Bennie Luther Sease

Bennie Luther Sease, 84, died Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Newberry County Memorial Hospital. He was born on December 26, 1932, in the St. Philip's Community of Newberry County to the late D. Govan Sease, Sr. and Frances Lee Hardy Sease. He was a life long member of St. Philip's Lutheran Church where he was a former Councilman, a former member of the Athletic Committee, a member of the Family Life Center Building Committee, a member of the JOY Fellowship, a member of the Lutheran Men on Mission and a former pitcher and coach for the St. Philip's Men's Softball Team. Bennie served in the South Carolina National Guard for nine years and was retired from the South Carolina Highway Department.

Next to God and his family, the most important thing in his life was baseball in the Pomaria and Mid-Carolina areas. He was a Dixie Youth coach for over 30 years and still enjoyed coaching from the sidelines. He was one of the founders of Dixie Youth Baseball in South Carolina. He served as President of Mid Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball League and as Assistant Director and then Director of SC District II Dixie Youth Baseball. He received the Danny Jones Sportsmanship Award, the highest adult award in DY Baseball, in 1992 and was recognized again later and received a watch for his dedication to DY Baseball. One of his most treasured moments was in 2016 when the ball field in Pomaria was named the Bennie Luther Sease Field. He touched the lives of many young men and boys and their families. His favorite past time was either watching or talking about baseball.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Frances Alliene L. Sease; a son, Morgan B. Sease (Kay) of Newberry; a daughter Karen S. Young (Robert) of Kinards; and a daughter Donna S. Pate (Joey) of Washington, NC; grandchildren, Brittany Ellisor, Ashley Ellisor, Joshua Pate (Stephanie), Cameron Clary (fiance, Hayley Lester), Karley Young, Rachel Young, Bennett Sease and Jacob Sease; great grandchildren, Jade Clary and Chase Pate; Sister, Barbara S. Hare of Newberry; Brother, David G. Sease, Jr. (Sally) of Lynchburg, VA; Sister-in-Law, Janet Livingston of Pomaria; numerous nieces and nephews and dear friends, Ronny and Dianne Bannister, Curtis Graham and Kaleb and Ian Willetts. He was predeceased by a brother-in-law, Heyward Hare of Newberry; brother-in-law, Edward “Smiley” Livingston of Pomaria; sisters-in-law, Jessie L. Robbins of Columbia and Norma L. Knox of Pomaria.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 19 at St. Philip's Lutheran Church by the Rev. Terry Amick and Rev. Andrew David Eargle. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home on Saturday, March 18, from 5:00-7:00 pm. Memorials may be made to St. Philip's Family Life Center, 2461 St. Philip's Church Road,Newberry, SC 29108, or to the Bennie Luther Sease Field, Town of Pomaria Recreation, P. O. Box 127, Pomaria, SC 29126. The family will be at the home of Morgan and Kay Sease, 4176 St. Philip's Church Road, Newberry.

Active Pallbearers: Barry Caton, Craig Livingston, Joshua Livingston, Aaron Livingston, Bill Hester, Scott Lominick, Chris Cromer, and Andy Moore.

Honorary Pallbearers: The Men's Breakfast Club (Men on Mission) and his Setback playing buddies.

The family would like to thank the staff at Palmetto Heath Richland, Columbia Heart, and Newberry County Memorial Hospitals for their loving care and attention to Bennie and his family.

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