Obituaries Jan. 29, 2025
Lynne Cox
Oct. 30, 1943 – Jan. 18, 2025
Carol Lynne Cox, 81, of Bennettsville, S.C., died from health complications related to dementia on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, surrounded by the love of her children as the sun broke out on a rainy day.
Lynne was born Oct. 30, 1943, in New Jersey. She was the daughter of Charles and Virginia Vogel. They lived in Michigan for a short time before her father settled the family, which also included Lynne’s younger sister, Joey, in Villanova, Pa. Life for her family revolved around the Philadelphia Country Club, where Lynne and Joey were members of the swim team. She excelled in freestyle and backstroke and said no one could beat her at backstroke.
Lynne graduated from Bucknell University in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. While at Bucknell, she was a member of the synchronized swimming team, and she met an interesting guy named Tom Cox. They went to a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity party together, and Tom’s fraternity brothers challenged him to kiss the very chaste Lynne Vogel. He did by the end of the night. They married on Jan. 20,1968, while he was a student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
In 1976, Lynne and Tom moved to Bennettsville, S.C., where Tom opened Marlboro Animal Hospital on Beauty Spot Road. Lynne took care of their three children, Colby, Kern and Wylie, teaching them to swim, throw a football, climb a tree and ride a horse. They often read books together at the end of the day sitting in a sunny spot on the front porch with music playing on the record player. Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings were her favorites (but there were many others to come).
While Lynne dearly loved her three children, she said the “greatest thing that ever happened to her” was finding Ferdinand and raising him. Ferdinand was a Black Angus bull that she found as a calf on the side of the road while driving to Camp Pee Dee to swim laps at the pool. She put him in her yellow Volkswagen Squareback and brought him home. She named him Ferdinand, bottle fed him and took him for walks with her German shepherd, Trudeau. Dementia never robbed her of his memory. She loved to tell the story of Ferdinand to anyone she met. And 10 minutes later, she would tell them the story again.
Lynne worked for a short time in the 1980s with the boll weevil eradication program in Marlboro County. She enjoyed walking the cotton fields and setting out the green traps, despite developing terrible rashes on her arms and legs from the cotton plants.
Lynne eventually moved back to Pennsylvania to be closer to her family after she and Tom divorced. She found a job working as a lab technician at Johnson Matthey, a specialty metals company. She was very proud of the work she did in the company’s gold lab matching product colors. She retired in her early 60s and then began working on a local farm named Sugartown Strawberries. She loved the hard, sweaty, dirty work of picking and planting, and she made a lifelong friend with the owner of the farm, Robert “Bob” Lange.
“Mommy,” as she was referred to by her three children, instilled in them a love of being outdoors and exercising. There was no reason to be inside if there was still daylight, according to Lynne. Later in life, Lynne would say she hated exercise, but up until May 2020, she walked two to three hours a day. She was quick to tell you that she had always been a runner, but her doctor advised her sometime in her 50s to quit running due to an old knee injury.
In 2016, Lynne’s children decided it was their turn to take care of their mother. For a couple of years, she went back and forth between her daughters’ homes in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, each sharing in the adventure of caring for Lynne. She got to enjoy beach trips, going to the Kentucky Derby, the Philadelphia Zoo, golfing, riding horses, acquiring cats (lots of cats), and riding out two hurricanes and no electricity for days. Lynne found humor in every situation.
Eventually, it was easier on Lynne to remain in South Carolina. Ironically, she was now living out her final years at her home on Beauty Spot Road in South Carolina with all three of her children providing care for her in various ways. She also looked forward to calls every Wednesday from her sister, Joey.
Colby, Kern and Wylie found ways to adapt to every new stage in the journey, finding joy and laughter in the simple moments with Mommy, who also continuously made the best of all situations. Dementia may have robbed Lynne of many memories, but never her sense of humor. Regardless of the challenges, Lynne’s children will look back on these years as happy times with their “Sweet Little Mother.”
Lynne was also blessed to have a team of angels who took very good care of her when the dementia began to take its toll. She was loved by many for her wit, her laughter, her strength and her beauty. The family will always be thankful to these ladies who came in and helped Lynne continue to have a great life.
Lynne was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie and Virgina Vogel, and her ex-husband, Tom Cox. She is survived by her three children, Colby (Kevin) Miller, Kern Cox, and Wylie (Leighton) Bell; her sister, Joey (Denny) Bement; four grandchildren, Ethan Cox, Cade Cox, Kevin Miller Jr. and Carly Miller; nephew Ned (Angie) Bement; and niece Collyn (Jeff) Gilbert.
Lynne never forgot her three children, her two special sons-in-law and of course, Ferdinand.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, March 29, at 10 a.m. at Cheraw First Baptist Church in Cheraw, S.C. The family will receive friends at their house on 615 Beauty Spot Road W., Bennettsville, after the service.
Due to Lynne’s love of animals, donations may be made to the Humane Society of Marlboro County in her memory. Donations can be made online at www.humanesocietyofmarlboro.org.
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Thomas E. Haigler Jr.
February 28, 1940 — December 16, 2024
Thomas E. Haigler Jr., 84, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2024 at the Veteran Village Nursing Home in Florence. Born in Orangeburg to Thomas E. Haigler Sr. and Lillie Mae Dantzler Haigler, he was the oldest of four brothers. A dedicated educator, proud veteran, family confidant, and active community member, Thomas was devoted to service and leadership.
After graduating from South Carolina State College with a degree in Chemistry, Thomas was commissioned into the U.S. Army. During his 14-year military career, he served his country both in the U.S. and abroad, ultimately achieving the rank of Major. After his military service, he taught high school chemistry and physics in Florence School District 2 and Chesterfield County Public School System. He also earned a Master’s degree in High School Science Education from the University of South Carolina.
He Is survived by his wife, Diane; daughters Angela, Allison, and Patricia; stepson Felix; grandson William; brother Willie; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of loving family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his brothers Robert and David.
Funeral services were held on December 23, 2024 at Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Florence, with interment at the Florence National Cemetery.
Online condolences may be made at www.smithfuneralhomesc.com.
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Annie Adams Lang
CHESTERFIELD – Mrs. Annie Adams Lang, age 96, peacefully departed this life and entered into heaven on the evening of January 21, 2025. She was surrounded by her daughters and loved ones during her final moments. Funeral services were held at 2:00 PM Sunday, January 26, 2025 from the chapel of Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home by Pastor Jason Pope, the Honorable Rep. Pastor Richie Yow, and Brent Taylor with burial to follow in the David’s Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 1:00 – 2:00 PM Sunday, prior to the service at the funeral home.
Annie’s remarkable journey began on September 4, 1928, in the heart of Chesterfield, where she was born into a vibrant family of nine children on a modest farm just a stone’s throw from the North/South Carolina border. Annie was the middle child of Ben Tillman and Mattie Hunter Adams. From her earliest days, she embodied resilience and tenacity, qualities forged from the Great Depression. Together, her family labored from dawn until dusk, with an unbreakable bond and collective strength that helped them navigate the trials of life.
In 1946, she met Bill, a young soldier just home from the war, and they quickly fell in love, embarking on a beautiful journey together. Moving to Thomasville, NC, she embraced her role as a devoted wife to a truck driver, tackling the challenges of nurturing five spirited children while coping with her partner’s life on the road and the long separations. With grace and resilience, she turned obstacles into cherished memories, her unwavering dedication to her family. Her children admired her strength, learning invaluable lessons in love and perseverance—a true legacy. In the early sixties, they returned to Chesterfield, continuing to raise their children. Annie found joy in the outdoors, tending to her flowers and garden, nurturing not only her plants but also the spirit of her family.
Annie’s twelve-layer chocolate cakes became famous, filling the hearts and tummies of her grandchildren and delighting the neighborhood kids, who affectionately called her Aunt Annie. Holidays at her home were a magnet for family and friends alike, and her welcoming nature created a warm haven for all who entered.
Along with her parents, Annie was preceded in death by her beloved husband of sixty-three years, William J. (Bill) Lang, her cherished son, Gary W. Lang, her daughter Melinda Woodward, and her infant grandson, Stephen Sellers. She joyfully reunites with her treasured siblings: James, Clyde, Bernice, John D., Dorothy, Shirley, and Gennie.
She continues to shine brightly through those she leaves behind—her children, Bonnie (Jackie) Rivers, Barbara (Donny) Sellers, and Debria (Andy) Carpenter of Chesterfield; her daughter-in-heart, Linda Lang of Summerville; son-in-heart, John Woodward of Ruby; her dear sister, Carlene Stroud of Kershaw and sister-in-law, Phyllis Adams of Concord.
Annie’s legacy flourishes in her grandchildren: Andy (Becky) Woodward, Rhonda (Chris) Mackey of Sanford, Chris (Anna) Sellers of Florence, Tracey (Curtis) Waldron of Mocks Corner, Adam Lang of Summerville, Barry (Pam) Adams, Brent Adams, Charlene (Kojak) White, Christy (Greg) Oliver, and Amanda Coxe, all sharing the love and warmth she instilled in them.
Her great-grandchildren carry on that spirit, including Rebecca (Dr. Brent) Fisher of Asheville, Austin Adams of Society Hill, Bailey Adams of Charleston, Courtney (Jonathan) Payares of Durham, Hunter Woodward US Army Fort Bragg, Conner (Patrick) Hinzman, Jacob Verrett, Lily Mackey and Wyatt Mackey of Sanford, Ben Mize of Mocks Corner, Cody (Megan) Sellers, Patrick (Kaitlin) Roscoe and Emory Roscoe of Cheraw, Baron (Courtney) Adams, Charli Gaskins, Justin Gaskins, Annie, Clayton, Jase, Ava and Emma Roscoe of Chesterfield, each a thread in the rich tapestry of her legacy.
Annie’s family extends further into great-great-grandchildren, including Alexander, Lilly, and Oliver Sellers, along with Eliza, Sullivan, Quinn Fisher, Tripp, Haze and Brynnlee Adams, and Luca Gaskins.
She cherished her sisters of the heart: Louise Brock, Cindy-Lou Cerrone, Barbara Lisenby, and her long-time neighbor Sylvia Hancock, alongside her brother of the heart, Hardy Sellers. Annie’s life was a testament to love, resilience, and an unyielding spirit—a legacy that will never fade.
Special thanks are given to the staff of Agape Hospice and CenterWell Home Health for the extraordinary care. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Westfield Creek Baptist Church, 316 Westfield Church Rd, Cheraw, SC 29520, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or a charity of one’s choice.
Miller-Rivers-Caulder Funeral Home (www.mrcfuneralhome.com) of Chesterfield, SC is serving the Lang family.
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Theodosia Earnestine Thomas Quick
BENNETTSVILLE – Theodosia Earnestine Thomas Quick, aged 99, passed away on January 21, 2025. She was born on December 12, 1925, in Bennettsville, SC, to the late Henry Rufus and Annie Knight Thomas.
Theodosia dedicated her life to the Lord and her career to Delta Mills in Wallace, SC, from which she later retired. She found joy in dining out, particularly enjoying meals after church on Sundays. Her passion for baking was complemented by her commitment to volunteer with various organizations. An avid movie watcher, her favorite film was “Gone with The Wind.” However, her greatest pleasure came from family gatherings, where she delighted in storytelling and sharing cherished moments.
Along with her parents, listed above, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Wallace; her brother, Henry R. “Butch” Thomas; and her grandchildren, Crystal Gail Gardner, and Gene Dixon, Jr.
Theodosia leaves behind to cherish her memory, a sister, Betty “Margie” Thomas Pruitt; her grandson, David Dixon (Jane) of Christiana, TN; ten great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in Bennettsville, SC.
Kiser Funeral Home has been entrusted to serve the Quick family in their time of grief.
Online condolences may be made at www.kiserfuneralhome.com.
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Christine Driggers Terry
WALLACE – Christine Driggers Terry, 71, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2025. She was born in Cheraw, SC, to the late Francis and Alice Lightbody Driggers. A cherished member of her community, Christine was a member Oak Grove Ministry Church, where she served as a former member of the Oak Grove Women. She was also a member of Woodmen of the World.
Christine had a profound love for family and was affectionately known as “Mamaw” to many, extending her warmth beyond her own family. She dedicated over 30 years of her career to Burlington Industries in Cordova, NC, from which she later retired.
In her leisure time, Christine enjoyed unwinding with investigative television shows, a pastime that brought her great joy.
She is survived by her daughters, Christy Byrd of Cheraw, SC, Leslie (Edward) Brigman of Wallace, SC, and a son, Terry Lee (Casey) Terry of Wallace, SC, brothers, Donnie (Dianne) Driggers of Cheraw, SC, Doug (Jerry) Driggers, of Wallace, SC, sisters, Stacey (Bruce) Puette of Wallace, SC, and Laura (Ralph Chavis) Driggers of Wallace, SC, grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth Byrd, Emilee Grace Byrd, Julia Kate Byrd, Lauren Jones, Carrington “Shuggie” Jackson, Grayson Jackson, Trenton (Lynsee) Winburn, Ashton Terry, and Caleb Terry and great-grandchildren, Landon Noah, Luna Alice, Juliette Renee, Jovelynn Anne, and John-Calvin Robert and her grandchildren at heart, Hailey Driggers, and Michelle Driggers.
The family received friends at Oak Grove Ministry Church from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
A funeral service followed at 3:00 PM at Oak Grove Ministry Church with burial in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to: Oak Grove Ministry Church, c/o Peggy Shaw, 3638 Marion Drive, Wallace, SC 29596.