Cheraw, SC

Sue Frances Curry Harpe, 94, passed away on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Born, December 21, 1931, in Chesterfield, SC, she was the daughter of the late Bronson C. and Cora Lee McQuaige Curry, and the beloved widow of Benjamin Thomas Harpe, Sr.

A dedicated lifelong member of Lower Macedonia Baptist Church, Sue was a member of various Sunday School Classes through the years. She also served on the Hospitality Committee and worked in the Children’s Day Care Ministry. On December 25, 1951, she married her sweetheart, Thomas. Throughout her career, Sue worked at Sacony Mills in Cheraw, where her efficiency with a sewing machine set the production rate for the mill and later led to her promotion to Supervisor over all the samples that were sent to Sacony’s customers. She worked at Saverance Motor Co. in downtown Cheraw as a secretary and was also a homemaker and loving wife. In 1968 Thomas and Sue opened Cheraw Motors, Inc., and sometime in the 1970’s opened Tire City in Cheraw. Later in life, she worked as a cook at Crown Cork and Seal. After her retirement, Sue’s family remembers talking to people from Crown, and listening to how they enjoyed her cooking and missed her. Sue had a passion for sewing, gardening, and cooking, and was a firm believer in fat back grease, creating a welcoming home where family and friends gathered for nourishing meals and cherished fellowship.

In addition to her parents and husband, Sue was preceded in death by her son, Tommy Harpe; grandchildren Ben Harpe and Eden Smith; as well as her brother, John L. Curry; and sisters Lib Rice and Shirley Sellers.

Sue leaves behind to cherish her memory, her son, Mitch (Teresa) Harpe of Cheraw, SC; daughters, Donna (Dean) Smith of Murrells Inlet, SC, and Terri (Joey) Polson of Cheraw, SC; daughter-in-law Kathy Harpe of Cheraw, SC; brother, Bronson “Junior” C. Curry of West Columbia, SC; sisters, Lois McLain of Patrick, SC, Estell Montgomery of West Columbia, SC, Glen Eslick of Patrick, SC, and Barbara Judd of West Columbia, SC; along with grandchildren Justin Harpe, Samantha Smith, Joe (Jessie) Polson, Caroline (Dylan) Bartell, Georgia (David) Hamrick, and Victoria (Bailey) Polson; and great-grandchildren Archer Polson, Ainsley Polson, Adon Polson, Karley Harpe, J.J. Harpe, Thomas Harpe, Jax Harpe, Stone Harpe, and Webb Hamrick.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Lower Macedonia Baptist Church, Chesterfield, SC. Burial will follow in Lower Macedonia Memorial Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM just prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Memorials may be made to Lower Macedonia Memorial Gardens, PO Box 1594, Cheraw, SC 29520.

Kiser Funeral Home has been entrusted to serve the Harpe family in their time of grief.

Online condolences may be made at www.kiserfuneralhome.com.