North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years

By John Smithson The year 2020 has been the year most want to forget. High school sports had already been dealt a bad hand when spring sports were cancelled early last March due to the many unknowns surrounding COVID-19. As schools cancelled classes for the year, disappointed athletes in all sports waited to see what might happen in the fall. During the summer North Myrtle Beach High School fall sports teams waited and watched to see what the South Carolina High School League would do. Preparations were started then stopped until finally all teams found out their shortened schedules for …

Mrs. Katherine Martin Causey, 84, passed away on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. Mrs. Causey was born on Oct. 9, 1935, in Loris, to the late Marvin Douglas “M.D.” Martin and the late Gracie Mae Rae Martin. Mrs. Causey retired from Loris Manufacturing as a Supervisor. She also worked at the Alabama Theater and Sea Haven Home for Boys. Mrs. Causey was a life long member of Community Baptist Church.  Survivors include her son, Terry Causey of Loris; daughter, Cathy Brown and husband, Bob of Shallotte, N.C.; four grandchildren, Brea Faircloth and husband, Cane, Kayanna Hill and husband, Avery, Trevor Causey, and …

Norma Miller Wilkerson, 81, of North Myrtle Beach, passed away on Sept. 25, 2020, at River Park Senior Living in Little River. Norma was born on Nov. 7, 1938, in Concord, N.C., and lived in Lumberton, Raleigh and North Myrtle Beach.  She was preceded in death by her mother, Theo Morrison Miller, and her father, Marshall Miller, a sister, Alice Miller Allison, and a son, William Alan Lippard.  She is survived by her brother, Marshall Miller and his wife Carolyn of Winston-Salem; two sons, Hunt Lippard and his wife Wendy of Raleigh and Trent Lippard and his girlfriend Amanda of …

Mr. Don Mills, 75, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Mr. Mills was born on Feb. 3, 1945 in Loris, to the late Oscar Corbett and Leila Suggs Mills. He was also predeceased by his two brothers, Lloyd Mills and Corbett Mills. Mr. Mills worked as carpenter and was of the Baptist faith.  Survivors include his son, Gary Mills of Whiteville, N.C.; two daughters, Donna Sellers and husband, Stevie of Chadbourn, N.C., and Kelly Bryson of Whiteville; the children’s mother, Priscilla Norris Mills of Whiteville; four grandchildren, Matthew Sellers, Jessica Sellers, Brinley Bryson, …

Mr. John Turner “J.T.” West Sr., 83, of Loris passed away on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 at his home following an illness. He was born on Nov. 18, 1936, in Loris, to the late Lewis Thomas West and the late Gracie Estelle Goff West. He worked in sales at Hardee Manufacturing until his retirement and was a longtime active member of Mt. Leon Baptist Church where he served as a deacon for many years.  Survivors include his loving wife of sixty-one years, Versie Carter West of the home; three sons, John West Jr. and wife Tammy of Longs. Trevor West …

Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Taylor, 59, of Longs  died on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach. Born on Nov. 17, 1960, in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of Tom and Julann Berry Nolan. Beth worked for 22 years with the 911 Center in the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, spending 15 years as a supervisor. She worked for five years with the Myrtle Beach Police Department and three years at the South Carolina Department of Healthand Environmental Control (DHEC). Survivors include her husband, Dwight E. Taylor; three brothers, Steve Nolan (Terry), Tom Nolan …

David Edgar Bell Jr., 58, of Loris passed away on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at MUSC in Charleston. He was born on June 6, 1962, in Mullins to the late David Edgar Bell, Sr and the late Helen Jean Cox. Mr. Bell worked at PVI Enterprises as a carpenter. He was a Baptist.  Survivors include his wife, Kathy Bell of the home; and three sisters, Vicky Lou Faulk and husband Weldon of Pireway, N.C., Teressa Burrows of Loris, and Jamie Lynn Bell Lara and husband Rigo of Conway. Mr. Bell was predeceased by his brother, Donald Earl Bell. Graveside services …

Bobby Giambrone (nè William Robert Giambrone), 72, of Little River went to his heavenly home on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. Bobby was born on April 8, 1948, in Greenville.  He was the son of Frank and Francis (Gray) Giambrone and brother of Richard Frank “Butch” Giambrone.  He graduated from Parker High School in Greenville.  Bobby achieved several associate degrees, including one in criminal justice.  He went on to become a Greenville County Sheriff’s deputy.  While in this position, he was one of two to begin a rescue diver program.  He loved diving and was known to go on many diving …

Elizabeth Bruce Porter “Liz” Petit, 89, of North Myrtle Beach died on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at the home of her daughter of North Myrtle Beach. Born on Aug. 1, 1931, in Scotland, she was a daughter of the late John and Clementine Bruce North Porter. Liz was a member of Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church in North Myrtle Beach where she was active in both the Explorers Sunday School Class and the Prayer Shawl Group. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth M. Petit; sister, Alison Rex; sister- in-law, Jennie Petit Russell; brother-in-law, James T. “Jim” Petit; three nieces; and two nephews. …

By Ruben Lowman North Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Drive Elementary was named a National Blue Ribbon School last Thursday by the Department of Education, the highest achievement a school can receive. The school, located on 11th Avenue North between Highway 17 and Ocean Boulevard, is just the fourteenth in Horry County to earn the distinction. Ocean Drive Elementary Principal Renea Fowler said that her school was extremely honored to get such a coveted award, especially for her teachers and faculty to be recognized for their hard work and dedication in educating and enriching their students. Fowler explained that the school got …