JAMES HILTON

Posted

James Hilton, second of nine children of the late Ben Helton Sr. and Eunice Capers Helton, was born on May 2, 1923, in Sumter. He departed this earthly life in sleep on Oct. 23, 2019, at his home. James, also known as "Boy," was educated in the public schools of Sumter County. Soon after he finished school in his teen years, James left Sumter and moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he was employed as a shipyard employee at Bethlehem Steel. In the 1960s, he left Bethlehem Steel and got a job at Bar-Will BA Nursing Home. Later, he worked for Maryland Casualty Insurance as a maintenance supervisor, and during the evenings, he did domestic work for Mrs. Morton for 17 years. He worked for Paris May Health from the 1980s until he retired at age 84. Shortly after retiring, he and his wife returned to Sumter.

James bore four children during his relationship with Mary Chandler. In 1974, James married Minnie Virginia Hilton in Baltimore, Maryland, and this union was blessed with one son.

He leaves to cherish his memories: his children, Barbara Jean Helton Richards, James Robert Hilton, Wade Hilton, Deborah Hilton Kutch, Claudette Hilton Reed and Brian Braxton; six sisters, Mamie H. Witherspoon of Fort Worth, Texas, Mable Helton of Sumter, Ernestine H. Brown, Audrey H. Jackson, Barbara H. Hagans and Blundell H. Harris, all of New Jersey; one brother, Freddie Helton of Sumter; a son-in-law, Tyrone Kutch; a daughter-in-law, Daphna Hilton; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

The family is receiving relatives and friends at the family home, 1090 Goodson Road, Sumter.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kingsbury Road Church of Christ, 215 Kingsbury Drive, Sumter, with Minister Melvin Sapp, elder, eulogist.

The remains will be placed in the church at 9 a.m.

The funeral procession will leave from the home at 9:20 a.m.

Burial will be in the Martin Town Cemetery, Martin Town Road, Sumter.

Services directed by the management and staff of Williams Funeral Home Inc., 821 N. Main St., Sumter.

Online memorial messages may be sent to the family at williamsfuneralhome@sc.rr.com. Visit us on the web at www.williamsfuneralhomeinc.com.