Tragedy promotes positive action

Web posted December 25, 1997

By Kathy Steele
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- The community known in Aiken County as the Valley, where Sheryl Wood grew up, is close knit.

``Families know families and kids know kids,'' said Mack Kirby, a longtime resident of Bath.

So when he remembers the tragedy that took Ms. Wood's life on Sept. 15, Mr. Kirby thinks in terms of what it meant to his community.

``It's the worst thing that happened to this neighborhood,'' he said. Many of Ms. Wood's relatives, including her mother and grandmother, live nearby, he said.

But the nightmare that left Ms. Wood and three of her fellow employees at R.E. Phelon Co. dead has proven something positive. The community of Aiken can come together in the worst of times to comfort those who are suffering, Mr. Kirby said.

``The community has helped them out a whole lot,'' he said.

Ms. Wood, 27, David Moore, 30, Leonard Filyaw, 30, and Charles Griffeth, 56, were shot to death at their work stations at the Aiken plant as workers prepared to change shifts about 3 p.m. Sept. 15.

Arthur Hastings Wise, a former Phelon employee, was charged with murder in connection with the deaths. Police said he was disgruntled about being fired months earlier.

Solicitor Barbara Morgan has said she will seek the death penalty if Mr. Wise is convicted.

United Way of Aiken County and NationsBank began the process Tuesday of distributing more than $88,000 raised for the families of the victims through a memorial fund.

R.E. Phelon began the fund with $50,000. Over the past four months, the community has given an additional $38,225.

It was only the latest evidence of how Aiken County residents responded in time of need.

The account at NationsBank probably will remain open several more months, said Paul Durban, chairman of the memorial fund. Any additional money that comes in will be distributed equally among the victims' families, he said.

``There has been a very strong support,'' Mr. Durban said. ``I know to get to the size it got certainly tells you the community was affected by this and wanted to help the families.''

It's easy to say under circumstances like this that the community came together, Mr. Durban said. But many people wanted to help in contributions or other ways, he said.

``This is a very caring community,'' Mr. Durban said.

The healing process began days after the shooting with grief counseling for Phelon employees, distribution of black ribbons and a citywide memorial service to honor the victims' memories.

Determining how to eliminate tragedies, such as the one at Phelon and a shooting a year earlier at the North Augusta office of the Department of Social Services, is still on the minds of community officials, Mr. Durban said.

Three social-services caseworkers -- Josie Curry, 35, Michael Gregory, 30, and Jimmy Riddle, 52 -- were shot to death at work in September 1996. David Mark Hill, who is charged with murder, could face the death penalty if convicted.

Mr. Hill was upset that caseworkers were putting his then-4-year-old paraplegic daughter in foster care, police said.

``We certainly don't want to forget about (these events),'' Mr. Durban said. ``It's still something that could happen.''

To contribute to the fund, make checks payable to the Phelon Victims Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 1254, Aiken, S.C. 29802.