Henry Edward "Ted" Sowell

1934 - 2025

LANCASTER, S.C. - Henry Edward (Ted) Sowell, age 91, died Sunday morning, Oct. 26, 2025 at his apartment at The Meridian at Carolina Lakes Assisted Living in Indian Land, S.C.
Ted, as he was called his whole life, was born on March 4, 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama, the only child of the late Beulah M'Ree Lingle Sowell and Col. Henry E. Sowell, both of the Buford Community.
Upon retiring from the Army in 1942, the family moved to Lancaster and then Heath Springs after the war. Ted became a true Heath Springs resident, graduating from the Heath Springs High School, Class of 1952. He was not able to join the Army and go to Korea due to a lifelong health problem.
Ted had an interesting life which centered around his love of cars. When he was 16, he ran the American Oil (Amoco now) service station on Main Street in Heath Springs. He also ran the only movie theater in Heath Springs on the weekends, selling tickets, running the projector and the concession stand and as the janitor. After high school, Ted worked briefly at Grace Bleachery before moving to Aliquippa, PA to work as a maintenance worker in the Jones and Locklear Seven Mile Steel Mill, where his uncle was mill manager. He married Betty Ann Robinson, a Lancaster girl, and moved back to Heath Springs just in time to have his first child.
Once back in Lancaster County, Ted went to work at the Ford dealership in Kershaw as a mechanic, his love of cars leading him in this direction. He soon made connections with a friend in Columbia where the two opened Continental Motors, a foreign car specialty repair garage. This business led Ted to a road race team located in Columbia where he was a team mechanic and car builder for a team racing the original Cobra sports cars. Through this relationship he met and worked with the great drivers and Carrol Shelby of the film Ford v Ferrari fame. Yes, he knew those guys.
In 1965 Ted moved the business to Lancaster and became the first foreign car specialty garage in a town that had very few foreign cars. In 1973 he built a new larger building and became Continental Foreign Parts and Service, still the only foreign car garage in Lancaster.
In late 1989 Ted closed the doors of Continental forever and pursued a new passion, jewelry and gemstones. He and his wife, Joyce, bought a big truck and an Airstream and went on the road following the gem shows around the United States. Ted made and sold jewelry and jewelry-making tools and machines. He created a mail order business as well, selling all over the world.
After retiring from this adventure, Ted got involved in issues affecting his hometown of Heath Springs. First, he realized a real need for a new Senior Center for the senior citizens of the area. Working with Curtis Loftis, SC Treasurer, he obtained funding to build a new Center on the site of the old Heath Springs High School. He worked tirelessly to get funding for activities and a van as well. Ted became the Silver Hair Legislator representing the needs and voice of Seniors in the Lancaster area for many years. He was asked by Curtis Loftis to go to Japan on a Good Will Tour as the Silver Hair Legislator from SC but was unable to go because of a health issue.
Ted ran for a seat on the Heath Springs Town Council and served with great passion for many terms. He worked for new sidewalks on streets that never had them and for the sewer system in Heath Springs. He loved his hometown and wanted to make it better for the generations that would follow. Ted battled cancer while on the council and survived, continuing to serve one more term before stepping down for a new generation.
Ted was a devout Christian as well. He loved God and his church, Heath Springs Baptist, where he served as deacon and Sunday School teacher for many years. Later in life, he and Joyce moved their membership to Center Grove Baptist Church where he was very active in the life of the church.
Ted was preceded in death by his parents, Col. and Mrs. Henry Sowell, his ex-wife Betty Ann Robinson Sowell and his late wife of 42 years Joyce Odell Sowell.
He is survived by his son Henry Bruce Sowell and wife Pam, his daughter Catherine Elizabeth Sowell Wallace and stepson Ricky Haire. He also has two granddaughters, Bridget Prince and Ella M'Ree Wilson (Ray) and three grandsons, Randy Wallace (deceased), Clint Wallace (Keri) and Chris Wallace (Brittany). He also has many great-grandsons, Trenton Bonnett, Reece Bonnett, Clint (C.J.) Wallace, Colin Wallace, Haidyn Wallace and two great-granddaughters, Savannah Wilson and Austin Wallace. And a special friend, Darlene Dixon, who is more like a daughter.
There will be a Celebration of Life at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 at Restoration Church of Lancaster at 1001 West Meeting St., Lancaster. Visitation will be from 3-4 p.m. at the church.
Memorials can be sent to Center Grove Baptist Church, 6028 Center Grove Road, Kershaw, SC 29067.
Lancaster Funeral Home and Cremation Service is serving the family of Mr. Sowell.