Raymond Earl Garris

Raymond Earl (Buster) Garris Raymond Earl “Buster” Garris died September 4, 2010, at his home in Effingham, SC following a long time battle with cancer. Born December 5, 1945 in Mullins, the son of the Raymond and Mary Belle Garris, Buster grew up in Lake View, where he graduated from Lake View High School. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia and later attended flight school in Savannah, Ga. He served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army and was promoted to Company Commander of Fort Jackson before receiving an honorable discharge. Following his military career, Buster worked for a telephone company in Erie, Pa. where he oversaw a five-state area for several years before returning to South Carolina to work in real estate and eventually formed his own real estate companies. Later, he moved to Hilton Head Island where he was the chief financial officer for a home health agency for several years. He retired to Effingham in the late ’90’s and enjoyed living on Lynches River, fishing and watching the river slowly roll by. Buster loved the water. He taught his sons to fish in a flat-bottom boat in Bear Swamp. He taught his nieces to shot out on the Lynches River. He always enjoyed the outdoors, sports, politics and a good game of solitaire or chess. But most of all, he loved his family. Hardly a day went by that he didn’t call his mother. He was a tender-hearted man, and would do anything for his family. Buster is survived by a son, Raymond Earl (Ray) Garris, Jr. Florence; a step-son, Judson Drennan, of Apex, N.C.; two sisters, Linda Griffin Jones (Gary) and Gloria Garris Kasler (Tom, both of Florence; three nieces, Shannon Berg (Darren), Tiffany Richardson, Babbette Yates (Chris); and three nephews, Jeff, Doug and Nick Kasler. Preceding him in death was his father, Raymond Garris of Lake View; his beloved wife, Sandra Elvington of Lake View; and in infant son, Mark Christopher Garris. The family will receive friends at Cook Funeral Home on Main Street in Lake View. Services will be at Bear Swamp Baptist Church on Monday at 2:00 pm. Burial will be at Bear Swamp Baptist Church Cemetery directed by Cook Funeral Home.

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