Waters-Powell Funeral Home

10/14/2026

Obituary for Brenda C. Rhodes

FLORENCE – Brenda Collins Rhodes, 79, died peacefully Wednesday morning, October 14, 2026, at home after an extended illness.
She was born in Florence, a daughter of the late Harry Tifton and Vencie Brown Collins. She graduated from McClenaghan High School. Along with her husband, Jimmy Rhodes, she was co-owner and vice-president of Jimmy Rhodes Opticians in Florence. She then worked as a loan officer with South Carolina State Credit Union for over 20 years until her retirement.
Brenda was a member of ChristPoint Church and a long-time member of the Florence S**g Club.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, James L. “Jimmy” Rhodes, of the home; two sons, Jamie Rhodes of Myrtle Beach, SC, and Blake D. Rhodes (Brandy) of Leland, NC; a daughter, M. Blair Rhodes, of Florence; a sister, Joan C. Smith of Charlotte, NC; a brother, Richard Collins (Gwen) of Florence; nine grandchildren: Jessice Cassidy, Tyler Rhodes, Chase Rhodes, Morgan Sanford, Austin Rhodes, Dalton Rhodes (Liz), Leah Rhodes, Caroline Rhodes, and Lucas Feltes; and three great-grandchildren, Addilyn Rhodes, Colton Cassidy, and Kinsley Cassidy.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 16, 2026, at ChristPoint Church with burial following in Florence Memorial Gardens.

09/30/2026

Obituary for Joy Brunson Fields

Brenda Joyce “Joy” Brunson Fields, went home to be with our LORD and Savior, September 26, 2026, at the age of 83. She was born on August 30, 1943, in Charleston, South Carolina. Joy was the daughter of Clara Elizabeth Morris Brunson and Ellis Manning Brunson. When she was very young her family moved to Florence where she attended school and graduated from McClenaghan High School. She worked at Sexton Dental Clinic, Florence General Hospital, Carolina Car Rental, and as a self-employed hairdresser. She had a gift for making people look good, and filled her life with family, friendships, laughter, adventure, and plenty of stories.
She was married to William D. Fields, and together they had two children. Joy is survived by her children, William Scott Fields (Donna) and Tiffany Paige Tolley (Mike); grandchildren, Nathan Fields, Lauren Fields, Ransom Scott, Grace Lovejoy (Caleb) and Clara Tolley; great-grandchildren, Sophie and Thomas; sister, Jacque Flowers; brother-in-law, Phil McLeod; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, J. Leonard Alston and her sisters, Ida B. McLeod and Pat B. Munn.
Joy lived life with plenty of spirit and personality; a true southern woman with a big heart, a strong personality, and absolutely no shortage of opinions. She loved her family and enjoyed cooking Mayou’s recipes for them. She loved her church, shopping all over town to find a good deal; margaritas and a good pig pickin.’ She enjoyed taking care of her plants and flowers and certainly had a “green thumb” as she could bring any plant back to life.
Joy leaves behind a family who will miss her fiercely, countless memories, and enough stories to keep them laughing for years to come. She will be remembered for her love of family, her southern spirit, her big heart, and her ability to make sure everyone knew exactly where they stood. She is truly unforgettable!
The family would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Marwan Elya and Dr. Vipul Shah and their team of physicians and nurses, especially Mary Kruse and Allen Tamburrino at the CVICU at McLeod for facilitating Joy’s return to Florence and taking such care of our loved one. We also appreciate Tiffany Beard, home health nurse, for assisting Joy to live independently and managing her care at home.
A service to celebrate Joy’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Florence Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ChristPoint Church, 800 King Avenue, Florence, SC 29501.
Rest peacefully, Joy. We love you and we’ll meet you in heaven one day.

09/22/2026

The Celebration of Life service for Dr. Danny Hyler will be shared by live-stream. To view the stream, please click on the following link:

Join at this link on September 22, at 4:00 PM (America/New_York time) to watch live.

09/21/2026

Obituary for Daniel Wesley Hyler, MD

FLORENCE - Dr. Daniel Wesley Hyler, age 71, died peacefully at his home on Friday, September 18, 2026, after an extended illness.
Dr. Hyler was born in Florence, South Carolina on February 18, 1955, the son of the late Columbus Eugene Hyler, Sr. and Sarah Christabelle “Chris” Bazen Hyler. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son, Jonathan Wesley Hyler and sibling Randy Hyler. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Deborah Windham Hyler, his children Jennifer Yacoubian (Dikran) and Julia Hyler, grandchildren Ellie Hyler, Olivia Yacoubian and Noah Yacoubian, former daughter-in-law Bethany Martin. Siblings include Columbus Eugene (Junior) Hyler Jr., Susan Hyler, and Crystal Hyler, numerous nieces and nephews including the Rollins family (Jim, Cynthia, Hagan and Emmy) who held a special place in his heart. He treasured the many memories they made together, and especially cherished being known as “Uncle Danny.” Other treasured family members include sister-in-law Lisa (Lex) Matthews, Justin Matthews (Olivia), and Thomas Matthews.
Dr. Hyler graduated from West Florence High School in 1972, Francis Marion University in 1981, and received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1985. He completed his internship and residency in Family Medicine at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC in 1988. Board Certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Hyler dedicated more than 38 years to the practice of medicine. He was currently employed by HopeHealth. Past employment includes serving as medical director of Pruitt Hospice (2023 – 2025), McLeod Physician Associates (May 2005 - March 2017), P*e Dee Family Physicians (1988 – 2005), Health South Rehabilitation Center, Optifast Weight Loss Program at Bruce Hospital, and various hospital emergency rooms. Professional affiliations included Carolinas Hospital Systems (MUSC Health), and McLeod Health.
Dr. Hyler’s professional memberships included Chief of Staff, Medical Executive Committee at Carolinas Hospital Systems; President of the Florence County Medical Society for multiple terms; State Delegate to the South Carolina Medical Association; member of the South Carolina Association of Family Medicine, and the American Medical Association. Teaching experience includes Preceptor, Francis Marion University Nurse Practitioner program and McLeod Family Medicine Center; adjunct faculty for MUSC medical students and nurse practitioners.
Dr. Hyler served on the McLeod Foundation Board of Trustees (2005 – 2013); the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Academy of Family Practice; and was a member of the South Carolina Association of Family Medicine and the American Medical Association. He was currently serving on the Florence County Opioid Recovery Fund Committee. Throughout the years, he precepted many medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. He was a member of the Men in Black Stock Club where he enjoyed learning about the stock market while building lasting friendships.
Dr. Hyler and Debbie shared a passion for their community; as co-owners of the P*e Dee Pride hockey team from 2002-2005, they saw the team as more than just a source of entertainment – it was an opportunity to bring people together, build community spirit, and create lasting memories for families throughout the P*e Dee. His philanthropic passions centered on two causes that were especially close to his heart: education and healthcare. Through his generosity and commitment to giving back, he sought to make a lasting difference in the lives of others and strengthen the community he loved.
Dr. Hyler was a man of deep and unwavering Christian faith. He found great joy in sharing his faith with others and encouraging those around him. His love for the Lord was evident not only in his words, but in the kindness, compassion, and love he showed throughout his life.
Dr. Hyler embodied the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, dedicating his life to healing, and the well-being of his patients. As a physician, he treated his patients like family, caring for each person with genuine compassion and respect. He was always willing to listen, and made those in his care feel heard, valued, and truly cared for. He exemplified the highest ideals of the medical profession, living the oath through a lifetime of compassionate service to others.
Dr. Hyler enjoyed spending time at the lake, and treasured the quiet beauty of nature, particularly the changing colors of a sunset. He had a lifelong fascination with the night sky and loved gazing at the stars and planets. He was extremely witty and loved celebrating the holidays with friends and family. He found joy in the simple things in life and had a deep appreciation for the little things that brought joy and meaning to life. He left an indelible mark on the lives of so many, reaching far beyond his profession, touching the lives of countless people. The legacy he leaves behind will continue through the many lives he enriched.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Hyler’s HopeHealth family, who graciously loved and supported him during his illness. In addition, a special thank you to Dr. Rajesh Bajaj, Dr. Brian Blaker, Dr. Vikas Gupta, Dr. Ravi Parikh, Dr. Deepak Chowdhary, Dr. John Gause, Dr. Alan Blaker, Dr. Nicolette Naso, Dr. Brian Wall, Dr. Dean Lorenz, MUSC Health Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, Florence First Responders, the McLeod PTCU nursing staff, and the nurses at the McLeod Infusion Center who cared for him with such compassion and kindness. They would also like to thank their dear friends and members of the medical community who stood beside them throughout Dr. Hyler’s illness.
A celebration of life service will be held at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at Central United Methodist Church, 167 South Irby Street in Florence. Visitation will immediately follow the service in the Spears Fellowship Hall.
Memorials may be made to The School Foundation, 320 West Cheves Street, Suite 175, Florence, SC 29501, the McLeod Health Foundation, P. O. Box 100551, Florence, SC 29502-0551, or Francis Marion University Education Foundation, P. O. Box 100547, Florence, SC 29502.

06/22/2026

Obituary for James Herman Hutchinson, Sr.

James Herman Hutchinson, Sr., 91, of Florence, South Carolina, went to meet his Maker on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Mr. Hutchinson was born the son of the late Ila Mae Thompson and Otis Herman Hutchinson, Sr. He was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina.
He served in the United States Navy on the U.S.S. Yorktown as a radioman from September, 1952 to November, 1955. He was a conductor with CSX Railroad for forty-one years and was an active member of the Railroad Retiree Club.
He was a member of Peace Free Will Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Laurie Gray Hutchinson; his brother, Otis Herman Hutchinson, Jr.; and his daughter, Julie Ann Hutchinson.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Michael; a son, James Herman “Jamie” Hutchinson (Susie); daughter, Mary Ellen Hutchinson; and son, Steve Michael (Mary); grandchildren, Ryan (Amanda) Hutchinson, Brittney Hutchinson, Victoria “Tori” Meyers (Daniel), Brook Orvis and her children Juliann and Willow, Katy Washburn (Eric) and her son Luke, Casey Nocher (Tyler), Kathryn Brown (Alex) and her children Isabella and Logan, Ben Michael (Crissy), and Megan Contreras (Essau) and her daughter Naomi; and two sisters, Miriam Lane and Faye Davis.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, July 5, 2026, at Peace Free Will Baptist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service beginning at 2:00 p.m.

06/19/2026

Obituary for Joann Gamble Sanders

Joann Gamble Sanders, 91, of Florence, SC died Friday, June 19, 2026. Born in Kingstree, SC, on October 23, 1934, as Elizabeth Joann Gamble, she was the daughter of Jodie Cantey Gamble and Thelma Cook Gamble. She was a longtime resident of Greeleyville, SC and a graduate of Greeleyville High School. She attended Columbia College and worked at the South Carolina Highway Department.
She met her husband, Bobby Dean Sanders, when he was attending the University of South Carolina. They married on November 5, 1955, at the Greeleyville Methodist Church and were married for 66 years. They lived in Lancaster, Columbia, and settled in Florence, SC where they lived until his passing on Nov. 10, 2021.
Mrs. Sanders worked with her husband, who was the owner of Office Supply Center of Florence until they retired. Mrs. Sanders was a member of the Junior League and a member of the D.A.R. for many years. Mrs. Sanders was a Christian and a former member of First Baptist Church, where she served as director of the WMU for many years and often assisted her husband in his various teaching roles in Sunday School. She was a regular participant in many bible studies. Recently she attended ChristPoint Church of Florence.
Surviving are her daughters Lisa (Ken) Wells, Rankin (Larry) Miller, and Sandra (Pat) Honaker. She is also survived by her sisters, Theresa Lassiter and Gladys Cousar, as well as her sister-in-law, Judy Nix. Her grandchildren are Jessica (Cory) Christophillis, Elizabeth (Tristan) Malan, Coleman Wells, Joanna (Brian) Damico, Sarah (Edward) Lloyd, Morgan Honaker, and Al Honaker, as well as ten great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, her sisters Frances Gamble Gilliam and Alma Gamble DuPont, and her grandson, Lawton Thomas Miller.
A special thank you goes to the staff of The Pines of Florence, where she lived for several years, as well as to the staff of McLeod Hospice House, who took gentle care of her in her final days.
A graveside service will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. She will be buried alongside her husband.

06/09/2026

Obituary for Wendy Marie Ruiz

Wendy Marie McCutcheon Ruiz, 56, of Plymouth, North Carolina, died Saturday, June 6, 2026, at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC.
Wendy was born in Florence, a daughter of the late Dallas Legrand and Marilyn Ruth McCutcheon. She graduated from West Florence High School. Wendy’s greatest love was her family, especially her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed shopping and antiquing, and always felt her “spirit animal” was a wolf.
She is survived by her husband, Emilio Ruiz Castillo, of Plymouth, NC; three sons, Brian Pritchard (Sumer) of Timmonsville, SC, Joseph Pritchard (Kim Pruitt) of Hartsville, SC, and Joshua Pritchard (Tasha) of Effingham, SC; a brother, Dallas Legrand McCutcheon, Jr., of Florence; a sister, Michelle Shoemake (Timmy), also of Florence; five grandchildren, Skylar and Brantley Pritchard, Caiden and Brooke Pritchard, and Kylo Dean Pritchard; and numerous nieces and nephews, including two special great-nephews, who were like children to her, T.J. and Jayden Torres.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 12, 2026, at Waters-Powell Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service, and other times at the home of Brian and Sumer Pritchard.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.

06/06/2026

Obituary for Linda Faye Revell Evans

Linda Faye Revell Evans, 82, of Florence, SC passed away on Friday, June 5, 2026 at McLeod Hospice House of Florence after a hard fought battle with many illnesses.
Born on October 10, 1943 in Florence, Linda was the beloved daughter of Roland and Roberta Yarborough Revell.
She is survived by her daughter, Reneé Weatherford and son-in-law Earl Weatherford; brothers, Colie Revell, Jerry (Elaine) Revell and Larry (Carol) Revell; her granddaughters Heather (Travis) Walker and Logan Duggin; and her precious great-grandchildren Hayden (7), Wyatt (5) and Haley Walker (2m) who lovingly called her “Yaya”.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward “Elwood” John William Evans; son, Danny Ray Evans; sisters Sylvia (Gene) Morris, Judy (Johnny) Sports, Lynette (Vernon) Dubose; brother Clarence (Bobby Jean) Revell; and sister in law, JoAnne Revell.
Linda attended McClenaghan High School and later received her diploma from Poyner Adult Education in 1985. She worked at Electric Motive for many years and later was a dedicated employee of S&W Sneed Manufacturing Company from where she retired. She joyfully continued to work from home making folders for S&W even after retirement. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church of Florence, SC where she played guitar and sang with her husband, Elwood. She enjoyed spending time with her loved-ones, family game nights, and a good cup of coffee. Many who loved her, knew her affectionately as “Grandma”. She will always be remembered for her perseverance, kindness, and wisdom. Her playful wit and warm, joyful spirit will be deeply missed.
A funeral celebration of life will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026 at 2:00 pm at Waters-Powell Funeral Home at 400 South Dargan Street in Florence, SC with graveside to follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will take place at Waters-Powell Funeral Home on Sunday, June 7th from 3:00-5:00 pm.

05/25/2026

We remember those who gave all for our freedom. Never forget.

05/22/2026

Obituary for Rev. Millard David Pell

Rev. Millard David Pell entered his heavenly home on May 21, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born August 12, 1948 in Charleston, SC, he was the beloved son of the late Millard Wilson and Eva Mae Pell, and is survived by his sister, Wanda Killen (Gary).
Rev. Pell is survived by his devoted and loving wife Maxine Hinzy Pell, who walked faithfully beside him and cared for him with tenderness and devotion, and by his devoted children: Shannon Skinner (Stacey), Tammy MacEachern (Charles), Stacey Eve Tindall, Stephanie Walker, David Pell Jr. (Celina), Jimmy Hinzy, Tammy Davenport (Mike), Melissa Haywood (Donnie), Jackie Hinzy (Cindy). He was predeceased by a son, Carl Hinzy, Jr.
Rev. Pell graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence, SC. He served in the U.S. Air Force, followed by working at his families’ business and Byrd’s TV as a TV and radio technician. He also worked with United Insurance as a territory sales manager for many years.
Rev. Pell was a man deeply devoted to his calling God placed on his life 50 years ago. As a Minister of the Gospel he poured his heart into pastoring churches across South Carolina connected with the SCIPAC. Rev. Pell’s ministry was marked by compassion, unwavering faith, and a genuine love for people.
When Rev. Pell wasn’t preaching or visiting those in need, he found joy spending time with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his dog, Star.
Rev. Pell’s legacy is one of faithfulness to God and to his calling. To him the Cross was far more than a symbol, it was a deeply cherished emblem of his faith. Guided by the Lord, he frequently passed out crosses to those he felt led to while taking the time to share the profound significance of what the Cross truly represented.
He leaves behind a legacy of love in his 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
His family finds comfort in knowing that Rev. Pell has heard the words he longed for: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at Compassion Church in Florence with visitation from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, also at the church. Burial with military honors will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Compassion Church, 401 Pamplico Highway, Florence, SC 29505.