Sam Stribling- President

Sam & Sheila Stribling

President

Sam Stribling has been in the funeral business in the Woodruff area for over 31 years.  Sam has been married to Sheila Wofford Stribling for over 50 years.  They have four children, Gordon and his wife Darlene, Tammy Sumner and husband Terry, Lynne Morgan and her husband Tommy and Tina Cooper and her husband Buddy.  They have seven grandchildren; Thad, Ryan, Nathan, Paige, Megan, Katie and Taylor.

Sam and his wife are members of Woodruff First Baptist Church and he enjoys fishing and family time.  Sam also operates Sam Stribling Monuments where he offers family’s tremendous savings on all styles of monuments from Bronze to Granite.

Sam’s parents John E. and Olive Reynolds Stribling opened Stribling Funeral Home in Woodruff in 1977, although Mr. John Stribling passed away in 1997 Mrs. Olive Stribling was proud to see the birth of a new funeral home, with the opening of Forest Hills Funeral Home.  Mrs. Olive was very active in Forest Hills until she passed away in August of 2006.  The legacy started by them continues today with Sam Stribling and the staff of Forest Hills Funeral Home and in 2007 the chapel was dedicated in loving memory of them, now named Forest Hills Funeral Home Stribling Memorial Chapel.  Again, the legacy started by them continues through Sam and the staff as we continue to serve Woodruff and surrounding areas with Care, Concern, Compassion and Superior Service, unmatched by any other funeral home, that’s why we say…at Forest Hills Funeral Home Stribling Memorial Chapel “We Are Changing Tradition, One Family At A Time.”

Wayne Brown- Licencsed Funeral Director- Manager

Wayne & Karon Brown

Licensed Funeral Director- CFSP - Manager

Wayne Brown is a native of Woodruff and Spartanburg County, SC and lives in the Green Pond Community where he and his wife Karon and their kitty Belue live and are members of Green Pond Baptist Church.  Wayne is the son of the late John Belton and Mary Maud Wood Brown and the grandson of the late Fay B. and Mary Skinner Brown and the late Lee Roy and Mary Ada Rogers Wood.  He is a graduate of James F. Byrnes High School and North Greenville College.  He loves church, Southern Gospel Music, volunteering to help with community events and organizations such as the (Bread Of Life Ministries, Relay For Life to name a couple), and enjoys piano, singing, golf and traveling to the mountains and other various places.
Wayne worked for Winn-Dixie Stores for over fourteen years until he left in 1998 to start his own business.  He is the former owner of WDRF Radio in Woodruff and the former owner of The Glory Road Christian Bookstore.
Wayne and his wife sold both of their businesses in 2004 and 2005 and Wayne is now the full time, Licensed Funeral Director and Manager with Forest Hills Funeral Home and his wife Karon is a full time teacher’s assistant at Shannon Forest Christian School.
Wayne started out working part time for Forest Hills in 2000, served an apprenticeship, took the South Carolina state board exam and received his Funeral Directors license in 2005.  He is currently a member of the Piedmont Group, The Academy Of Professional Funeral Service Practice and has obtained (CFSP) designation, (Certified Funeral Service Practitioner) member of The South Carolina Funeral Directors Association (SCFDA) and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA).  Wayne looks at his service over the last nine years with Forest Hills as an ongoing continuation of his ministry to the community and an opportunity to reach out to people in their most difficult time of need.

Rex Skinner

Rex & Jan Skinner

A native of Woodruff, SC, Rex graduated from Woodruff High School and continued his education in college, receiving a BA Degree from North Georgia College in 1968.  He was commissioned in the US Army Military Police Corp and served on active duty for three and a half years during the Vietnam era and attained the rank of captain.  Returning to civilian life, Rex worked in the criminal justice system in the Metro Atlanta area as a police officer, probation officer and eventually started his own private investigation business.  Upon returning to Woodruff in 1994, he started working in the funeral industry with his brother-in-law, Sam Stribling.  In 1998, Sam and Rex formed a corporation, established Forest Hills Funeral Home, and continue their full time employment as hands on co owners of the firm.  Rex is married to the former Jan Stribling, and he serves a deacon, Sunday school teacher, assembly leader and pianist in the Adult Sunday School Department of the First Baptist Church in Woodruff.  He is also a Mason, Past President of the Woodruff Rotary Club, and a major in the SC State Guard Honors Detachment.

Kenneth D. Bradley, Sr.

Ken & Frances Bradley

Ken was born in Marion, NC the son of Steve and Lola Bradley.  They moved to Woodruff, SC in 1954 and Kenneth graduated from Woodruff High School in 1964.  
He has been married to his wife Frances Lancaster Bradley for over 43 years and they have two sons; K. David Bradley II and his wife Stephanie of Portland, OR and S. Scott Bradley and his wife Shonda of Columbia, SC.  They also have two grandchildren Aiden of Portland, OR and Madison of Coumbia, SC.  
Kenneth retired from Laurens Electric Co-op after 22 years of service and has been employed with Forest Hills Funeral Home now for over five years.  He is a member of Selma Baptist Church in Woodruff where he serves as Deacon.  Kenneth also enjoys working as a part-time technical inspector for 600 Racing.

Harold D. Brooks

Harold & Barbara Brooks

Harold Brooks is a native of Woodruff, SC and is married to Barbara Jones Brooks.  They have three children; Rusty, Patty and Bobby and they have six grandchildren.  Harold and his wife are members of Selma Baptist Church in Woodruff.

Harold is retired from Jeffrey Manufacturing and has been working part-time in the funeral industry since 1993.  He has been with Forest Hills Funeral Home since 1998 and is truly an asset to the business. 

Rev. Carrol Caldwell

Rev. Carrol & Audrey Caldwell

Rev. Carrol Caldwell and his wife Audrey live in the Woodruff-Cross Anchor area where Carrol has been a pastor for over 25 years.  Carrol’s wife Audrey is the former owner operator of the H&R Block office in Woodruff where she continues to work after selling the business several years ago.  Carrol was pastor at Cavins Baptist Church in Woodruff for over 20 years where he retired, only to be called as interim pastor at Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church where he accepted the full time pastorate again.  Carrol is very active in the Mason’s, Shriners, Shriners Children Hospital, teaches classes in Textiles to students at Clemson University.  Carrol worked as a bi-vocational pastor for many years while working for Milliken Corporation where he continues to teach classes as a consultant for the company.  Carrol has three children, Steve, Dianne and Wilma Jo and has been helping Forest Hills Funeral Home for several years where he also serves as staff chaplain for any family in need at any time.  Carrol is very involved in the community and is well known for his visits to all area hospitals and nursing facilities on a daily basis ministering to families, the sick and the bereaved.

JoAnn R. Wilkie

JoAnn R. & Evans Wilkie

JoAnn proudly joined us at Forest Hills Funeral Home in August of 2009 and we are so happy to have her as part of our staff family.

JoAnn has over 28 years of experience in the funeral industry in Woodruff and brings with her a vast knowledge and wisdom of Funeral Service as well as a sincere love and compassion for the people in Woodruff and surrounding areas.  She is truly a familiar, friendly face to families during their time of need and she counts it a priviledge to be here for them.  JoAnn grew up in Woodruff, attended Woodruff High School and she and her husband Evans live in Simpsonville, attend Rocky Creek Baptist Church and they have two sons; Greg and Chris.  JoAnn enjoys her church, family and cooking and catering.

Eva Bennett - (NOT PICTURED)

Eva Roper Bennett has been with Forest Hills Funeral Home for over eight years now but has over fifteen years of funeral experince.  Eva is well known in the community having worked at Arthur State Bank for a number of years and having been downtown at C.J. Edwards Shoe Store for many years before that.  Eva is married to Bruce Bennett and grew up in the Hobbysville-Cross Anchor area and is very involved in her church at Cavins Baptist Church as well as community activities.  She is truly a special person and her personality is tremendous. 

Chris Bennett

Chris, Ashley, Layla-Grey & C.J. Bennett

Chris Bennett began working with Forest Hills in October of 2008.  He is married to Ashley Waddell Bennett and has two children Layla-Grey and C.J.  Chris is the son of Rick and Susan Bennett of Stone Station and the son-in-law of Phil and Sherry Waddell of Woodruff.  He is a a native of Roebuck / Stone Station and a graduate of Dorman High School.  He attended Greenville Technical College and currently attends Piedmont Technical College.  He is an Apprentice Funeral Director at Forest Hills and plans to obtain his Funeral Directors License in the fall of 2010.  He is a member of Green Pond Baptist Church and enjoys a variety of activities.  Chris is also owner / operator of Battles Cleaning Service based in Spartanburg.  He is very energetic and brings to us a wealth of personality. We are blessed and proud to have him as part of our staff family.