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Melvira Elizabeth Johnson 1961 - 2012

Melvira Elizabeth (Burgess) Johnson of Conway, Horry County, South Carolina United States was born on June 24, 1961 at Conway Hospital in Conway to Elizabeth Roberts Pertelle and Melvin Kelly Burgess. Melvira Johnson died at age 51 years old on November 14, 2012 at southbound lane of U.S. Highway 17A near Freefall Lane in in Jamestown, Berkeley County, and was buried on November 20, 2012 at Cremation.

Melvira Elizabeth (Burgess) Johnson
Grissette, Mel
Name
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Conway, Horry County, South Carolina United States
Last residence
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June 24, 1961
Conway Hospital in Conway, Horry County, South Carolina, United States
Birth
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November 14, 2012
southbound lane of U.S. Highway 17A near Freefall Lane in in Jamestown, Berkeley County, South Carolina, 29461, United States
Death
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Updated: October 6, 2022
Biography ID: 192877086 What's this
Melvira Elizabeth Johnson Melvira Johnson (1961 - 2012)
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Melvira Elizabeth (Burgess) Johnson's History: 1961 - 2012

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  • 06/24
    1961

    Birthday

    June 24, 1961
    Birthdate
    Conway Hospital in Conway, Horry County, South Carolina United States
    Birthplace
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  • Ethnicity & Family History

    My mother's mother is from Georgetown, SC. They are considered Geechee. I believe her mother also had family up north somewhere in MD?? She had a lot of brothers and sisters whom she adored. Her Aunt Ruth Burgess was her favorite Aunt on her fathers side. She may have been one of if not the first black nurse at Conway Hospital

  • Nationality & Locations

    She was born in Horry County and grew up in Conway, SC.

  • Early Life & Education

    Graduated from Conway High School in 1981.

  • Baptism

    mm/dd/yyyy
    Baptism date
    Unknown
    Place of worship

  • Religious Beliefs

    She was a Baptist Christian. Her faith was very strong, and she relied on it heavily to get through difficult chapters of her life.

  • Military Service

    My mother was a military wife. After marrying her first husband around 1981 she traveled to Korea, Kentucky, Germany, and stayed in Augusta, GA while her husband was off at Desert Storm in the early 90s. Based on her own personal writings, she was greatly affected by the war. It was a pivotal point in her life. Most likely causing her divorce.

  • Professional Career

    As Mel would say, she was a "Jack of All Trades". There was nothing that she was not willing to try. She was ahead of her time as far as not having loyalty to any company. She had no problem standing up for her rights as an employee, and no problem leaving when it wasn't working out. " I dont give a fat rats a**!" At her time of death, she was enjoying a much slower paced of life and was not working. In her younger years she worked at a multitude of restaurants as a cook. She worked at Hooters and also played on their softball team. She also worked at Bojangles and was outgoing enough to wear the old Rooster suit! She was one of the best cooks that Cracker Barrel ever had! Her customers would ask for her by name. My mother was a substitute teacher for Horry County Schools. She was a security guard. Out of all the things my mother did to provide for herself, she loved and was most well known for her Acoustics. She loved to sing. Her voice was frequently compared to Patti Labelle's. She even worked at Broadway at the Beach as a Patti LaBelle Impersonator.

  • Personal Life & Family

    Mel was a people person. She loved people and she never met a stranger. Her #1 passion was singing. On her days off she would drive to visit her friends and her brothers and sisters all around town.
  • 11/14
    2012

    Death

    November 14, 2012
    Death date
    Fiery Motor Vehicle Accident
    Cause of death
    southbound lane of U.S. Highway 17A near Freefall Lane in in Jamestown, Berkeley County, South Carolina 29461, United States
    Death location
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  • 11/20
    2012

    Gravesite & Burial

    November 20, 2012
    Funeral date
    Cremation in United States
    Burial location
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4 Memories, Stories & Photos about Melvira

Cast of a Civil War Play at the Theater of The Republic
Photo of Kaleidoscopic Kayla Kaleidoscopic Kayla
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10/06/2022
Cast of a Civil War Play at the Theater of The Republic
Cast of a Civil War Play at the Theater of The Republic
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Melvira G Johnson circa 1980
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10/06/2022
Melvira G Johnson circa 1980
High School Photo of Mel
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Singing at the Theater of the Republic in Conway, SC
Photo of Kaleidoscopic Kayla Kaleidoscopic Kayla
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10/06/2022
Singing at the Theater of the Republic in Conway, SC
Melvira Johnson singing at the Theater of the Republic in Conway, SC
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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10/06/2022
Coroner identifies 4 killed in Jamestown wreck-Natalie Caula Hauff Christina Elmore Nov 14, 2012 Updated Nov 2, 2016
Berkeley County authorities have identified four people who died in a fiery five-car wreck near Jamestown Wednesday night.

Three of those killed were members of the Lighthouse of Jesus Christ Church in Georgetown who were traveling to Russellville for a service. Several vehicles from the church were traveling south when they collided with a northbound vehicle, Berkeley County Coroner Bill Salisbury said.

The church members killed were 55-year-old Edith Jackson and 45-year old Angie Arthur of Georgetown, andMelvira Johnson, 51, of Loris, Salisbury said. Also killed in another vehicle was 36-year-old Steven Morse of Jamestown, he said.

All four were pronounced dead on the scene, Salsibury said. Jackson, Arthur, and Johnson died from thermal burns when the van burst into flames. Morse died from body trauma, he said.

A fourth person in the van was transported to an area hospital and his condition is unknown, Salisbury said.

Bishop Floyd Knowlin, pastor of Lighthouse of Jesus Christ Church, told The Georgetown Times that the injured man is Deacon Johnny Author, who is currently at MUSC. He, according to Knowlin, is in critical condition, the newspaper reported.

The pileup happened at 7:40 p.m. in the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 17A near Freefall Lane in Jamestown, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol. Troopers said they are still trying to determine exactly what happened to cause the wreck.

Sources told The Post and Courier that members of the church choir were on their way to perform at a church in Russellville. A trailer being towed by one of the vehicles contained their musical instruments, sources said.

Knowlin told The Georgetown Times that the SUV carrying the victims was behind the church van — which had 10 people inside – and a trailer. He said a man driving a Ford Fiesta was driving in the opposite direction and was attempting to pass two vehicles. He struck the utility trailer containing musical equipment and then hit the SUV, which ran into the woods and caught on fire, the newspaper reported.

One of five vehicles spun in front of Gene Grissitte’s home and landed in a ditch that lines his front yard. A man appeared to have been thrown from the vehicle and landed on his property.The vehicle’s battery, which also ejected, still lay in his yard Thursday morning.

Grissitte said he saw another body covered with a sheet across the street from his home.

“A lot went through my mind when I saw that,” Grissitte said. “I’m sorry for all those people who lost their lives.”

He said authorities blocked off the road until about 2:30 a.m. Thursday to clear the scene.

Debra Brown, who is a neighbor of Grissitte’s, said she came across the wreckage as she was coming home from Bible study Wednesday night. She saw the body in her neighbor’s yard, and saw a burning car containing three bodies. She turned around before authorities could remove them from the vehicle. “I didn’t want to see that.”

Brown headed back to nearby Jerusalem Baptist Church. She said the church opened its doors to grieving family members for two hours Wednesday night.

Church members offered the families kind words as they sat in shock, wiping tears.

She said the church did anything they could to help.

But mostly, she said, it was the families who comforted each other.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of incorrect information provided to The Post and Courier, earlier versions of this story incorrectly identified one of the victims, Melvira Johnson.
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Melvira Burgess' Family Tree & Friends

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Other Biographies

Other Burgess Family Biographies

Barthel, Barbara (Born Jan 29, 1851) Burgess, Eli (Born May 10, 1862) Burgess, Laura (Born May 19, 1861) Burgess, Minnie (Born Dec 29, 1874) Burgess, Martha (Born Nov 21, 1832) Burgess, Julie (Born Jun 12, 1893) Burgess, Dean Burgess, Bobby Burgess, Betty Burgess, Fred (Feb 11, 1911 - Jan 1970)
Burgess, Wanda (Sep 27, 1914 - Mar 16, 2010) Burgess, Lucy (Oct 18, 1891 - Dec 1981) Burgess, Gregory (Sep 23, 1898 - Nov 1960) Burgess, Alton (Dec 29, 1902 - Mar 1985) Burgess, Marguerite (Apr 21, 1913 - Jul 1985) Burgess, Clara (Sep 15, 1888 - Jun 1970) Burgess, Julius (Mar 25, 1916 - May 1968) Burgess, Albert (Jan 5, 1910 - Feb 1991) Burgess, Hollis (Dec 21, 1911 - Apr 1977) Burgess, Evelyn (Mar 31, 1916 - Nov 4, 2000)
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