Alvonzie Hancock "Fon" Tucker Alvonzie Hancock "Fon" Tucker, 86, of Mt. Croghan, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002. A graveside funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10 from Mt. Croghan Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to Elizabeth Baptist Church, c/o Fanell Rivers, 3010 Mayesville Road, Ruby, S.C. 29741; or First Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, Blackstock, S.C. Born in Mt. Croghan, Mrs. Tucker was a daughter of the late Lonnie Preston and Essie Steen Hancock. She was a retired employee of Burlington Industries and a member of Elizabeth Baptist Church. She was married to the late Claude W. Tucker. Surviving are a son, Charles J. (Geraldine) Tucker of Blackstock; two brothers, Carroll Hancock and Bill Hancock of Kannapolis, N.C. two sisters, Kate H. Sellers of Ruby, and Melba H. Steele of Morven, N.C.; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Johnny H. Tucker; a grandson, Jerry Tucker; a brother, Andrew Junior Hancock; and two sisters, Sarah Griffin and Beatrice Raffaldt. Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Leona White Cassidy Leona White Cassidy, 68, of Cheraw, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002. A funeral service was held a 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11 from Westfield Creek Baptist Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Born in Cheraw, Mrs. Cassidy was a daughter of the late William T. "Buddy" and Alice Gregory White. She was a homemaker and member of Westfield Creek Baptist Church. She was married to the late Walker B. Cassidy Sr. Surviving are two sons, Bobby Cassidy and Walker B. Cassidy Jr. both of Cheraw; two daughters, Alice Huffman of Belle Haven, Va., and Ruth Adams of Chesterfield; two sisters, Evelyn Hull of Anchorage, Ak., and Polly Jolly of John's Island; seven grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren. Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Helen Odessa James Watson Helen Odessa James Watson, 62, of Cheraw, died Friday, Jan. 4, 2002. A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11 from Robinson A.M.E. Zion Church. Burial followed in Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Cemetery. Born in Chesterfield County, Mrs. Watson was a daughter of the late Willie James and Eunice Tillman James. She was educated in the public schools of Chesterfield County and was a member of Robinson A.M.E. Zion Church. She was married to Robert Watson. Surviving are three sons, Trumpa James, Calvin James and Marcus James of Cheraw; a grandson, Anthony James of Cheraw; her step-mother, Geneva James of Greensboro, N.C.; four sisters, Margaret Jones of Baltimore, Md., Marian Peay of Cheraw, and Jean Scales and Mary Dowlings of Greensboro, N.C.; two aunts, Hennie Allen and Laura (Arthur) Byrd of Baltimore, Md.; two sisters-in-law, Charlene Watson and Savannah Cole; many relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by a brother, Leroy James. Flemming Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cremoulia Ratliff Hillian Cremoulia Ratliff Hillian, 80, of Chesterfield, died Thursday, Jan. 10, 2002 at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence. A funeral service was held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13 from Drucilla A.M.E. Zion Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Born in Chesterfield County, Mrs. Hillian was a daughter of the late James and Hattie Cash Ratliff. She attended the public schools of Chesterfield County and was a member of McLain Grove Baptist Church. She was married to the late Theodore R. Hillian. Surviving are a daughter, Ruther (Milton) Evans of Chesterfield; a son, Larry James (Annette) Hillian of Irmo; two brothers, Preston (Gloria) Ratliff and Lee Ratliff both of Greensboro, N.C.; five sisters, Thelma Turnage of Chesterfield, Maoria Crawford of Winston Salem, N.C., Hershell Cash of Morven, N.C., Vertia (Eddie) Sturdivant of Greensboro, N.C., and Betty (Cozart) Lowery of Washington, D.C.; an uncle, Fred Cash of Washington, D.C.; an aunt, the Rev. Mary Henderson of Winston Salem, N.C.; four grandchildren, Kenya (Terry) Phifer of Charlotte, N.C., Khalailah Evans of Chesterfield, and Larri Hillian and Donte Broadnax both of Irmo; and three great-grandchildren, Brianna Phifer, Teri Phifer and Destiny Phifer all of Charlotte, N.C. Flemming Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kenneth Gregory Kenneth Gregory, 47, of Ruby, died Sunday, Jan. 13, 2002. A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 from Chapel Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Dean Parker officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Born in Darlington County, Mr. Gregory was a son of the late Alfred Jefferson and Sallie Hicks Gregory. Surviving are his wife, Violet Crowley Gregory of Ruby; a son, Kenny "Barney" Eugene Gregory of Ruby; two daughters, Amanda Gregory (Joey) Lett of Patrick, and Donna Gregory (James) Jordan of Patrick; three brothers, Jimmy Lee (Elaine) Gregory of Ruby, Randy Gregory of Hartsville, and Tommy Gregory of Pageland; a sister, Annette Gregory Watford of Oates; five grandchildren, Cody Jordan, Kelsey Jordan, Trey Lett, Dylan Lett and Kaitlyn Lett. He was preceded in death by a sister, Vermell Peach; and a brother, Billy Gregory. Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Geneva Griggs Welsh Geneva Griggs Welsh, 85, of Chesterfield, died Sunday, Jan. 13, 2002. A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 from Hopewell Baptist Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Hopewell Baptist Church, Route 2, Box 150, Chesterfield, S.C. 29709; or to Chesterfield Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 147, Chesterfield, S.C. 29709. Born in Anson County, N.C., Mrs. Welsh was a daughter of the late Addison Calvin and Annie Elizabeth Campbell Griggs. She was a homemaker and faithful member of Hopewell Baptist Church where she served as a former WMU director, Sunday School teacher, choir member and Acteens worker. She was married to the late Wilbert Welsh. Surviving are two sons, Jerry (Priscilla) Welsh of Monroe, N.C., and Ronnie Welsh of Chesterfield; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.