Courier Obituaries 10-22-25 |

10/21/2025 Obituaries

Courier Obituaries 10-22-25

BILLY WAYNE NICHOLS

SENECA — Billy Wayne Nichols, 54, husband of Kassie A. Nichols, of Seneca, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Born in Easley, Mr. Nichols was the son of the late Kenneth and Sybil J. Morgan Nichols. He was a self-employed contractor. Mr. Nichols was of the Baptist faith and a member of Fairview Community Church.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Nichols is survived by his daughters, Marlee Gem Nichols and Peyton Elizabeth Nichols; brother, William Kenneth Nichols; sister, Brittany Nichols; father-in-law, Henry J. Field Jr.; uncle, Tony Morgan; aunts, Pricilla DaCosta, Carolyn Edens, Elaine Steele and Margaret Porter; and cousins, Layla DaCosta, Jamey Mays and Heather Dabbs.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Nichols was preceded in death by his daughter, Jordan Marlenea Nichols; mother-in-law, Marlene Field; and sister-in-law, Samantha Arledge.

Funeral services were held on Oct. 18 at Davenport Funeral Home. Burial followed at Fairview Community Church.

Flowers are accepted, or memorials may be made to Christ Central Ministries at christcentralministries.org/ccmo.

The family members are at their respective homes.

RAY WILLIAM FERGUSON

EASLEY — Ray William Ferguson, 91, of Easley, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.

Born on Jan. 7, 1934, in Greenville, Ray was the son of the late Nita Merck Ferguson and J.D. Ferguson.

Ray was the proud owner of Clear Springs Fishing Lake in Easley, where he built a welcoming place for friends, family and fellow anglers to gather. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, he especially enjoyed fishing and spending time with his beloved cats, Toby and Buttercup. Earlier in life, Ray worked as an electrician, a trade he took great pride in.

Ray is survived by his loving son, Randall Ferguson (Tammy); his daughter-in-law, Greta Ferguson; grandchildren, Johnny Ray Ferguson Jr., Matthew Ferguson, Brett Ferguson, Kelly Long and Jessica Ferguson; several great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his brother, Hugh Ferguson, and his sister, Elaine Granger.

In addition to his parents, Ray was preceded in death by his devoted wife, Barbara Lee Gardner Ferguson; his sons, Johnny Ray Ferguson Sr. and Thomas Neil Ferguson; as well as his siblings, Frank Ferguson and Kathleen Bryant.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Interim Hospice and to Ray’s devoted caregivers, Starr Waller and Debra Morris, for their exceptional care, kindness and compassion. They also wish to extend sincere appreciation to Billy Morris for his many contributions in caring for the home and Clear Springs Fishing Lake.

At this time, the family will be receiving support privately in their own homes.

Services for Ray William Ferguson were held on Oct. 17 at Dillard Funeral Home, with a burial at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Flowers are accepted, but donations may be made in honor of Mr. Ferguson to an organization of one’s choice.

PHILLIP MATTHEW ‘MATT’ PACE

PICKENS — Phillip Matthew “Matt” Pace, 49, of Pickens, passed away at his home on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025.

Born on July 11, 1976, in Pickens County, Matt was the beloved son of Kathy Pace Brooks and the late Phil Pace.

He was a member of Pickens First Baptist Church and lifelong enthusiast of Clemson Tigers football. Matt loved fishing and road trips to the mountains.

He had a deep appreciation for NASCAR and hot rods and was also an avid gun and hot wheel collector.

He loved spending time at home with his faithful dog, Buddy, but most of all, he loved his daughter, Meredith.

Matt is survived by his wife, Brandy; his daughter, Meredith Turner Pace (Ethan Brackett); his sister, Mandy Pace; and his nephew, Gage Pace.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Hank and Pauline Pace and D.M. and Mildred Hayes.

A visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. Oct. 22 in the chapel of Mountain View Funeral Home in Pickens, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m.

Flowers will be accepted, or donations can be made to a charity of your choice in Matt’s name. Mountain View Funeral Home is serving the Pace family.

BETTY MCDONALD

PICKENS — Betty McDonald, 78, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, surrounded by her family.

Betty was born on April 4, 1947, in Pickens, to the late Cullen and Ophelia Galloway Collins. She loved to worship and serve at Lakeview Baptist Church. Betty enjoyed being outside working in her flower garden or riding the golf cart. She was always up for a good game of Bingo. The thing she cherished most was the time she got to spend with her grand and great-grandchildren.

Betty was survived by two sons, Richard and Michael McDonald (Amy); five grandchildren, Heather Moore (Cody), Steven Barker (Allisa), Ashley Tolley (Zach), Abbie Clark and Kaitlyn Barnett (Toby); three stepgrandchildren, Jordan O’Connell (Brit), Brady O’Connell and Danielle Reeves (Eric); and 15 great-grandchildren, Aubree Moore, Bryson Moore, Chase Moore, Brian Alton Winchester Jr., Logan Barker, Alexis Barker, Trinity Tooley, Matthew Posey, Disteney Tooley, Madison Bridgeman, Zoey Tooley, Sadie Tooley, Camron Willis and Aaron McDonald.

In addition her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband, James “Jimmy” McDonald, and her daughter, Rhonda Barker.

A funeral service was conducted on Oct. 20 in the chapel of Dillard Funeral Home.

A message of condolence may be expressed to the family by visiting dillardfunerals.com.

RONNIE ROACH SR.

PICKENS — It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ronald Wayne “Ronnie” Roach Sr., who left this world peacefully on Oct. 17 at the age of 78.

Born on May 22, 1947, in Easley, he was a son of the late Ed Lee and Mattie Estelle Woods Roach.

Ronnie was a proud entrepreneur and the owner-operator of Keowee Muffler Shop, where he served the community with integrity and hard work. His commitment to his craft and his friendly demeanor made him a local favorite. Outside of his work, he found immense joy in the great outdoors. He was an avid deer hunter and fisherman, often sharing stories of his adventures with friends and family.

Most of all, he loved his Lord and Savior and was currently attending Calumet Baptist Church.

Those left to cherish his memory are his sons, Ron Roach Jr. (Anita) and Rev. Eddie Roach (Patty), and his cherished grandchildren, Pressley Roach, Taylor Garrick, Sunny Brown (Jake), Cassy Poole (Marc) and Griffith, Addie and Cheyenne Roach. Also surviving are his nephew and best buddy, Brian Morgan; a brother, Frank Roach; and three great-grandchildren, Sadie, Luke and Beau.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Joseph Bradley Roach; three sisters, Pat Sexton, Ruth Porter and Hazel Patton; and four brothers, Robert, Kenneth, Jerry and Mike Roach.

In honor of Mr. Roach’s life, a funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 22 in the Liberty Mortuary chapel. He will be laid to rest at Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the mortuary.

To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, please visit libertymortuary.com.

FRANK REEVES

EASLEY — Norman Franklin “Frank” Reeves passed peacefully on Oct. 19, 2025, on the land he was born upon 93 years earlier.

Born in the town of Central in 1931, Frank was the youngest son of Weston and Ruth Gillespie Reeve. He was one of seven children and was predeceased by his parents and all but his youngest sister.

Frank joined the United States Air Force in 1951 and served both in the United States as well as being stationed in Casablanca, Morocco. He received a commendation from his commanding office while stationed in Reno, Nev., for his assistance with clearing roadways so that a radio operation survival video could be made for soldiers who were fighting in the front lines of the Korean War. Frank later deployed to Morocco, where he managed the parts and motor pool for the Nouasseur Air Base. He was later stationed at the Charleston Air Base and Donaldson Air Bases in South Carolina as Air Force Reserve. He attained the rank of Airman 1st Class.

In 1955, Frank married JoAnn Chapman of Easley, and they enjoyed 64 years together before JoAnn passed away in 2019. They have two sons, Randy Reeves (Beverly) and Scott Reeves (Tami), both of Easley. Frank and JoAnn enjoyed numerous trips driving across the United States and visiting Frank’s family and friends he met in service.

Frank was a successful businessman in Upstate South Carolina, starting a road construction company and later a paving company that employed hundreds of people over almost 50 years.

He was known for being the man responsible for building Highway 107 in 1968, a difficult road construction project over the mountains connecting Walhalla in Oconee County to Cashiers, N.C. He was also known for the grading of numerous commercial projects, including the Town and Country Shopping Centers in Easley and Seneca.

After Frank’s retirement from road construction, he built a hay and cattle farming business on his home place in Central. Frank continued to drive his tractors and bale hay until weeks before his death. He was never happier than while sitting in the cab of a tractor or piece of construction equipment or when telling stories of his time in Morocco to his hay customers. Frank enjoyed many years of breakfast and lunch tables at local restaurants filled with his friends.

Frank and JoAnn are survived by one granddaughter, Mandy Reeves Townes (Chad), and five grandsons, Justin Reeves (Nikole), Scotty Reeves, Zach Reeves (Ashlee), Trace Reeves and Logan Reeves (Meghan).

He is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren, Reeve Townes, AM Townes, Hannah Reeves, Zachary Reeves, Levi Reeves, Molly Reeves, Rylee Reeves, Scarlett Reeves, Ridge Reeves, Jaxon Reeves, Mason Reeves, Westin Reeves, Paetyn Reeves and Ella Kate Reeves.

The family will be hosting a private graveside service to celebrate Frank’s life and legacy.

Visit robinsonfuneralhomes.com or Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory-Downtown, Easley.

FRAN T. KING

EASLEY — Frances Taylor “Fran” King, 78, beloved wife of the late Michael Edwin King, passed away Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.

Born in Greenville County, she was a daughter of the late Horace Lafayette Taylor and Carrie Virginia Cochran Taylor.

Fran was a graduate of Hillcrest High School. She worked in customer service with companies including Southern Bell, Greenville Memorial Hospital and St. Francis Hospital. She was a longtime member of Rock Springs Baptist Church. She also enjoyed spending time with crafts.

Surviving are her sons, Jason King (Erica) of Liberty and Josh King of Minneapolis, Minn.; her precious granddaughters, Maddie King Potter (Dylan) and Kennedy King; her sisters, Nancy Snipes (Gregg) of Greenville and Carolyn Miffleton (George) of Highlands, N.C.; and a brother, Bert Taylor (Mittie) of Greenville.

The family will receive friends from 10-10:50 a.m. Nov. 8 at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road, with a service to celebrate Fran’s life at 11 a.m. in the chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pickens County Shelter of Hope, 141 City View Circle, Pickens, SC 29671.

The family members will be at their respective homes.

Visit robinsonfuneralhomes.com or Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory-Powdersville Road, Easley.

REVA LEE PRESNELL

PICKENS — Born Oct. 5, 1947, in Banner Elk, N.C., Reva Lee Presnell, 78, passed away peacefully at her home in Pickens on Oct. 14, 2025.

She was the daughter of General Vance Presnell and Susie Anna Hicks.

Reva was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her husband, Baxter Lennie Presnell; a sister, Susie Hannah Presnell; and a brother, Floyd Marshal Ward.

She is survived by a sister, Eunice Harmon of Banner Elk, N.C., and a brother, Richard (Ricky) Presnell of Easley. She is also survived by three daughters, Julia Alexander of Pickens, Rosanna Napier of Zionville, N.C., and Keneika Presnell of Liberty; a son, Baxter Lennie Presnell Jr. of Liberty; grandchildren, Reva and Anna Alexander and Joanna Tester; and a great-grandchild, Rune Leone.

Reva Lee Presnell was known as a woodcarving artisan alongside her husband, Baxter. Their business, End of the Road Crafts, took them far and wide across the U.S. They peddled their wood crafts along with other artisans and built community both locally and across the states. They collected friendships, memories and even rocks from every place they traveled.

Reva nurtured a loving home filled with multiple generations starting in North Carolina and ending in South Carolina. No matter where she called home, she was surrounded by friends, family and God.

Reva was a devout Christian, and her strong faith was felt by the church community in S.C. and in N.C. Her membership with the WPO was a powerful inspiration of fellowship to all.

Reva will be remembered for her kindness and generosity; through gifts of homemade jellies, jams, fried apple pies and more delicious recipes. The cherished stories she shared from all her travels; every picture, every recording, every carving and Elvis will forever remind us of her. A life and love so rich we will never forget her name, her story, her legacy. Even in her final days, the friendships built and cherished followed her and will keep her memory alive.

Reva Lee Presnell will undoubtedly be missed by all!

A gathering of friends was held on Oct. 19 in the chapel of Mountain View Funeral Home in Pickens.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at mountainviewfunerals.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks and appreciates donations to help with expenses to Julia Alexander, 106 Medlin Drive, Pickens, SC 29671.

A special thanks goes to the local Hospice of The Upstate.

Mountain View Funeral Home is serving the Presnell family.

MARGIE WEST

EASLEY — It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Margie West, beloved mother, grandmother and cherished friend, who left us peacefully on Oct. 17, 2025, at the age of 81.

Born on March 28, 1944, in Pickens, she was the widow of Marion Kenneth West and a daughter of the late James and Eunice Turner Young.

She spent her life nurturing those she loved. A devoted homemaker, she found immense joy in caring for her family and creating a warm, loving home.

Margie is survived by her son, Mike West; daughter, Denise Grant; her beloved grandchildren, Brad West (Cricket) and Blake West; and five great-grandchildren, Wrenn, Mason, Maddox, Krya and Josh.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Patricia Nell Batson, Louise Chandler and Linda Gillespie; and two brothers, Eugene and Henry Young.

Family was everything to her, and she took pride in watching her children and grandchildren grow. Her love for them was matched only by the companionship of her cherished dog, Bella, who brought her endless comfort and joy. Throughout her life, she loved to travel with her husband with his music career.

Funeral services to honor the life of Margie West were held Oct. 21 in the Liberty Mortuary chapel. She was laid to rest beside her husband at Liberty Memorial Gardens.

We gather to share our memories, laughter and tears, honoring the beautiful legacy she leaves behind.

To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, please visit libertymortuary.com. Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements.