Christopher Gadsden “Chris” Carsten, Jr., 72, husband of Jayne Deal Carsten, died Sunday, July 27, 2014, in McLeod Hospice House in Florence, SC.
Mr. Carsten was born May 13, 1942, in Kingstree, a son of the late C.G. Carsten, Sr. and Martha Arnette Carsten. He was a graduate of Kingstree High School, attended North Greenville College, and graduated from N.C. State with a degree in Agriculture. Chris always loved the land and his life as a farmer. He was a loving father, grandfather and a generous friend, and was a faithful and active member of Cades United Methodist Church.  In addition to his parents, Chris was preceded in death by his first wife, Joy Allen Carsten.
Survivors, in addition to his wife Jayne, of Cades, are: 2 sons, Dr. Christopher (Angie) Carsten, of Greenville, SC and Will (Mayme) Carsten, of Cades; a daughter, Kay Carsten (Stuart) Thomas, of Westerville, OH; grandchildren, Topper, Taylor, and Victoria Carsten, Ashley and Anna Mann, Joy, Kate, and Allen Carsten, and Ansley, Meg, and Hogan Thomas; 2 sisters, Bobby Jean (Tommy) Osmer, of Lexington, SC and his twin, Cynthia (Ross) McMillan, of Allendale, SC.
Funeral services will be held 10 AM Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in Cades United Methodist Church, with burial to follow in Sauls Carsten Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 PM at Williamsburg Funeral Home in Kingstree. Memorials may be made to the Joy Allen Carsten Memorial Fund, Williamsburg Academy, 1000 Sandy Bay Road, Kingstree, SC 29556 or Cades United Methodist Church, PO Box 86, Cades, SC 29518. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.WilliamsburgFuneralHome.com.

Mrs. Ruth Jeanette Cannon Smith, 80, widow of Sam David Smith, Jr., died Friday, July 25, 2014 at her daughter’s residence after an illness.
      

 Mrs. Smith was born February 23, 1934 in Williamsburg County, a daughter of William A. and Josephine Medlin Cannon.  She was a graduate of Kingstree High School and retired from Southern Bell as a telephone operator.  Mrs. Smith was a member of Bloomingvale Baptist Church. Special thanks to Roper Hospice Care of Charleston for their loving care of our Momma.
Surviving are, 3 daughters, Linda S. Driggers (Mackie) of Moncks Corner, Iris E. Smith-McGowan of Holly Hill, and Monica S. Bradley (Bob) of Pineville; 2 sisters, Lois C. Braxton of Alcolu and Brenda C. Driggers of Turbeville; 2 brothers, Harry Cannon of Salters and Wendell Cannon of St. Stephen; Brother-in-law Stark Smith of Kingstree, 5 grandchildren, David Driggers, Angela Driggers, Jason Bell, Lacy Bell, and Nikki McGowan; 4 great-grandchildren, Hunter Driggers, Caroline Driggers, Selah Bell, and Abby Jackson, and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by 3 brothers, Francis, Steve, and Carl Cannon.
Funeral services will be held at 3 PM Sunday July 27, 2014 in the Bloomingvale Baptist Church, with burial to follow in the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends at the church at 2 PM on Sunday.  Memorials may be made to The Gideons International, PO Box 1713, Moncks Corner, SC  29461.

William Dorman Pridgen, 82, passed away on July 11, 2014. He was born in Little River, S. C. in 1932 to the late Robert Wilson and Isabel Stone Pridgen of Kingstree.

Mr. Pridgen graduated from Kingstree High School and the University of South Carolina Law School. He was known fondly as both “Bill” and “Billy”. Bill grew up in Kingstree and played baseball for USC. He was married to Mitsie Welch Pridgen, who predeceased him. Bill and Mitsie lived happily together for 52 years. Later, Bill was lucky enough to find and marry his college sweetheart, Ann Gilchrist Whitmire and they were happy together until Bill’s death.

After graduating from law school in 1955 Bill joined the Air Force. He trained in Texas, served in South Korea and had further assignments in Japan and the Philippines. Bill completed his service in 1957 as a 2^nd Lieutenant and returned to South Carolina. His civilian career included banking, teaching and many years practicing law. He enjoyed criminal defense work and was a proud member of the bar until his death.

Bill loved friends and family deeply and demonstrated this in both word and deed. This love of friends was especially true of his lifelong friendship with John (Gus) Montgomery of Kingstree. Bill’s devotion to family was solid and any need there surpassed all others. Of fatherhood he once wrote, “It is the duty and privilege of parenting to be concerned of every imagined shadow that may threaten”. However, it was Bill’s caretaking of Mitsie that became his testimony. After Mitsie developed Alzheimer’s, he took loving, single-handed care of her in their home for 15 years.

Bill was preceded in death by his sister Bobbie Pridgen Harley of Myrtle Beach. In addition to Ann, he is survived by his son, Will and daughter, Dargan. Will, of Rocky Face, GA, is married to Marla. Dargan, of Greeleyville, is married to Marty Easler. Bill has eight grandchildren, Isabel who is Will and Marla’s daughter, and Jim, Kathryn, Emma Rose, Harry, Mildred, Marti, and Billie, all of whom are Dargan and Marty’s children. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Wilson (Sonny) Pridgen, Jr. of Salem, SC and his wife Margaret and nephew Tommy Harley and family of Charleston and niece Sherrie Gore and family of Myrtle Beach.

Bill asked that his obituary end simply “teacher, lawyer, husband, and father”.

Mrs. Juanita Frederick “Nita” Tallevast, 86, passed away on Monday, July 7, 2014, in Kingstree Nursing Facility.

Mrs. Tallevast was born April 22, 1928, in Anderson, SC, a daughter of the late Clayton Maxwell Frederick and Ethel Bobo Frederick. She was a graduate of Anderson College, where she was currently a member of the Alumnae Board of Directors. Mrs. Tallevast retired after 25 years with SC Department of Social Services. She was a former member of Central Baptist Church, where she was a teacher for the Dorcas Sunday School Class, and New Prospect Baptist Church, both in Anderson. She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Florence.

Surviving are: her daughters, Laura T. (Raymon) Cantley, of Nesmith and Cynthia Tallevast (Donnie), of Conway; grandchildren, Cullen Black, of Charlotte, Sarah C. Hoff, of Kingstree, and Ray Cantley, of Nesmith; great grandchildren, Jordan Black, Michelle and Katherine Ard, and William Julian Hoff. Mrs. Tallevast was preceded in death by a daughter Margaret Louise Tallevast.

Funeral services will be 1 PM Thursday, July 10, 2014, in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Anderson, SC. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718,Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718, Williamsburg County Animal Shelter, PO Box 792, Kingstree, SC 29556 or Immanuel Baptist Church, 306 Cherokee Road, Florence, SC 29501.