Carolyn Hartzog Sutcliffe
October 21, 1929 — April 14, 2015
Carolyn Hartzog Sutcliffe, 85, entered her eternal home on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Funeral Services will be 1:00 PM Friday, April 17, 2015 at Bethany Baptist Church, 125 Bethany Road, Orangeburg, SC. Visitation will be held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM before the funeral at the church. Reverend Steve Scott and Reverend Henry Cooper will be officiating, assisted by Reverend Phillip Proveaux. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Orangeburg. Her grandsons, Michael Brown, Christoper Forwood, Daniel Forwood, Joshua Bates, John Bates, Wayne Dewitt, Alex Sutcliffe and James Sutcliffe will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of Bethany Church.
Carolyn was born October 21, 1929, the first child of Cecil and Kathleen Hightower Hartzog, in the Double Pond Community of Barnwell County. She graduated from Denmark High School in 1946. (She also attended Blackville High School, Williston High School and Salley High School.) She attended Winthrop College for a short time, but returned home after the death of her father at age 40. She was privileged to assist her mother, sister, and two brothers. On August 14, 1960 she became the wife of Joseph Burdell "Burt" Sutcliffe, Jr. and the mother of his three precious daughters, who had lost their beloved mother, Meray Sweatman, the previous year. Four years later they were blessed with the arrival of a son.
She worked as a court reporter at the Orangeburg County Court House and as secretary of a number of Judges there. Upon retiring from her job there, she was employed by the Bolentown Magistrate's Office, where she enjoyed taking short hand, typing and bookkeeping until the age of 78. She was a member of Bethany Baptist Church, where she served as pianist and Sunday School teacher, until her recent illness. She served her church in all areas over the course of her fifty-five years membership there. Carolyn's church music career, began at age 15, playing the piano. She also played the organ and she was choir director at the First Baptist Church of Blackville, in Blackville, South Carolina. She played for weddings and funerals throughout the State.
She said, "The Holy Spirit is my constant companion." This was evident to all who knew her, without a question of a doubt. Carolyn's love for life was evident to her church, her family, her many best friends, and everyone she encountered. She loved to laugh and have others laugh, and had a remarkable sense of humor and wit. She was a gifted storyteller, finding just the right way to frame each story so that it was most entertaining. In addition to these talents, Carolyn was a true southern lady, considerate and concerned about the well being of everyone around her. Some of her favorite things were sunrises, sunsets, red birds, and the smile of a child. She was not, however, a proficient cook and was heard to say by her friends, "To cook I did loathe, so my husband and children became adept at both."
She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 42 years, Joseph Burdell "Burt" Sutcliffe, Jr.
Survivors include three daughters Billie Faye (Charlie) Brown, Kathy (Peter) Forwood of Orangeburg, and Wanda (Larry) Bates of Norway, and a son Joseph B. Sutcliffe, III, MD. Col. USA, ret. (Mary) of San Antonio, Texas. Her grandchildren Salley Hutto, Michael Brown, Amy McPoland, Christopher Forwood, Daniel Forwood, Ashley Dewitt, Joshua and John Bates, Alex and James Sutcliffe. Her great grandchildren are Braelyn Hutto, Avrey Brown, Abby Brown, Caitlyn McPoland, Regan McPoland, and Dylan Bates. She is also survived by her sister, Betsy Croft of Blackville, SC; two brothers, Robert "Bob" (Cathie) Hartzog of Prosperity, SC and Arthur B. (Jean) Hartzog of Chesnee, SC.
Carolyn was the oldest member of the "Hightower Clan" and leaves behind many cousins too numerous to name.
A special thanks to Jolly Acres Nursing Care Facility and staff of Orangeburg for their wonderful care and compassion given to our mother.
Memorials may be made to Bethany Baptist Church, 125 Bethany Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115, or Connie Maxwell Children's Home, 3105 Five Chop Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115.