Ernest Spann

Ernest Spann, 72, husband of Queen Williams Spann, died Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born in Sumter County, he was the seventh of 10 children born to the late Timothy Spann Sr. and Maggie Williams Spann. Mr. Spann was a graduate of Lincoln High School in the Class of 1954. He earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education and a master’s degree in secondary counseling from S.C. State University, Orangeburg. Mr. Spann taught and coached at Scott’s Branch High School for more than 40 years. He coached several championship teams in football, baseball and basketball. He was a great athlete and received numerous awards for teaching, counseling and coaching. At an early age, he became a member of St Mark United Methodist Church in Mayesville.

Surviving are his wife, Queen Williams Spann of the home; two brothers, Eugene (Mary) Spann Sr. and Timothy (Hester) Spann Jr. of Sumter; four sisters, Ruby (Doris) Cain of Washington, D.C., Jeanette S Butler, Maggie S. Williams and Wilhelmena (Arnold) Houston of Sumter; brothers-in-law, James (Azalie) Williams of East Orange, N.J., Roosevelt (Berneatha) Williams and Thomas (Annette) Williams of Sumter; sisters-in-law, Susan Emma Spann of Columbia, Beatrice Spann of New Haven, Conn., Edith Wiggins of Tennille, Ga., Dorothy Smalls of Sumter, Rosalie (the Rev. Wilkins) Williams of Cheraw, Ruth (James) King of Clinton, Md., and Irene Graves of Union, N.J.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 9, 2007, at Scott’s Branch Middle School in Summerton with the Rev. W.W. Williams, presiding, assisted by Pastor Nate Brock, the Rev. Bernard Richburg, the Rev. Bobby Shaw and the Rev. Roosevelt Williams, eulogist.

Interment followed in Mayesville Community Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers and flower bearers will be members of the Lincoln High School Class of 1954 and the Scott’s Branch Middle and High School coaches.

Memorials may be made to the Scott’s Branch Athletic Department, c/o The Spann Family, 1121 Spann St., Sumter, S.C. 29153.

Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc. of Sumter was in charge of funeral arrangements.