George Dewey Snake Batson

1945 - 2017

George Dewey Snake Batson

Easley

George Dewey Batson arrived in this world on July 26, 1945 at the Greenville General Hospital. His parents, C.H. Batson and Leila Bobbie Batson (formerly Nancy Bell Fuller), were a typical mill working family of the upstate with a classical household of four boys and two girls. Their subsistence and livelihood were marginal before the institution of the welfare state. This meant that Dewey received no formal education and even spent an entire year living on his own in the horse pasture in northern Pickens County at age twelve.

Dewey's introduction to social life was in the "cotton" mills. There he learned the basics of language and mathematics while acquiring the knowledge of how things work. This gave him the understanding with the intricacies of repairing mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

For some unrecognized reason, Dewey received the nickname of "Snake". This appellation remained with him the rest of his life. He was known as "Snake" by all. To wit he changed his name legally, to Snake Batson in late life.

The talents and expertise he learned in the mills prepared him for his livelihood as the maintenance supervisor for the adolescent group homes of Avalonia and Excalibur.

This is a self-made man who expired at the Fleetwood Health and Rehabilitation facility in Pickens, South Carolina. He died of complications of chronic illness on March 27, 2017. He is leaving behind his bereaved wife Janie Batson and his sons, Joe Batson and C.J. Batson, brothers John Frank Batson and Arthur Lewis Batson, and sister Eula Grace Breazeale married to Shorty Bramlet Breazeale, a dear friend of Snake.

Snake is preceded in death by his parents C.H. Batson and Leila Bobbie Batson, brother Preston Calvin Batson and sister Leila Bobbie Gillespie.

All prayers and wishes for Snake's salvation can be extended through the Harvest Outreach Church in Pickens, South Carolina where Snake and Janie were remarried and Snake met his savior, Jesus Christ.