Onless C. Lemon

Onless Charlton Lemon, beloved son of the late Charlton and Lurena Dukes-Lemon, was born Aug. 16, 1927, in Summerton. He fell asleep in death Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, at Tuomey Regional medical Center.

Lemon, who was a lovingly referred to as “Bubba,” received his secular education in Clarendon County. As an adult, he worked in the steel industry.

He was married to Dorothy Blanding in Clarendon County and they lived their early years in Baltimore, Md., and Brooklyn, N.Y. The couple moved to Wilmington, Del., where he then took a serious stand for the truth and later became a dedicated baptized witness of Jehovah on March 18, 1989.

He served as a ministerial servant in the local congregation and spent much time with Dorothy in the ministry until the very end.

Onless will be remembered as a very humble, caring and giving person. Besides engaging in the ministry, he also enjoyed preaching in seldom-worked territory, where he could share his beliefs about the paradise hope. He could also be found enjoying a good baseball game or tinkering with something around the house. His favorite Bible scripture was Isaiah 33:24.

He will be deeply missed and leaves to cherish his memory seven children, Edward C. Lemon, Charlton “Jr.” Lemon, Stephen D. Lemon and Geoffrey O. Lemon, all of Brooklyn, Alyce L. Lemon of Leesburg, Va., and Wanda N. Lemon-Dennis and Alton S. Lemon, both of Sumter; two daughters-in-law, Robin Lemon of Brooklyn and Gwendolyn Lemon of Durham, N.C.; a son-in-law, Jonathan Dennis of Wilmington, Del.; two sisters, Celia Mae Bennett of Baltimore and Haristeen Bozier of Summerton; a brother-in-law, Roosevelt Bozier; 15 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

A son, Arnold Lemon, and four sisters, Ella McKnight, Bertha Rea Tuck, Mary Ann Byas and Susan Daniels, preceded him in death.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses-West Congregation, 100 Lynam Road in Sumter.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter was in charge of the arrangements.