Dean Allen Gunnells

Funeral Services for Dean Allen Gunnells, 69 of Barnwell, SC will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Double Pond Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. Andy Sandifer officiating. Burial with Masonic Rites will be held in the Reedy Branch Baptist Church Cemetery following the service. The family will receive friends on Friday evening August 29, 2025, from 6 to 8 at Folk Funeral Home, Williston, SC. The family has asked that memorials be made to The Shriners Children Hospital, 950 West Farris Rd. Greenville, SC 29605. Dean passed away on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Jerry Bodiford, Cameron Edwards, Chris Holland, Scott Mitchum, Sandy Nettles and Oscar Verdugo.

Born in Bamberg, SC he was a son of the late David Gunnells and Rebie Scoggins Gunnells and was married to Ruth Black Gunnells. Dean worked and retired from Frito Lay as a salesman after many years. He coached the woman and children’s teams at Reedy Branch for a number of years. He loved riding his motorcycle, playing golf and loved being at the beach at his Lands End home. He was good with his hands and would do anything he could to help others. Working in the yard and spending time with his family is what he enjoyed doing the most. He was a member of Double Pond Baptist Church, was a member of the Barnwell Harmony Lodge 17 and was a member of the Omar Shrine Temple.

Survivors include his loving wife, Ruth Gunnells; his 2 daughters, Shannon Gunnells (Jamie) McCormack and Kimberly Gunnells (Rex) Sanders; his grandchildren, Allen Sanders, Danielle Sanders, Kenneth McCormack, Amber McCormack, Sadie McCormack, Kaleb McCormack and Tommy Reid; great-grandchildren, Hayes Emmerson and James Neil; 2 brothers, Perry K. (Bridgitte)  Gunnells and Timmy (Cat) Hartzog; 2 sisters, Angel Thompson and Belinda Hutchins; a sister-in-law, Donna Sue Eichberg; his step-mother, Peggy Gunnells;  a special and dear friend that helped him tremendously, Oscar Verdugo and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Gweth Gunnells; a sister-in-law, Jeannie Gunnells; brothers, Brian Gunnells and Scotty Hartzog and his father-in-law; Mother-in-law, Emmet and Frankie Black and a brother-in-law, Ralph Black, II.

Folk Funeral Home, Inc. and Crematory is assisting the family with arrangements. Visit our on-line registry at www.folkfuneralhome.com.

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