Lillian Cheatham

            Lillian Eva Hutton Cheatham passed away on December 31, 2011. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and the author of eight published romantic mystery novels, the first of which was published by Doubleday when she was 51, and a genealogy book about her father’s family that is used by many to research their family trees. Her books have been translated into many languages.

            Born in Oxford, Mississippi, on February 12, 1923, she was the third child of four and the only daughter of Lillian Eva Fudge Hutton and Lawrence Chastain Hutton. Her family suffered during the Great Depression after her father, an attorney, died when she was twelve. She attended

the University of Mississippi for the two years her mother could afford to send her there. During World War II, her older brother, Sherlock Hutton, told her that work was available at the Charleston Navy Yard. In Charleston she met Citadel cadet Bartlette Martin Cheatham. They were married on June 30, 1945.

            After Bart graduated from medical school in Charleston. the couple moved to Belton, S.C., where their first two children, Kathy and Barty, were born. The army transferred Bart to San Antonio, where his and Lillian’s third child, David, was born. Bart was sent to Korea and then to Sendai, Japan. Lillian made the trip to join him in Sendai with

three children five and under. After living in Japan for almost two years, they moved to Atlanta and then to Columbia. Bart went into private practice with the Anesthesiologists of Columbia. Their fourth child, daughter Gary, was born in Columbia.

            Lillian was predeceased by her husband; her son-in-law Bill Daniels; her parents; her brothers and sisters-in-law Sherlock and Eva Hutton of West Columbia, Lawrence and Beth Hutton of Chicago, and Edward Hutton of Mobile, Alabama. She is survived by a sister-in-law, Paulette Hutton of Mobile; brothers-in-law Gary Cheatham of Phoenix, AZ, and Joe Cheatham of Tucson, AZ, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her children: Kathy (Mrs. Russ) Tedeschi of Columbia; Bart Cheatham of Lexington; David Cheatham (and his wife, Kitty) of Waycross, Georgia; Gary (Mrs. Dane) Holst of Columbia; eight grandchildren; two great-grandsons: and her dear, faithful friend, Magic the Cat.

            Lillian entered Heaven peacefully, minutes after “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” was sung on a TV movie to which she was listening. That was her husband’s favorite hymn, and he sang it on every road trip the family took. Lillian’s family firmly believes that Bart (Daddy, Papa) was singing it as he came to bring her (Mama, Granny) home.

            Throughout their lives, Lillian and Bart loved animals, especially dogs. They were forever adopting elderly dogs, allowing their final years to be pampered ones. This prompted their children to remark that if one were to have a second life, it would be best to return as a Cheatham dog.

Joe Plyler

Dr. Joseph “Joe” Aaron Plyler III died on February 23, 2012. Son of the late Joseph A. Plyler Jr. and Mary Branscom Plyler, he was born on July 6, 1930, in Johnson City, Tennessee. After moving to Columbia, he graduated from Dreher High School in 1947. He attended the University of South Carolina, where he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta fraternity and graduated magna cum laude in 1951. In 1954 Joe received his M.D. degree with first honors from the Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Rho Sigma and was president of Alpha Omega Alpha, the National Medical Honor Society, his senior year. After a year internship at the University of Virginia, he served in the United States Navy from 1955 to 1957.

            While serving as chief medical officer at the Custom House in New Orleans, he met a patient, Margaret “Margie” Baradat. After their marriage in New Orleans, they moved to Columbia, and with Margie as his nurse, Joe practiced family medicine for twenty-five years. He accepted

home-grown vegetables in lieu of payment from his poorer patients. He was chief of staff at Providence Hospital from 1980 to 1981. After a severe stroke in 1982 forced an early retirement, he volunteered teaching adult literacy at Logan School.

            A founding member of the Lake Murray Sail Club, Joe was an avid sailor. He and Margie won numerous trophies in regattas. In 1996 Joe reconnected with his shipmates from the USS Stribling and started an annual sailing trip every May in Maryland. Joe and Margie enjoyed their membership in the Hansom Wheels Society and traveled across Europe in search of Sherlock Holmes. Now, as he joins his beloved Margie, we are sure that “the game is afoot” again. He enjoyed watching Sherlock Holmes every Saturday night, swimming in his pool, going to Garden City Beach, playing bridge and eating Margie’s Cajun cooking. He and Margie traveled back to New Orleans many times to visit friends and eat at their favorite restaurants. He was a member of Shandon United Methodist church for 68 years. Joe was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend to all who knew him.

            Surviving are his daughter, Celeste Plyler Huber (Mike); son, Joseph Aaron Plyler IV (Jody); granddaughters, Melissa Elizabeth Plyler and Whitney Jacqueline Plyler; grandson, Joseph Troy McCabe (Candy); great granddaughters,Marley Newell McCabe and Ariana Cadi McCabe; sister, Jean Plyler Ingram; and four nieces, all of Columbia. He was predeceased by his wife, Margie, and daughter Susan E. Plyler.

(These obituaries originally appeared in The State newspaper and have been edited for space.)