Dayton Floyd

Laurens, S.C. Funeral services for Dayton Hildon Floyd, age 87, formally of Bethune, who passed away September 20, will be held Saturday at 2:00 pm at the Chapel Norton Funeral Home in Hartsville. Rev. Michael Post will officiate. Visitation will be following the service. Burial will be at a later time in the Bethune Baptist Church Cemetery. Mr. Floyd was born in Galivants Ferry, S.C. a son of the late George Walter & Curley Alford Floyd. He was the sixth child of seven. He graduated from Aynor High School in 1941 and joined the Navy in 1943 and served in WW II until 1946. He graduated from the University of SC in 1950. He married Ruby Giddings in 1949, a union that lasted over 62 years. In 1954 they adopted three boys, Wayne, Tony and Ben. He lived in Columbia, SC until 1956 and traveled for the H.J. Heinz Co. for more than seven years and then moved to Galivants Ferry to take care of his Father. In 1958 he moved to Florence and lived for one year. In 1959, he moved to Bethune, S.C. and ran a Western Auto Store for over thirty-four years. He was honored as the State of South Carolina Small Business Man of the Year. He sold the store in 1994 and went to work for Wal-Mart. In 1999 he and his wife moved to the Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community in Laurens. Dayton was active as a Christian in Baptist Churches wherever helived and especially in Bethune. He was active in the Kershaw Baptist Association, serving as its moderator. In addition to the church, he was a Mason since 1957, 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Jamil Shriner. In 1975-76 he served as Worshipful Master of the Lynchwood Lodge #197, Bethune and served as Deputy Grand Master of Masons in SC for one year. He was a member of the Bethune Lions Club for more than forty years and was President for two terms. He was selected as Lion of the Year in 1994-95 and was honored by the club as a Melvin Jones Fellow, the highest honor given to a member of a local club. He is survived by his wife, Ruby Giddings Floyd, Laurens, three sons, Wayne Floyd, Fountain Inn, Tony Floyd, Elgin and Ben and Pamela Elliott Floyd, West Columbia, grandchildren Austin Floyd, Charleston, Benjamin Floyd, Tampa, Lynn and David Springer, Lexington and Dayton Elliott Floyd, West Columbia and one sister, Doretha Foxworth Rowell, Mullins. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Autiewell, Luther and A.B. Floyd and two sisters, Geneva Small and Eunice Singleton . Memorials may be made to the Martha Franks Retirement Community Endowment, 1 Martha Franks Drive, Laurens, S.C. 29360 or the charity of ones choice. www.nortonfh.net