Firefighters, veterans, long married couples among Helene SC victims. Here are their stories

Two firefighters, a golf course superintendent, a Marine veteran were among the people who died as the remnants of Hurricane Helene powered through South Carolina on Sept. 27.

The storm left behind downed trees and tangled power lines, flooded roads and washed out bridges. Aiken County suffered the most deaths — 11. Most people died when a tree fell on their home or even on them when they were standing outside.

One woman in Anderson County was swept away in her car, her body found in nearby woods. A man in Laurens County died when he was trapped in his bathtub and could not reach his nebulizer. A husband and wife died when a tree fell on their home and other couple died in a car accident trying to avoid a fallen tree.

Here are the stories of Helene’s victims based on coroners’ reports and obituaries.

Greenville County

Aaron Marshall Lance , 40, died on Sept. 27 outside of his home at 896 Chestnut Ridge Road In Marietta when a tree fell on him. He was a Ham radio operator who worked for packaging company Berry Global.

Lance was a committed Carolina Panthers fan. He loved electronics and was a certified GMRS operator. He and his family enjoyed playing airsoft and flying drones together.

Survivors include his parents, two children, a twin brother and two other siblings and a fiance.

Leardna Lee Palmer , 56, of 5 Cedar Avenue Lot 11, Greenville, died Sept. 27 after a tree fell on her home. She was found inside.

Charles Daly Dean III , 59, died on Sept. 27 at his home at 2036A Cleveland Street Extension, Greenville, after he was struck by a tree that fell through the roof.

He was described in his obituary as an adventurer, traveling through Europe and Africa, a fabulous cook and baker, silly at times, quick-witted and intuitive. He loved Barbra Streisand and Elizabeth Taylor. Survivors include his father and four brothers.

Moreno Arnez Maddox , 68, of 1369 Ridge Road, Greenville, died when a tree struck him as he was outside his home on Sept. 27.

He was an auto mechanic and loved riding motorcycles, especially Ducati and Kawasaki. He enjoyed RV travel and living off the grid.

Survivors include his mother, two daughters, four grandchildren and seven siblings.

Ceresa Butler , 54, died Sept. 29 in a house fire ignited by candles lit during the power outage on Pleasant Ridge Drive in Greenville.

Survivors include her husband, father, three children, two sisters, including her twin and three brothers.

James Walter Parrish , 47, of Greenville, died Sept. 29 after a car that swerved to avoid a tree collided with his motorcycle in the other lane.

He worked as a truck driver, construction worker, and forklift operator and was an avid motorcycle rider. He was “most at peace with the wind in his hair and the open road ahead,” his obituary said.

He loved music, vintage cars and ranch dressing.

Survivors include his father, four siblings, three daughters and five grandchildren.

Alex Fields , 26, of Greenville, died Oct. 2 after his motorcycle collided with a vehicle at the intersection of Augusta Road and Old Augusta Road in Greenville, where traffic lights were not functioning because of the storm.

A United States Marine Corps veteran and former firefighter, he worked as a maintenance supervisor for Greenville Arms Apartments.

Survivors include his wife, two children, father, two brothers.

Spartanburg County

Alvaro Burgos-Guitierrez , 41, died Sept. 27 in Chesnee after a tree fell onto his camper on Revels Road.

He worked at a bank in Nicaragua for several years before immigrating to the U.S. through the humanitarian parole program in July 2023.

He worked at a number of businesses, including at a slaughterhouse and a restaurant.

His dream was to go back to Nicaragua after two years.

Ralph Selle , 88, of Columbus, N.C., was found dead inside his submerged vehicle in Landrum on Sept. 27 after being swept off a roadway in flash flooding.

Annamaria Fletcher , 34, died Sept. 27 after a tree fell onto her Rainbow Circle home in Inman.

She was an English teacher at Boiling Springs High School who graduated from Converse College. She was an avid concert goer, especially of Def Leppard and loved animals, sunflowers, and traveling to Seaport Village in San Diego.

Survivors include her parents, sister and three grandparents.

Jimmy Lee Wall , 68, of Chesnee, was found dead on Sept. 27 in his home on Parris Bridge Road that had high levels of carbon monoxide, presumably from a generator that was inside.

His obituary said he loved coffee, corny jokes, gospel hymns and his Bible. He was a fisherman and deer hunter. He and his wife Kitty were married for 48 years. She survives him as do three daughters, two grandchildren who called him PawPaw and a brother.

Christopher Mark Owens , 64, and Derrill Eugene Pitts , 70, were killed on Sept. 27 after a tree fell the golf cart they were in as they looked at damage to homes in their Earles Fort Road neighborhood in Landrum.

Owens was a golf course superintendent at Grove Park Inn, Fairfield Country Club, Spartanburg Country Club and Scotch Meadows Country Club.

Chris was a deacon at First Baptist Church Landrum and led a weekly men’s Bible study at Tyger River Correctional Facility.

Survivors include his mother and two brothers.

Derrill Eugene Pitts attended Spartanburg Community College, was an entrepreneur in several businesses and a real estate developer.

He coached multiple sports for his children and grandchildren and then joined the Landrum High School chain crew from 2005-2010.

Survivors include his wife, six children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and four siblings.

Lester A. Brown , 79, of Wellford, died on Oct. 2 following a collision with another vehicle on Highway 292 near Inman Sept. 27 after a tree fell across the road.

Sarah Ann Farr , 77, and Faye Farr Webber , 87, both of Jonesville, died Oct. 1 after a tractor-trailer hit their car at the intersection of Boiling Springs Road and California Avenue, where the traffic light was not functioning.

Sarah Ann Farr was born with cerebral palsy, her obituary said, but “she was able to enjoy the best that life had to offer.”

“She raised chickens and sold their eggs, she could push or drive a lawnmower, and she made the best cornbread in Pea Ridge,” the notice said.

Webber, Sarah Ann’s sister, was employed with B&H Ford dealership in Union and then at the Lockhart Textile Mill, in the business department until she retired.

She and her husband Jack were married more than 60 years when he died in 2019. She was a gardener, cook and kept her home spotless, her obituary said.

Survivors include a daughter, three grandchildren and three siblings.

Anderson County

Christine Lynn Schmeiske , 55, died Sept. 27 when she was trapped by a tree that fell across the center of her home at 419 W. Whitner in Anderson. She and her longtime partner were asleep as the storm roared through. He was able to escape.

Sandy Lee Fisher , 54, of Anderson, died Sept. 27 at 18 Williams Road when a tree fell onto her home.

She was an Anderson County native and a Baptist.

Survivors include her husband, one son, one grandson and five siblings.

Karen Denise McCall , 60, of Anderson, was killed Sept. 28 when her car was swept away on a flooded Harbin Road. Her body was found in a wooded area near the road.

An Anderson native, she was called Nona by her grandchildren and all the children who knew her.

“She was free giving, sharing all that she had with no expectation of recognition,” her obituary said.

Survivors include her father, stepmother, two sons and five grandchildren.

Bobby Jean Foster , 83, of Belton, died Sept. 28 in a head-on collision as she attempted to drive around downed trees and power lines.

Foster was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a retired tree surgeon.

Survivors include a son and grandson.

The Anderson County Coroner’s office said someone died on Oct. 3 after not being able to get to dialysis treatment. The name was not released.

Aiken County

Jerry Savage , 78, and Marcia Savage , 74, of Church Road, Beech Island, died on Sept. 27 when a tree fell on their home.

Jerry Savage was an electrician, Marcia Savage worked in banking. He enjoyed oil painting, cars and motorcycles, especially Harley Davidson bikes. He is survived by a brother.

Mrs. Savage is survived by three siblings,

The couple has two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Michael Roukous , 29, of Casnette Rd. North Augusta died Sept. 27 from a fallen tree.

He grew up in Dexter, New York, and played lacrosse at State University of New York Potsdam. He earned a degree in environmental science. and worked as a lineman most recently.

“He was a skilled sportsman, always in search of the next big buck and found solace in the woods,” his obituary said.

Survivors include his parents and sister.

Joseph Gullen , 70, of Metts Park Circle, Aiken died Sept. 27 when a tree fell onto his bedroom as he slept.

David Welch , 75, of Circlewood Drive, North Augusta died Sept. 27 of respiratory distress during the storm, the coroner said.

Joyce Barfield , 78, of School Street, Gloverville, died in a house fire Sept. 29.

Rhonda Gabriel , 66, died at Aiken Regional Medical Center on Oct. 1 after suffering respiratory distress.

She managed Carolina Ale House in Augusta and had a passion for medieval history. Survivors include her husband, five children and two sisters.

Paul Linn , 86, of Broughton Drive, Aiken died Oct. 2 of respiratory distress.

Wayne Dawes , 81, of Fairway Drive, New Ellenton died Oct. 2 of a heart ailment.

He was a member of Grace Covenant Church of God, New Ellenton, a deacon, elder, and a Sunday school attendant. He enjoyed home improvement and the outdoors.

Survivors include a son, two daughters, two sisters, two grandchildren, a great-grandchild whose due date was Oct. 8.

Douglas Buck , 80, Pine Log Road, Aiken died Oct. 3 of a cardiac problem.

Randy Harris , 66, died at Aiken Regional Medical Center Oct. 7 of respiratory distress.

He was a maintenance mechanic at Kimberly-Clark until an accident forced him into retirement and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and drag racing. Originally from Tennessee, he was an avid VOLS fan.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, parents, two daughters and grandchildren.

Richard Seigler , 65, died of cardiac disease Oct. 12 at C&H Lane, Aiken.

A lifelong Aiken resident, he worked in construction and was a talented woodworker. He enjoyed bowling, playing softball, golfing, and singing karaoke.

“Rick found peace when he was riding his Harley. Live to Ride, Ride to Live,” his obituary said.

Survivors include his mother, companion, children, wife, former wife, siblings, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

He and his best friends were known as The Three Musketeers.

Laurens County

Thomas Lawson , the driver, and Richard Rathbone , passenger died when their vehicle was hit by a tree on Sept. 27 on Sloan Street in Clinton.

Lawson, a Laurens County native, is survived by his wife of 38 years, two children, four grandchildren and three siblings.

Carl Bailey died on Sept. 27 when a tree fell on his camper on Watts Bridge Road in Cross Hill.

Garry Henry died on Sept. 29 after falling during the power outage.

William Cogsdill , 84, died Sept. 29 when he was trapped in his bathroom tub with no access to his nebulizer, which turns liquid medicine into a mist to treat respiratory illness.

A Laurens native, he was retired from Milliken Co. where he worked as a maintenance supervisor in the knitting division. He was a HEJAZ Shriner and enjoyed dirt track racing.

Surviving are a brother and sister.

Greenwood County

John Archie Patterson , 66, died in the early morning of Sept. 27 of blunt force trauma when a tree fell on his Maxwell Avenue, Greenwood house as he slept.

He retired from Georgia Pacific in McCormick after 20 years. He was a diehard Miami Dolphins fan.

Survivors include four children, three brothers, six sisters, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.

York County

Victoria Leger , 66, Clover, died Sept. 30 after being hit by a truck while she and others were cutting a fallen tree.

“Whether she was riding her horse, or simply sharing a quiet moment with loved ones, her presence was always enchanting, and she loved with all of her heart,” her obituary says.

She is survived by her husband, son, four grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Richland County

Neva A. Rouse , 77, died when a tree fell on her camper on Sept. 27.

She was a homemaker who liked to quilt, read, garden, and cook. She was an advocate for animals.

Survivors include two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Newberry County

Robert Wise , 49, and Valencia Jones Wise , 48, of Chapin were killed Sept. 27 in a crash with a tree on Chapman Road in the Little Mountain area.

Saluda County

Circle Fire Department Chief Chad Satcher and volunteer firefighter Landon Bodie died when a tree fell on a fire engine while responding to a call on Sept. 27.

Satcher, 53, and Bodie, 18, are believed to be the first firefighters in the county’s history to die in the line of duty.

Satcher joined the Circle Fire Department in 1989 and was named chief in January 2023.

He worked as a plumber at Derrick Plumbing since 1992. Surviving are his wife of 23 years, a son, father and sister.

Bodie enjoyed working with his grandfather honing his carpentry skills and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Surviving are his mother and stepfather, two siblings, Ellie and Everette Crout, grandparents, and great-grandmothers.

The Saluda coroner’s office reported a third person had died in an unrelated incident but did not release the name or the circumstances.

Chesterfield County

Shelby Winburn , 66, died Sept. 27 as Helene blew through Chesterfield County. The coroner did not reveal the cause of death other than to say it was a medical emergency and the family could not get through to 911.

She was a nurse’s aide and enjoyed fishing and watching “Little House on the Prairie” and “The Conners.”

“She could often be found on the front porch watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren play,” her obituary stated.

She is survived by her son and daughter, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Chester County

A 77-year-old Blackstock woman died Sept. 29 when she could not use her oxygen machine due to a power outage.

A 74-year-old Great Falls woman died similary an hour or so later. The coroner did not release their names.