Funeral services for James Russell “Jimmy” Boylston, 77, of Blackville, SC will be held at two o’clock p.m., Monday, April 24, 2023 in the Blackville First Baptist Church with the Reverends Ken Frederick and Michael Wallace officiating; burial will follow in the Blackville Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Memorial contributions may be given in his memory to the Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901. Jimmy passed away on Monday, April, 17, 2023.
Born in Blackville, SC, he was the son of the late Russel Gower Boylston and Ruth Estelle Jowers Birt Boylston. He was a member of Blackville First Baptist Church. He received his M. A. and his B. A. in 1970 and 1974 from the University of South Carolina and was a South Carolina state employee having been employed by Bamberg County Department of Social Services for 25 years. Prior to the Department of Social Services employment he was employed with the Blackville Post Office for 10 years and also was a correspondent with the Augusta Chronicle newspaper for nine years. Jimmy enjoyed the simple things in life and took hundreds of digital outdoor pictures of rustic things in and around Blackville. In earlier years, Jimmy enjoyed container flower gardening and created beautiful yard arrangements having received the honor of the Yard-of-the-Month recognition by the Blackville Garden Club. His other lifelong hobby was creating and maintaining saltwater fish aquariums; he created quite a few during his lifetime. His favorite TV program was The Waltons which he watched every night. He was a lifelong lover of cats; Tassie and Bella were both very special to him.
Survivors include his brother, Vernon Ellis (Charlotte) Birt, Sr. of Charleston, SC; his niece, Maria B. Sage of Monks Corner, SC; his nephews, Vernon Ellis “Bucky” Birt, Jr. and Charles M. Birt both of Charleston, SC and his niece, Karen A. (Will) Patterson of Bluffton, SC along with a number of great nieces, great nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his nephew, Patrick J. Birt.
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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