Obituaries

NOTICE

Wesley Giles Jr.

Wesley Giles, Jr., 62, of Columbia, died Monday, December 06, 2004. Plans will be announced by Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.

RITES

Fred Andrew

COLUMBIA Service for Fred Andrew Meding, 74, was held Saturday at 1 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.

Rennie Perkins Corley

COLUMBIA Service for Rennie Perkins Corley, 90, was held Saturday at 11 am at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, burial followed in Swallow Savannah Cemetery in Allendale at 3 pm.

Mary E. Griner

COLUMBIA Service for Mary E. Griner, 74, was held Saturday at 2 pm at St. James United Methodist Church, entombment followed in Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Dunbar Funeral Home, Gervais Street Chapel, is in charge.

T. J. Harrelson

COLUMBIA Service for T. J. Harrelson was held at 11 am Saturday at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is in charge.

Lt. Col. Samuel E. Lawrence Jr.

COLUMBIA Service for Lt. Col. Samuel E. Lawrence, Jr., US Air Force (Ret’d), 90, was held at 4 pm Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral with burial followed in the church cemetery. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is in charge.

DEATHS

Mary Coffey

COLUMBIA Service for Mary Cooper Coffey, 68, was held Monday at 2 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with burial in Columbia Memorial Gardens. Visitation was Sunday 6–8 pm at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Mrs. Coffey, wife of James Junior Coffey, died Wednesday, December 1, 2004. Born in Drexel, N. C., she was a daughter of the late Colon R. and Mary Etta Carswell Cooper.

Mrs. Coffey was a member of Woodfield Park Baptist Church.

Surviving are her husband; sons, Lt. Col. James A. Coffey, and his wife Leah, of Ramstein AFB, Germany, and Samuel L. Coffey of Columbia; daughters, Sharon Coffey of Upper Marlboro, Md., Danette Blackwell, and her husband Thomas, of Columbia, and Mary Kennedy, and her husband Chris, of Goose Creek; sisters, Phyllis Schnee of Orlando, Fl., and Judy Lingafeldt of Morganton, N. C.; and six grandchildren.

Juanita Corley Nunnery

COLUMBIA Service for Juanita Corley Nunnery, 69, was held Sunday at 3 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to Life Point, 4200 Faber Place Drive, Charleston, SC 29045. Visitation was Saturday 5–7 pm at the funeral home.

Mrs. Nunnery, wife of the late Edward Donel Nunnery, died Friday, December 03, 2004. Born in Newberry County, she was a daughter of the late James Pope and Mozelle Bolin Corley. She retired from Lexington School District #5. A member of Resurrection Lutheran Church, she was active with Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and WELCA. She was also a volunteer at the Irmo Recreation Center.

Surviving are sons, Jeffery D. Nunnery of Columbia and Keith E. Nunnery and his wife, Mary B., of Gaston; daughter and son–in–law, Anita N. and B. J.

“Skip” MacInnis of Blythewood; grandchildren, Donel L. Nunnery, Kenneth E. Nunnery, James E. Nunnery, B.J. “Warren” MacInnis and Madison N. MacInnis; and sisters, Elizabeth C. Hyatt of Chapin and Betty C. Counts of Aiken. She was predeceased by granddaughter, Stephanie L. Nunnery and sister, Helen C. Fulmer.

Teresita Rieck

COLUMBIA Graveside service for Teresita Feliciano Rieck, 74, was held Saturday at 3 pm in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is in charge.

Mrs. Rieck, wife of the late Dale Charles Rieck, Sr., died Thursday, December 2, 2004, after a long illness. Born in Lares, Puerto Rico, on August 23, 1930, she was a daughter of the late Alfredo Feliciano and Margarita Gonzalez. She graduated from Ohio University with a Masters degree in psychology and later received a Masters degree in social work from the University of South Carolina. She worked at the Dorn VA Hospital as a clinical social worker and was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church before she became ill.

Surviving are her older son, Dale Charles Rieck, Jr. of Albany, Ga.; daughters, Marsha Rieck Worthy of Raleigh, N.C. and Anita Rieck Russell of Columbia; grandchildren, Dale Charles Rieck III of Yucca Valley, Calif., Jenny Lisa Rieck of Arlington, Va., Kimberly Clayton Rieck of Albany, Ga., Christopher Michael Worthy and Kevin William Worthy of Raleigh, N.C., Andrew Christopher Russell of Seattle, Wash. and Jason Scott Russell of Columbia; and her sister, Yvette Feliciano Dunbar of Landenburg, Pa. She was predeceased by her younger son, Clayton Allen Rieck and her sister, Margarita Feliciano Mendez.

Catherine Morrow

COLUMBIA Service for Catherine Morris Morrow, 81, of Sterling House Assisted Living, was held Monday at 4 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with entombment in Greenlawn Mausoleum. Visitation was Sunday 7–9 pm at the funeral home.

Mrs. Morrow, wife of the late Elvin Mauriece “Whitey” Morrow, died Saturday, December 4, 2004. Born in Lexington, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Eugene Lloyd and Cleo Sheppard Morris. She was a former member of Columbia Country Club. She was a member of Forest Lake Presbyterian Church, a volunteer with God’s Store House and a 2004 Blue Ribbon Winner at the S.C. State Fair in Ceramics.

Surviving are daughters, Janice M. Hutson and her fiance, Bill Price of Cocoa, Fla., Ellen M. Lowry of Columbia and Peggi M. Elfe and her husband, Charles D. Elfe, of Portsmouth, N.H.; and grandchildren, Heather Catherine Hutson of Atlanta, Ga., Kirsten N. Elfe and Brianna N. Elfe, both of Portsmouth, N.H.

Memorials may be made to Epworth Childrens Home.

Mary Schumpert

COLUMBIA Service for Mary Hutto Schumpert, 83, was held Wednesday at 11 am at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, Irmo, with burial in Elmwood Cemetery and Gardens. Rev. Mike Schumpert officiated. Serving as active pallbearers were Bill Payne, Joel Dix, Eddie Bignon, Milton Marsh, Richard Chabica, and Jerry Chabica. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Visitation was Tuesday 6–8 pm at the funeral home.

Mrs. Schumpert died Sunday, December 5, 2004. Born in Lexington County, she was a daughter of the late Birdy Lawrence Hutto and Ruth Swygert Hutto. She retired from the Chaplain’s Office at Fort Jackson.

Surviving are son and daughter–in–law, John L. and Pam Payne of Isle of Palms; daughter, Sharon Schumpert of Columbia; sisters, Vivian Bignon, Dorothy Wyatt, Barbara Dix, Carolyn Chabica and Faye Swygert, all of Columbia; grandchildren, Lori Tucker, Angela Corbett, Caitlin Schumpert, Bill Payne, Hunter Berry and Derek Schumpert; and great-grandchildren, Shane Corbett, Kelly Corbett and Lucy Tucker. She was predeceased by her son, David Payne and her brother, Francis H. “Bud” Hutto

Serge Lavoie

LEXINGTON Visitation for Serge Paul Lavoie, 41, was Wednesday 1–4 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. A private family service was held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Columbia City Ballet or a charity of one’s choice. Mr. Lavoie, prominent ballet dancer, teacher and coach, died Sunday, December 5, 2004, while on tour with Columbia City Ballet. Born in Lachine, Quebec, Canada, January 30, 1963, he was the son of Jean–Claude Lavoie and Therese Parr Lavoie. He made his first stage appearance at age eight in Swan Lake. By age nine he was enrolled in the school of the National Ballet of Canada from which he graduated in 1981.

He enjoyed a long and fulfilling professional association with the National Ballet of Canada, joining the company in 1982 and becoming a Principal Dancer in 1988. Mr. Lavoie’s repertoire there included a wealth of premier danseur roles: the title or principal characters in Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Eugene Onegin, and Don Quixote. When the company presented the Canadian premiere of John Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew, Mr. Cranko cast Mr. Lavoie as Petruchio; he received unbridled critical acclaim. “Admirable in his macho strutting and secure in his spins and leaps, he can also dance the virtuoso,” reported The Toronto Star.

At the 4th International Ballet Competition in Moscow Mr. Lavoie was awarded 1st prize for best partnership in the Junior Division. In June 1984 he won a silver medal in the 1st New York International Ballet Competition. His performances have graced festivals the world over including The Glory of Mozart Festival, Hamburg’s Nijinksy Gala and five appearances at Le Gala des Etoiles in Montreal. Many of Mr. Lavoie’s performances were filmed and broadcast internationally including Eugene Onegin – his personal favorite, Swan Lake and Blue Snake.

Mr. Lavoie’s elegant style and strong classical technique made him much in demand as a guest artist. He toured Italy in 1985 with “Stars and Soloists of Canadian Ballet,” then again in 1987 when mentor Rudolf Nureyev selected him for membership in “Nureyev and Friends.” Mr. Lavoie performed featured roles with London Festival Ballet, Basel Ballet in Switzerland, Berlin Opera Ballet, La Scala in Milan, Scottish Ballet, the Spoleto Festival in Australia, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

At the time of his death Mr. Lavoie was Ballet Master and Principal Teacher for Columbia City Ballet. Mr. Lavoie was also a principal teacher at Columbia Conservatory of Dance and principal guest instructor for National Ballet of Canada, Marin Civic Ballet. He has coached students for the American Youth Grand Prix, for admission to arts schools such as North Carolina School of the Arts and students who are now professional dancers with San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, Louisville Ballet, and Columbia City Ballet.

He came to Columbia in 1996 initially on a temporary professional engagement when he was invited to dance with Columbia City Ballet. He performed principal roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dracula, Dracula’s Revenge, Don Juan, Nutcracker, and The Sleeping Beauty partnering Prima Ballerina Mariclare Miranda. While dancing together as the title characters in Romeo & Juliet, he and Ms. Miranda fell in love and married. Fittingly, Mr. Lavoie made his final stage appearance earlier this year as Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet.

Mr. Lavoie was an accomplished visual artist and enjoyed Tae Kwon Do.

Surviving are his wife, Mariclare Miranda; daughter, Mila Louise Lavoie of Marin, Calif.; his father of Toronto, Ontario; his mother of Montreal, Quebec; sister, Carol Lavoie of Toronto, Ontario; the Miranda family who loved him very much; ten nieces and nephews; and company members and staff of Columbia City Ballet and the many devoted students and parents at Columbia Conservatory of Dance.

John Hendley

COLUMBIA Service for John M. Hendley, 83, was held Wednesday at 11 am at St. Martin’s–in–the–Fields Episcopal Church with burial in the church memorial garden. Visitation was Tuesday 5–7 pm at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.

Mr. Hendley died Saturday, December 4, 2004. Born in Charleston, he was the son of the late Coit T. and Lois Denaro Hendley. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina and member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He was a charter member of St. Martin’s–in–the–Fields Episcopal.

In 1940 Mr. Hendley joined the United States Marine Corps. He served for four years, and rose to the rank of Captain during World War Two. He commanded troops in the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific as a reconnaissance officer in the First, Second, and Fifth Marine Divisions. At war’s end, his unit was one of the first to arrive at Nagasaki, following the dropping of the atomic bomb on that city.

Following the war, Mr. Hendley returned to civilian life. An entrepreneur at heart, he engaged in several business ventures. He created a mortgage banking business, built and operated a motel in Myrtle Beach, raised Shorthorn cattle, and operated retail stores specializing in floor coverings for residential applications. In 1960 he founded John Hendley Carpets in Columbia and remained involved in this business until his death.

Mr. Hendley was active in professional, service, social and fraternal organizations. He served as exalted ruler of Columbia Elk’s Lodge 1190. He was a former member of Forest Lake Club, the Columbia Rotary Club, the Tarantella Club, the S.C. Shorthorn Breeders Association, the South Carolina Horse Show Association, the Marine Corps Association and First Marine Division Association.

Surviving are his wife, Louise Nance Hendley; daughters and sons–in–law; Anne and Bob Kearns of Hartsville, Susan and Jim Key of Greer and Marty and Gary Minkler of Seattle, Wash.; son and daughter–in–law, Scott and Vi Hendley of Columbia; nine grandchildren; and two great–grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Hospice, P.O. Box 7275, Columbia, S.C. 29202

Dr. William Latham

THE PHILIPPINES William Crawford Latham, Ph.D., 67, of Manila, the Philippines, died Wednesday, November 24, 2004 at home. Born October 5, 1937, in Ithaca, New York, he was the son of the late Dayton Frederick and Helen Crawford Latham.

Mr. Latham lived in Columbia for many years, graduating from Dreher High School and the University of South Carolina. Both in high school and in college, Mr. Latham was a long distance runner, holding state records in the mile, the indoor mile, the two–mile and cross-country simultaneously. After completing his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, he went to graduate school at Texas Tech, earning a masters in business administration and returned to the University of South Carolina, earning a Ph.D. in economics. He taught at Midlands Technical College, the College of Charleston, and Temple University in Tokyo.

He is survived by his wife, Shigeko Hattori Latham of the home; a daughter, Laura Latham Styles of Travelers Rest; two sons, William Crawford Latham Jr. of Columbia, and Tai Hattori Latham of Los Angeles, California; three brothers, Donald Crawford Latham of Bristow, Virginia, Robert Frederick Latham of Tampa, Florida, and Phillip Lane Latham of Columbia; one sister, Barbara Ann Latham of Spartanburg; two grandchildren, Sara Styles and Sam Styles; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held 3–5 pm Saturday, December 4, 2004, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Graveside services were held on Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 3 pm in Greenlawn Memorial Park.

Memorials may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, South Carolina Chapter, 1247 Lake Murray Boulevard, Irmo, S.C. 29063 or to the charity of one’s choice.

The family is at the home of his brother, Phillip Latham, 203 Wild Cherry Road, Columbia, S.C. 29223.