Wreck leaves void in family

Mother, teen son killed in accident after car hits tree

RIDGEVILLE — She prepared seafood salad and pound cake for family cookouts.

He sang in the church choir and had just been promoted to a managerial position at Subway.

The mother and her teenage son were killed Monday morning when their Toyota left Horseford Road and hit a tree on the way to Woodland High School.

Joshua Kemmerlin, 16, was driving their Camry, and his mother, Betty Jean Kemmerlin, 50, was in the passenger seat, Dorchester County Deputy Coroner Alice Durr said. The accident happened at 7:50 a.m. and neither was wearing a seat belt, Highway Patrol Cpl. Paul Brouthers said.

Dozens of family members and friends gathered at Betty Jean's parents' Ridge-ville home Monday to comfort one another. Cars lined both sides of the street and several children played in the backyard. To any outsider, it looked like a typical family gathering, but with two critical family members not there, a heavy sadness filled the home.

Betty Jean was always eager to organize family functions. Just two days earlier, she had thrown a birthday party at her parents' home. She cared for others well beyond her large family circle, working at Coastal Center in Ladson for 20 years before switching to Berkeley Citizens Inc., her sister Natalie Mazyck said.

"She was always giving a helping hand to anyone in the community," Mazyck said.

Cheryl Pinckney, Betty Jean's sister-in-law, said Betty Jean welcomed her into the family like a real sister and was a support for every family member.

"She'd give you the shirt off her back," Pinckney said.

Joshua, an only child, also was dedicated to his family and was a favorite among his younger cousins, often starting baseball games at the backyard events. On Saturday, he had taken his 2-year-old cousin to a cookout in Summerville, an event his cousin had been looking forward to all morning because it meant spending time with Joshua, Mazyck said.

Last week, Joshua, an 11th-grader at Woodland High School, was promoted at Subway in Summerville. When he arrived home, he excitedly jingled the keys he had earned in his new managerial position, Mazyck said. It was a job he took seriously, working every day after school and on weekends.

Mazyck said Joshua had dreams of becoming a musician and that he loved to sing gospel and hip-hop songs for the family.

"He would sing all the time and dance," Mazyck said. "He was just a sweet person."

James Peterson, principal of Woodland High, said counselors were available throughout the day.

"He was a part of our family," Peterson said. "We share in the loss and the grief. "

Mazyck said she was not sure why Betty Jean was in the car Monday morning at that time, but they had plans to take a walk together later in the day, as they often did.

"It's hard," she said. "She just left our circle."

Reach Jamie McGee at jmcgee@postandcourier.com or 745-5856.