Willie Blyther & Cecil Stevens Are Grand Marshals For Fall Festival Parade In Downtown Bishopville

Two well-known local citizens will be this year’s Grand Marshals for the Fall Festival Parade, set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 in downtown Bishopville. Lee County natives Willie Blyther and Cecil Stevens have both served their community faithfully in various roles over numerous decades.
Mr. Willie Blyther
Willie Blyther attended West Lee Elementary School and graduated from Dennis High, Class of 1963. He joined the United States Navy in 1963, served briefly and was honorably discharged for medical reasons.
Upon his return to Bishopville, Mr. Blyther attended Morris College in Sumter and later attended Francis Marion University in Florence, successfully completing certification in leadership from the Rural Leadership Institute.
Mr. Blyther worked for 22 years at Dupont in Lugoff before retiring in 1992.
His community-minded spirit led him to join numerous civic organizations. He served as president of the Lee County Chapter of the Morris College Alumni Association for many years until his retirement in 2022. For his dedicated service, he received a Presidential Citation in 1995.
He was a member of the Lee County Chapter of the NAACP beginning in the 1980s and became President of the Lee County Chapter in 1994, serving in that role until his retirement in 2022.
Mr. Blyther was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Dennis Community Development Corporation of Lee County (DCDC), and he later was elected Chairman of the Board, serving as its chairman until his retirement in 2022.  The DCDC is the caretaker organization for Historic Dennis High School, which serves as the Dennis Community Center in Bishopville.    
He has been a member of Prince Hall Masons since 1974, was Worshipful Master of Williams Temple Lodge No. 364, is a member of the Sons and Daughters of Job United No. 206 and Sons and Daughters of Job Grand Lodge. 
Mr. Blyther is a lifelong member of Jerusalem Stuckey Baptist Church, where he as served as Superintendent of the Sunday School; he has also served as secretary of the Sumter Baptist Missionary and Education Brotherhood Association Convention.
Cecil Stevens
Cecil Stevens was elected the youngest auditor in the state of South Carolina in 1974, more than 50 years ago. He has served and been re-elected without opposition for the past 40 years. Dubbed as “The Face of Lee County” by the local newspaper, Stevens is a popular and charismatic elected official who has attended thousands of functions, supporting local breakfast and service clubs, political and other social programs. As an ordained Baptist minister, Stevens has conducted hundreds of weddings and funerals for the citizens of Lee County. His good will as a philanthropist has created hope for many local citizens.
Stevens attended the public schools of Lee County where he won state honors in public speaking. He studied Business Law at Francis Marion University, continuing his education at Lutheran Theological Seminary. He has held most positions in his local church and is a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Stevens served in the U.S. Army, Army National Guard and is a member of American Legion Post 29.
He has held many positions and served in numerous organizations. These include: president of the Lee County Chapter of State Employees Association; S.C. State Employees Board of Directors; Lee County Disabilities and Special Needs Board of Directors; Lee County Council on Aging; Lee County Historical Society; Lee County Arts Council; President of Alive 75 Auditors and Treasurers; charter member of the S.C. Association of Countywide Elected Executives; past Chaplin of SCATT; and Chairman of Lee County’s 100 Year Birthday in 2002. 
Stevens founded the Lee County Archives in 2006, and is a board member of the Woodward Memorial Foundation of Lee County. He has also served as Lee County Recreation Board Chairman, president of the Rotary Club, was a board member of the Bishopville Lee Daycare Center and has served as vice chairman of the Lee County Democratic Party, among many other service positions, including membership in the Jaycees, Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs.
Stevens was president and an owner of the “Lee County Observer” newspaper and owned and operated City Laundry and Dry Cleaners.