Rev. Dr. W. James Rivers

MOREHEAD CITY, NC - The Rev. Dr. W. James Rivers, 88, passed away Thursday, July 13, 2017.  Funeral services with military honors will be held 4:00 PM Sunday, July 16, 2017 at Millbrook Baptist Church with The Rev. Richard Swift, The Rev. Dr. Steve Burnette, The Rev. Dr. Phillip Dunn and The Rev. Mark Powers officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the church. Interment will be held 11am Monday, July 17 at Mount Horeb Methodist Church Cemetery, 1205 Old Cherokee Rd., Lexington, SC 29072. Pallbearers will be Houston Brown, Tony Craps, Harry Harmon, Lionel Smith, Jodie Whisnant and Tom Young. Honorary pallbearers will be the Chapel Class and area ministers and spouses.   Dr. Rivers was born in Hampton, SC to the late Harry and Inez Rivers. He graduated from Hampton High School, the University of South Carolina, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He received an honorary Doctor of Theology degree from Charleston Southern University.  Dr. Rivers served in the United Staes Air Force attaining the rank of Captain. He flew 51 missions in the Korean Conflict as a Navigator. Dr. Rivers served as pastor of two Southern Baptist Churches; the Dutch Fork Baptist Church in Ballantine, SC for eight years and the Millbrook Baptist Church in Aiken for 29 years, where he was still Pastor Emeritus at the time of his passing.   He is survived by his loving wife, Annie Julia Snelgrove Rivers, son, Jimmy (Mona) Rivers, Morehead City, NC; three grandchildren, Katie (Christopher) Thompson, Whitney (Kyle) Mayer, Derek Rivers; three great-grandchildren, Wyatt Mayer, Connor Mayer and River Thompson. He was predeceased by a daughter, Julia Victoria Rivers, and sisters Sara (Dick) Burton, Mildred (Eddie) Collins, and Myrna Rivers.   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to First Baptist Church of Morehead City Building Fund, 810 Bridges St., Morehead City, NC 28557. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rev. Dr. W. James Rivers, please visit our flower store.