Ralph A. Love, Sr.

RALPH A. LOVE, SR. Florence, S.C. RALPH A. LOVE, SR., 73, of Florence, passed away Sunday, May 29, 2011 in a Florence hospital after an illness. Mr. Love was born in Dillon, SC a son of the late Elwood Alton Love and Virginia Pierce Love Bullard.He was a US Navy veteran and served in the US Naval Reserves for 8 years.He retired from CSX Railroad after more than 25 years.He was a member of "The Shady Group" of Alcoholics Anonymous for 29 years and assisted in the founding of Bruce Hall.He was a member of Hillside Free Will Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Thomas Elwood Love and a sister, Martha Bullard Crawford. Surviving are his wife of 28 years, Carole McLain Love of Florence; sons, Ralph Alton (Regina) Love and James Linwood (Kelly) Love, both of Hartsville and Jimmy Ray (Renee) Rivers of Sumter; daughter, Jennifer Lynn Rivers (Dyson) Caraway of Florence; brothers, Raymond Earl Bullard of Florence and Jefferson Carlisle Bullard of Manning; sisters, Mazie Bullard White and Bertie Bullard Miles, both of Florence and Mary Kay Smoake of Orangeburg, SC; grandchildren, Evan Lorraine Love, Magdalene Olivia "Maggie" Love, James McLeod "Mac" Love, Charles Alton "Chase" Love, Peyton Rae Rivers, James Colton Rivers and Nichole Rivers (Nathan) Alford; great-granddaughter, Katie Alford. Memorials may be made to Hillside Free Will Baptist Church, 1711 Lemont Drive, Florence, SC29505. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at Hillside Free Will Baptist Church.Burial will follow in the church cemetery directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 PM Tuesday at the funeral home. Please sign the guest registry for Mr. Love at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.