Byron James Crews

Pelion, SC – After fighting long and hard for eighteen months, Byron James Crews, 49, was released from his fight against peritoneal cancer on Monday, July 3, 2023. He had been under the care of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX where he was hospitalized for the last 93 days.

Byron was born August 11, 1973 in Charleston, SC, the firstborn son of his proud parents James and Evangeline (Vangie Smith) Crews. He grew up in Pelion, SC where he participated in basketball and track and played trumpet in the band all four years of high school. He attended Pelion Church of the Nazarene where he was a member. He also attended Hortense Wesleyan Camp every summer and passed his love of camp meeting to his daughter, Abigail.

Following high school Byron worked for several years at the JCPenney store in Brunswick, GA, after which he moved to Acworth, GA and attended Southern Polytech University and Georgia Tech graduating with several degrees including Electrical Engineering, Audio Engineering, and Computer Engineering. He pursued a career in his field of study for a short time, ending the pursuit because he was not willing to travel as extensively as the job required. He returned to Pelion and assisted in coaching a boys basketball team and track team, teaching the boys not only the fundamentals of the sports, but also how to tie a tie.

He eventually became an employee for UPS in Columbia, SC where he worked for 15 years. He was an Automation Specialist in the Building and Systems Engineering Department when he received his cancer diagnosis.

Byron was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Hamer and Julia Crews, and his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Iris Smith; an uncle Corbitt Crews, and two first cousins, Luke Davis and Chadwick Lewis.

He is survived by one daughter, Abigail Turner, and her mother, Angela Turner, both of Orlando, FL; his parents, James and Evangeline; one sister, Erin (Duane) Salter of Lexington, SC; one brother, Ethan Crews of Hortense, GA, and a host of other family members and friends.

The family requests that any inquiries about funeral arrangements for Byron to the family, 912-473-2345 or 912-473-2368.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741.

Arrangements are with Frye Funeral Home, Nahunta.

Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online registry at www.fryefh.com.