Mr. Billy Derwood Polk, 88, of Islandton, entered into eternal rest Sunday, March 16, 2025, at his daughter’s residence in Barnwell. He was the husband of the late Rae Gibson Polk, to whom he was married 57 years. Born August 23, 1936, in Colleton County, he was a son of the late Heber Polk and Euie Sineath Polk. Derwood served his country in the South Carolina Army National Guard and was then called into active duty in the United States Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In his early years, he worked alongside his father in logging and then went on to work for Miley Lumber Company and eventually Westinghouse in Hampton. He then worked in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia as an iron worker, having worked for Daniels Construction, as well as Foster-Wheeler. Derwood was a member of Rice Patch Christian Church in Islandton, where he was active in many aspects of the church’s work. He was a lifetime member of Hudson Masonic Lodge, No. 373-Ancient Free Masons in Islandton, the JHAB Shrine Club in Varnville, and Community Chapter No. 206, Order of the Eastern Star. He served on the Board of Directors for the Islandton Volunteer Fire Department. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed deer hunting and was often a part of Saturday dog drives with family and friends. He was an avid Gamecock fan and enjoyed following Gamecock Women’s Basketball. He was a stock car racing fan, was a car owner for the dirt tracks in Summerville and Orangeburg and loved NASCAR. He enjoyed traveling in his camper to Maggie Valley and Florida and on summer weekends he enjoyed boating with his children and watching them skiing with their friends on the Ashepoo River. Surviving are: his daughters, Debra Polk Dicks and her husband Thomas of Barnwell and Cynthia Diane Hutto of Islandton; sister, June Darnell of Denmark; sister-in-law, Carolyn T. Polk of Islandton; grandchildren, Jennifer Rae Stock and her husband Jason of Lexington, Christopher Michael Hutto and his wife Jennifer of Islandton, Gary Thomas Dicks and his wife Heather of Florence, Sarah Dicks Navarro and her husband Eric of Lexington, and Stacy Hutto Lawton and her husband James of Walterboro; and 11 great grandchildren, Addison Rae Stock, Graham Thomas Dicks, Harley Grace Stock, Lennox Marie Hutto, Isaac Bastian Navarro, Delaney Page Dicks, Ellyson Claire Hutto, Isabel Eden Navarro, Poppy Monroe Lawton, Ember James Lawton, and Michael Anders Hutto. He was preceded in death by his brother, Denny Polk. Memorial contributions may be made to: Rice Patch Christian Church, Cemetery Fund, 15246 Sniders Highway, Islandton, South Carolina 29929. Funeral services were held 11 o’clock, Thursday morning, March 20, 2025, at Rice Patch Christian Church, Islandton. Interment with Military Honors and Masonic Rites followed in the church cemetery. Arrangements By: The Brice W. Herndon And Sons Funeral Homes And Crematory, Walterboro Chapel, 1193 Bells Highway, Walterboro. 843.538.5408. Visit the registry online at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com.
