary. He helped to establish New... Continue Reading »