Paul Leonard Thigpen

Paul Leonard Thigpen, 91, widower of Rosa Lee Hinson Thigpen, died Thursday, April 6, 2023, at his home.
Born April 28, 1931, in Manning, SC, he was a son of the late John Herbert Thigpen and the late Bernice Virginia Kennedy Thigpen. He lived in Sumter except for a seven-year period during the Great Depression and World War II when he and his late brothers lived in the Connie Maxwell Orphanage in Greenwood, SC. He later served in the U.S. Air Force before working for Pioneer Dress until he retired. He was a longtime member of New Calvary Baptist Church.
He is survived by his son, Rev. Dr. Paul Daniel Thigpen (Faye) of Columbia, SC; a daughter, Deborah Ann Thigpen Duby (Gary) of Sumter, SC; a son-in-law, David Blackmon of Sumter, SC; five grandchildren, Sharolyn Blackmon Ellis (Ted), Chris Blackmon, and Jessica Duby all of Sumter, SC, and Mark Thigpen and Kevin Thigpen (Taylor) all of Columbia, SC; and three great-grandchildren, Chloe Blackmon, Eva Thigpen, and Emma Thigpen.
In addition to his wife of 53 years, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Rosalind Virginia Blackmon.
A funeral service will be held at 11 A.M. Tuesday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Ron Underwood and the Rev. L.C. Evans officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 A.M. Tuesday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Connie Maxwell Children's Home, P.O. Box 1178, Greenwood, SC 29648 or to New Calvary Baptist Church, 38 Center St., Sumter, SC 29150.
Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.