Rev. Leland Russell Cave

Reverend Leland Russell Cave (Deacon), 50, of Columbia, South Carolina went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, February 22, 2024. Born in Columbia, SC, on February 9th, 1974, he is the son of Benjamin James Cave, Jr. and Patricia Ann Wilson.

Leland was a 1992 Lower Richland High School graduate in Hopkins, South Carolina. During high school, he competed as a member of the Lower Richland Track Team, and he played the French Horn as a member of the Marching Brigadiers band. After high school,  Leland attended Xavier University of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1996. More recently, in 2016, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Leo University. At this phase, he excelled academically and had many leadership roles.

Leland was an active St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church member for over 40 years. After earning his divinity degree, he was ordained and served as a minister since 2016. He was dedicated to his involvement and service as a member of the men's choir, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Parish Council, and the Parish Staff. Leland was also honored by serving as the first Grand Knight of the Knights of Peter Claver for Saint Martin De Porres in 2004.

Leland also took great pride in his work at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control since 2005. Leland’s most honored life-long positions were reflected in his devotion to God, love and loyalty to his wife, Arnetha, and being a guiding mentor, lifeline, and compass for his children Aniya and Matthew. He was blessed also to be a son, brother, uncle, grandson, and cousin to his loving family.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Benjamin James Cave, Sr, and Zenobia Stewart Cave; maternal grandfather, Mancer Wilson, Jr; and uncle, Mancer Wilson, III.

Those left to cherish precious and loving memories are His loving and devoted wife of twenty years, Arnetha Robinson Cave; his daughter Aniya LeAnn Cave, and his son Matthew Alexander Cave all of West Columbia, South Carolina; his mother, Patricia Ann Wilson; his father Benjamin James Cave, Jr.; his brother Steven Brint (Sony) Cave and Travis James (Charlyn) Cave; his maternal grandmother, Anna Lee Wilson; his Aunts, Geraldine W. Rountree, Linda W. (Ernest) Stevenson, Barbara W. (Robert) Briggs, Dorris W. (Jarvis) Ross, Glinda Satoria Patterson, Marian Teresa Wilson, Bernadette (Shelton) Bacon and Kimyatta (Chris) Monroe; Uncles, Joseph and Antwoin Wilson; Mother and father-in-law, Linda B. Cooper and Gregg Cooper; his sister-in-law, Regina (Darian) Tarrant; and his nieces and nephews, Christian Cave, Ajai Cave, Aubrey Cave and Mason Cave and Noah Brockman.

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