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It is with deep sorrow that the Gainey family announces the death of her beloved father, Mr. William Howard Gainey, 93. Mr. Gainey, the widower of Barbara Lou Hawkins Gainey, entered into rest on Monday, October 28, 2024. The Directors of Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home & Crematory are caring for the family. A graveside funeral service to honor his life will be held at 3 o'clock on Friday, November 1, 2024, in Magnolia Cemetery, with The Rev. Lin Kirkman officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his honor to the Darlington County Humane Society, P.O. Box 1655, Hartsville, SC 29551. Mr. Gainey was born on Thursday, November 6th, 1930, in Chesterfield Co., South Carolina. He is the son of Avender M. Gainey and Lillie Polk Gainey. He moved to Hartsville when he was a child. His Sonoco nickname was "Dog." He retired from Sonoco Products after 42 years of service and was the Supervisor of the Paper Mill Department. He served 15 years in the Army National Guard and was a member of South Hartsville Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge of Cheraw, SC. He also served as a Shriner in his community. He was a hard worker and a giver. He loved to grow things in his garden and gave most of it away each year. He was known to many as the Collard and Peanut Man on the 151 Bypass. He loved the outdoors, fishing, gardening, quail hunting, and he loved the Atlanta Braves. He never met a stranger. He loved entertaining and having cookouts at his home with family and also with his buddies from Sonoco. His motto was, "Come early, and stay late!" He was also a member of the Sonoco Old Timers Club. He cherished his family and lived an abundant, long life. He was an awesome father and grandfather. He is survived by his daughter, Georgia G. Robinson of Hartsville, SC; granddaughter, Brianna Burch Truett of Hartsville, SC; great-granddaughters, Elizabeth BelvaAnn Truett, Rylee GeorgiaLou Truett, and Bridgette RudyGrace Truett. In addition to his parents and his loving wife, Barbara Lou Harkins-Gainey, he was preceded in death by his sons, William Greggory Gainey and William Scott Gainey, and his son-in-law, Rudy Robinson; brothers, Ward Gainey, Bernard D. Gainey, and Julian B. Gainey; grandson-in-law, James Truett. Special thanks to Margaret Raines for the great home-cooked meals and care.

Tributes

Mr. William Howard Gainey

November 6, 1930 - October 28, 2024