Mr. Gilbert Burke Ellerbe, Jr., 91 of Conway passed away March 27, 2014. He was the son of the late Rev. Gilbert Burke Ellerbe Sr. and Mrs. Lillie Willis Ellerbe. He was born May 15, 1922, in Barnsville, North Carolina but grew up in Dillon County, SC. He was married to his beloved wife, Inez Bethea Ellerbe, for 65 years, and their union produced five children, Lydia Roselle Willingham (Elliott), Gilbert Burke Ellerbe, III (Karen), Lynda Lavon Wright (deceased), Sylvia Jean Hickman (Marvin), and Vanessa Selene Wyche (George), seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Mr. Ellerbe was a retired educator, business man, World War II veteran, Scout Master and faithful Christian and missionary. He served for 32 years as an educator at various levels, including higher education at schools throughout Dillon and Horry County, completing his career as Assistant Principal at Conway High School. During this time he also served as Director of Horry County Adult Education for 20 years and was also employed by the City of Conway for 25 years as Director of Smith-Jones Recreation Center. He was active in the Ellerbe family farm in Dillon County. He was a World War II veteran and proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1943 through 1946 and in the U.S. Air Force Reserves from 1946 through 1949 and was a member of American Legion Post 111. He served as a Scout Master for Boy Scouts of America, Pee Dee Area Council for over 25 years and the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He was a member of the Cherry Hill Baptist Church, serving in several leadership roles, including membership in the Baptist Brotherhood serving the region via the Kingston Lake Missionary Association, the state via the Baptist Brotherhood Educational and Missionary Convention. He proudly represented South Carolina as a Baptist missionary to Kenya, East Africa on four pilgrimages in the 1990’s.
Mr. Ellerbe received a B.A. Degree in 1949 from Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina; a Master Degree in 1956 from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina; and completed post grad studies at many institutions including the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina. He was a charter member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at Benedict College in 1948.
Visitation was held 5-7 pm Tuesday, April 1 at Cherry Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 504 Church Street, Conway. Funeral services were held at 12:00 pm Wednesday, April 2, at Cherry Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery.
