William C. Armfield, Sr.

William Clay Armfield, Sr., 88, widower of Doris Jean Gilliam Armfield, of Prosperity, died Friday, June 20, 2014, at Providence Hospital.

Born on June 21, 1925, in Johnston, he was a son of the late Otto Franklin Armfield, Sr. and Ruth Thrower Armfield. He was a World War II Army Air Force veteran having served as a radar mechanic sea searcher based in Panama. Mr. Armfield worked with his father and brother at The Newberry Sun, and was the owner and operator of The Whitmire News and The Prosperity Citizen. He had a working relationship with other small newspapers in South Carolina, including the Landrum Leader, and the Clinton Chronicle. He taught Graphic Arts at Fairfield County Career Center, owned and operated Armfield's Printing in Whitmire, SC, and was the owner of Armfield's Office Supply and Teacher's Supply in Newberry and Winnsboro, where he continued working until his death.

Mr. Armfield served in various clubs and organizations including the American Legion, Whitmire Jaycees, Newberry County School Board, Whitmire Town Council, Newberry County Council, Newberry County Development Board as Director, and Newberry County Hospital Foundation Board as the chairman. He directed several musical productions within the community. He donated and funded the Serenity Garden at Newberry County Memorial Hospital in honor of his loving wife, Doris Jean. Mr. Armfield was active in the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Whitmire Presbyterian Church where he was an Elder Emeritus and former choir director.

He is survived by sons, William Clay Armfield, Jr. and Al Craig Armfield (Carla); daughters, Jeannie Armfield Webber (Dick) and Christie Armfield Iannitelli (Jack); grandchildren, William Clay Armfield III, Leslie Patricia Armfield, Jeremy Lee Webber, Melissa Webber Richardson (Tyler), Alex Carl Armfield (Kelley), Haley Armfield Frye (John) and Christa Noel Armfield; step-grandchildren, Jennifer Gesuele (John), Michael Iannitelli (Anita) and Matthew Iannitelli (April) and ten great-grandchildren. Mr. Armfield was predeceased by a son Bobby Cameron Armfield, a brother Otto Franklin Armfield, Jr. and sisters Constance Armfield McHargue and Doris Armfield Sanders.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Monday, June 23, 2014 at Whitmire Presbyterian Church by his son-in-law Rev. Dick Webber. Burial will follow in Newberry Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at McSwain-Evans Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Whitmire Presbyterian Church, PO Box 276, Whitmire, SC 29178.