1948
Dr. Clyde O. Wells Jr., Nov. 25, 2021, Spartanburg, S.C. Wells practiced orthodontics for 42 years. He served as president of the Spartanburg Dental Association and the S.C. Orthodontic Association, and he was a member of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, an international honorary dental society that recognizes professional public service and leadership. He provided dental services to children at Thornwell Orphanage in Clinton and to cleft palate patients. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during World War II. A lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church, he attended and taught the Paul Morris and Coleman Wallace Sunday school classes. He was an active member of the Spartanburg Rotary Club for more than 60 years, serving as president in 1968-69. He was a pilot and an avid outdoorsman who loved his farm, hunting, fishing and riding four-wheelers with his grandchildren. In 2012, he flew with other S.C. veterans on an Honor Flight to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
1950
Charles Loy “Charlie D” Dickson Jr., Dec. 29, 2021, Flat Rock, N.C. Dickson enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He jumped into Sainte-Mère-Église on D-Day, and he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He also fought in the Korean War. He worked for Milliken for many years before opening his framing and interior design business.
Albert Manning Lynch Sr., Feb. 17, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Lynch served in the Pacific during the Korean War and in the Air Force Reserve for 23 years after retiring from active duty. He spent his career as a home builder and also was owner of Carolina Health Care Service, which included the development and operation of assisted living facilities. He was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. As a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, he and his family were asked to help start another church, St. Paul United Methodist Church. As a founding member there, he embraced Boy Scout Troop #114. He went on almost every camping trip and was honored with induction into The Order of the Arrow.
1951
Boyce Ansel Bush, Jan. 5, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. Bush was a U.S. Army veteran, serving as a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division during World War II. He owned a construction company, designing and building houses in Spartanburg and in Lincolnton, N.C. He also designed several church additions in the Spartanburg area. He was an architect with Lockwood Greene for more than 25 years. He loved sports and played for a semi-pro football team in Spartanburg after the war.
1952
Bob J. Starnes, Oct. 21, 2021, Osprey, Fla. A U.S. Army Advanced Flight School graduate, Starnes served in Korea for 16 months during the Korean War. Upon leaving the military, he became a pilot for Eastern Air Lines and flew for 30 years. He also was a cattle rancher, citrus grower and real estate broker. He served as president of the Chamber of Commerce in Arcadia, Fla., and was a member of the Sheriff’s Auxiliary, the Kiwanis Club, the Lions Club and the Saddle Club. Starnes, who was a member of the Wofford football team, also coached a Pop Warner team.
1954
The Rev. George Walton “Farrell” Cox, Dec. 7, 2021, Pamplico, S.C. Cox was a retired United Methodist minister, having served in numerous churches across South Carolina. He attended Pamplico United Methodist Church after retiring and was the spiritual director for the walk to Emmaus. He enjoyed tennis, reading, hunting and fishing.
1956
John Robert Capes, Oct. 28, 2021, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Capes served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1957 to 1965, reaching the rank of captain. He began a career in real estate in 1964, and eventually started his own real estate and property management company. He enjoyed traveling, sailing, water skiing and snow skiing. He lettered in football at Wofford and was a former member of the Wofford Alumni Association board.
Joseph Vincent Gobolos, Oct. 28, 2021, Riverdale, N.J. Gobolos spent his career in education at the elementary, high school and collegiate levels. He coached multiple recreational and collegiate hockey teams and was instrumental in building the hockey program in Ringwood, N.J. He honed his coaching skills at a summer symposium by studying under Herb Brooks and others of the 1980 Olympic “Miracle on Ice” hockey team. The son of Hungarian immigrants, he didn’t learn to speak English until he was in the third grade. He lettered in football while at Wofford.
1957
Millard Lopez “Bill” Crotzer Jr., Dec. 13, 2021, Gaffney, S.C. Crotzer’s career in banking spanned five decades. He served as a medic in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a volunteer and leader for local organizations, including Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, Peachtree Ministries and Gaffney Little Theatre. He was a member of Buford Street United Methodist Church. A talented artist, he often left sketches on napkins, bulletins and discarded programs.
Dr. Leon Edwin Thompson, Jan. 15, 2022, Abbeville, S.C. A retired minister, Thompson served United Methodist churches throughout Georgia and South Carolina during his 45-year career. He enjoyed scouting and earned his Eagle Scout badge. While at Wofford, he was a staff member with the Old Gold and Black student newspaper staff.
1958
John William Coleman, Aug. 9, 2021, Tampa, Fla. Coleman had a long and varied business career, working as a systems engineer for IBM, as a director and vice president of Pioneer Western Corp., as vice president of operations for Western Reserve Life Insurance and president of its corporate services subsidiary. He also was founder and president of Reliable Circuits. He retired in Tampa as president and CEO of Aegis Mail Services. He served on the board of directors for the Florida Orchestra, inspired by a youth spent playing the violin in various orchestras. His love of music ranged from Hank Williams to Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major. While at Wofford, he was a member of the tennis team.
Richard E. Hollis, Feb. 21, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. A U.S. Navy veteran, Hollis spent his career in Alexandria, Va., retiring from the architectural firm of Wisnewski Blair and Associates in 2002. He served as president of the United Way, Belle Haven Country Club and the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the board of directors of the American Red Cross and the advisory board of the Salvation Army, ending his time as chairman from 1998-2002. After retiring he returned to Spartanburg, where he continued his volunteer work with the Spartanburg Lions Club, The Salvation Army and the Charles Lea Center. He was a member of The Episcopal Church of the Advent, where he served as chalice bearer and lay-reader. He also became a stalwart member of the Wofford Alumni Association and enthusiastically supported Wofford football, basketball and baseball.
Col. Lee Cole Smith Jr., Jan. 21, 2022, Dothan, Ala. Smith retired from the U.S. Army after 26 years of service. He served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and flew over 3,000 hours, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. After leaving the military, he worked as a field office manager for Boeing. He was an active member of the Lions Club and the Enterprise (Ala.) YMCA board of directors, where he was a leading supporter of the soccer program. He also was involved in the Dothan soccer program, where he coached three of his grandsons. He was a member of Covenant United Methodist Church.
1959
The Rev. Conrad Allen Senn, Jan. 18, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. Senn was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving during the Korean War. He served as a United Methodist minister for nearly 30 years, including assignments at St. Luke and Trinity in Spartanburg. A longtime member of the South Carolina United Methodist Conference, he served on the conference ordained board of ministry and the conference board of education, missions and summer investment programs. He also was a member of the Lions Club.
Henry Proctor Sermons Sr., Dec. 13, 2021, Havelock, N.C. Sermons was the first fire marshal for Craven County, N.C. After retiring from that position, he worked as the emergency services coordinator for Craven Community College. He served on a variety of boards, and he was instrumental in getting rescue squads started in Havelock, Fort Barnwell, Bridgeton, Cove City and Vanceboro. He served on the rescue squad for 25 years and as a representative for the area on the board of directors for the N.C. Association of Rescue and EMS for over 28 years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served during the Korean War. He was active as a coach, manager and president of the local Babe Ruth Baseball League and didn’t miss an opening day ceremony during his 25 years of service. He was elected to the Babe Ruth Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. He also was an avid fisherman.
1960
Roland Goff Elmore Jr., March 28, 2021, Spartanburg, S.C. Elmore retired after more than 30 years in sales and fabric design for Milliken & Co. He then bought Fabric and Yarn Associates, which he operated for several years. He was a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean War. He was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and an avid golfer.
Trapier Keith “Trap” Hart, Nov. 23, 2021, Greenville, S.C. Hart, a member of the Wofford Athletics Hall of Fame, was a four-year letterman on the basketball team. He is 15th in team history in scoring with 1,401 points. He also had 628 career rebounds and was named to the Little Four All-Tournament team in 1957, 1958 and 1959. He is in the Greenwood (S.C.) High School Hall of Fame. Hart was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He had a long career in the financial industry and was a member of Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder and Sunday school teacher.
Dr. Francis Marion “Bo” Lemmon Jr., Oct. 13, 2021, Rock Hill, S.C. Lemmon delivered thousands of babies while practicing at Carolina Women’s Center. He was a U.S. Army veteran, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a vintage car racing enthusiast and was a member of the Vintage Drivers Club of America. He also was an avid sailor. He attended Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Harold Dean Thompson Sr., Oct. 22, 2021, Spartanburg, S.C. Thompson served three years in the U.S. Navy before coming to Wofford. He had a 40-year career with Spartan Mills, serving as vice president of human resources for 30 years. After retiring, he worked at Woodfin Ridge Golf Club for 19 years. He attended The Masters for 57 consecutive years and followed every other golf tournament on TV. He also cheered for the Atlanta Braves, the Carolina Panthers, the Golden State Warriors and the Terriers. He was a lifelong member of El Bethel United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir, served on the administrative board, and was chairman of the board of trustees. He was a member of the Roebuck Masonic Lodge for 50 years. He also was a former member of the Wofford Alumni Association board. One of his greatest pleasures was being part of the Beacon Wednesday Lunch Bunch.
1961
Harold Fleming Harris, Jan. 6, 2022, Sullivan’s Island, S.C. Harris spent his career in education, teaching and coaching basketball at Moultrie High School for several years. He also served as principal at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School. He was a three-year letterman on the Wofford football team.
1962
Philip Dahms Coffin, Dec. 9, 2021, Delta, Colo. Coffin served in the U.S. Marine Corps, reaching the rank of sergeant.
Philip DuPre Greer, Dec. 29, 2021, Columbia, S.C. Greer was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He worked as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service for 25 years. After retiring, he worked as a background investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Peden Brown McLeod, Dec. 30, 2021, Walterboro, S.C. McLeod served in the state House of Representatives from 1972-79 and the state Senate from 1979-90. He was named state code commissioner and director of the S.C. Legislative Council in 1990. He was a founder, board chairman and CEO of the Bank of Walterboro. He served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1962-64 and was a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1962-72. He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1967 and began practicing in Walterboro. He was active in his community, including serving as commander of American Legion Post 93 and as district chairman of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1998, he received the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. While at Wofford, he was president of his junior and senior classes and a member of the Senior Order of Gnomes.
Claude Earle Thomas, Dec. 15, 2021, Charleston, S.C. Thomas worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 38 years, retiring in 2004 as the laboratory director of the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston. He was a guest lecturer at Xinjiang Agricultural University in China in 1988. He authored or co-authored over 200 scientific research publications. He developed varieties of cantaloupe that were grown throughout the world, and he had research and advisory assignments in Peru, Israel, France, Poland and China. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wofford in two years and eight months. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and he enjoyed growing and exhibiting his championship roses. He served as a Little League baseball coach and an AAU swim coach. He was a deacon and church council member at Fort Johnson Baptist Church.
1964
William Franklin Hannon III, Oct. 9, 2021, Spartanburg, S.C. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Hannon was the owner of Able Septic Tank Service. He was a member of the Hejaz Shriners and St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 333.
George S. Nicholson Jr., Dec. 14, 2021, West Columbia, S.C. Nicholson served in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 1969 for his actions in the Vietnam War. He retired as senior partner from Nicholson, Davis, Frawley, Anderson and Ayer Law Firm after 40 years. He was a former municipal judge of West Columbia, Lexington and Springdale and was a charter member and past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was a member of Cayce United Methodist Church.
Dr. Wilbur Michael Riddle, Jan. 4, 2022, Easley, S.C. Riddle worked in general dentistry for seven years before beginning his career as an oral surgeon in 1984. He retired in 2014. He was a member of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Southeastern Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the South Carolina Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, where he served as past president. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a charter member of St. Matthias Lutheran Church in Easley and an avid golfer and skier.
Paul David Sloan Jr., Jan. 20, 2022, Camden, S.C. Sloan spent his career in the banking and property and land management industries. He was a member of Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church and the Inquirers Sunday school class. As a member of Gideons International, he spent many Sunday afternoons sharing the gospel with inmates in Kershaw County. He was a former member of the Kiwanis Club, a board member for the Kershaw County Library and a volunteer for Camden Elementary School. He also was a former member of the Wofford Alumni Association board. Osborne Glenn Wood Jr., Jan. 1, 2022, Simpsonville, S.C. Wood joined the U.S. Navy when he was 16 and spent three years on the USS Saratoga after graduating from high school. He served in the Naval Reserve while attending Wofford. He spent his career in the textile industry, building and running computer system for a variety of manufacturing companies. After retiring in 2001, he pursued his love of hunting and fishing.
1965
Charles Hubbard “Tod” Eschenbach, Jan. 27, 2022, Sarasota, Fla. Eschenbach spent 34 years with Chrysler, retiring in 1999 as vice president of union relations. He was an avid boater and golfer. He played baseball while at Wofford.
1966
James Howard Hughes, Oct. 14, 2021, Norcross, Ga. Hughes had a career in sales with Colgate-Palmolive. He lettered in both football and baseball while at Wofford. He started the swim teams at Edgemoor North subdivision in Norcross and Nantucket subdivision in Lilburn, where he coached his daughters and their friends. Hughes loved coaching youth sports, fishing and watching football. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Norcross.
Gwin Adam Pierce Jr., Jan. 7, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. Pierce owned and operated Pierce and Associates Insurance Agency for 25 years before buying Children Under Construction, a private Christian preschool in Greenville, S.C., which he ran for another 25 years. He served the Spartanburg Downtown Sertoma Club in many capacities, including as club president. During his time at Wofford he was a member of the rifle team and was on the Old Gold and Black student newspaper staff.
1967
Donald Norman Renouf, Jan. 16, 2022, Warwick, R.I. Renouf was a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War. He worked as a biological research scientist for Pfizer for 31 years, retiring in 2001. After retiring he spent more than 12 years traveling across the U.S., Canada and Mexico in an RV. During his travels he volunteered at several state and national federal parks, including Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina. He enjoyed fly fishing, hiking, camping, biking, kayaking and astronomy.
Henry Timrod “Rod” Stroman Jr., Oct. 1, 2021, Orangeburg, S.C. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Stroman was a pilot with Eastern Air Lines for over 27 years. He flew with Kiwi International Air Lines for nine years and was a flight simulator certifier with Delta Air Lines until he retired. He was an active member of Mid-Carolina Gun Club and was inducted into the S.C. Hall of Fame of Skeet Shooters. He was a former member of Ducks Unlimited and enjoyed being a fishing guide in Santee. He was a member of Wofford’s golf and rifle teams.
1969
Thomas Keys “Hawk” Hannah, April 6, 2021, Atlanta, Ga. Hannah had a lifelong passion for photography and would sell his prints at the Piedmont Arts Festival. In 1983, he founded The Caldron Classic Golf Tournament for friends and family to enjoy. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, served in the Vietnam War and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. After leaving the military he founded Orenda Palm, which produced cleaning products for the laundry industry. He played both football and baseball while at Wofford.
Henry Townes Medlock II, Feb. 14, 2022, Moore, S.C. Medlock was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. After returning from the Army, he spent his career in commercial real estate in Atlanta, Ga.; during that time he was a leader of the Wofford Atlanta Alumni group. He was a beloved member of the great Terrier football teams of the late 1960s and then the 1970 team that played for the NAIA national championship. He and wife, Joanne, faithfully came to football games until his health made that difficult.
1971
The Rev. Dr. Michael Worth Wilson, Oct. 7, 2021, Marietta, Ga. After serving in the U.S. Army, Wilson spent much of his career in banking. He left the industry for the ministry, joining the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church after earning his master of divinity degree. After a brief stint with congregations in the greater Atlanta area, he worked primarily with rural churches before retiring in 2016. He enjoyed cycling, tennis and camping. In his later years, he liked visiting state parks and spending time outdoors with his dogs.
1972
Dr. Glenn Albert McCoy, Dec. 12, 2021, Louisville, Ky. After earning his medical degree, McCoy joined the U.S. Army and began his OB/GYN practice at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. He continued to practice after he was discharged from the military. After retirement, he worked with Louisville Wound Care Associates until a few weeks before his death.
1973
Douglas Lamar Pridgeon, Oct. 30, 2021, Lyman, S.C. Pridgeon worked for several companies during a 40-year career in the financial services industry. He also was area director for Young Life in Anderson, S.C., for three years. He was an active member of First Baptist Spartanburg and later of First Presbyterian Church. He also volunteered for Mobile Meals. He enjoyed listening to classical music and playing tennis and Scrabble.
1974
David Steven “Dave” Murphy, Oct. 10, 2021, Greensboro, N.C. Murphy was the president and chairman of Mother Murphy’s Laboratories, a food flavoring business. He died after a 13-year battle with cancer. Murphy enjoyed traveling and being surrounded by family and friends. He was a well-loved member of the Terrier basketball team, scoring 1,089 points in four seasons. He ranks ninth in team history with 946 career rebounds.
Ramon “Ray” Schwartz III, Nov. 7, 2021, Sumter, S.C. Schwartz spent his career with the S.C. Employment Security Commission. He was an avid sports fan who enjoyed playing sports trivia with his friends. He was a member of the Church of the Holy Comforter.
1975
David Wade Carpenter, Jan. 3, 2022, Duncan, S.C. Carpenter was the owner and operator of Spartan Paving and Concrete. He lettered in basketball while at Wofford. He loved the beach, dogs, cats and sports.
1980
Ken L. Steen, Feb. 18, 2022, Fredericksburg, Va. Steen enjoyed a career in education, both public and private, that spanned more than 35 years. During his tenure in the private, independent school sector, he was able to travel to more than 35 countries. Ireland was his favorite. He was active in local and national fundraising professionals’ organizations. Additionally, he served on the board of the North Carolina Boys’ Choir and the member committee of the University Club of Washington, D.C. While at Wofford he was a Milliken Scholar, a cheerleader and a copy editor for the Bohemian yearbook.
Dr. Jeffrey Lee Tedder, Oct. 27, 2021, Tampa, Fla. Tedder lettered in both football and basketball while at Wofford. He moved to Tampa in the early 1990s and founded Tedder Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, where he treated rising professional athletes and weekend warriors alike. He was a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Braves and Elvis Presley’s music. He could often be found at his favorite restaurant, Eddie V’s.
1992
William Michael Kessinger, Jan. 22, 2022, Greenville, S.C. Kessinger owned and operated two businesses on Main Street in Greenville over the course of his life: the Coffee Beanery and the Barefoot Comfort shoe store. He was a passionate University of Georgia football fan and was in attendance with his son when the Bulldogs won the national championship in January, and with his father and brother when they won the title in 1980.
1997
The Rev. Thomas R. “Tommy” Bailey, Nov. 16, 2021, Irmo, S.C. Bailey was a retired elder in the S.C. United Methodist Conference. During his ministry, he served the Chesnee/Trinity Charge, the Duncan Acres Charge in Union, the Timmonsville/Salem Charge and the St. James Charge in Laurens. After his retirement from church ministry, he worked as a chaplain for Crescent Hospice. Before coming to Wofford, he attended Spartanburg Methodist College, where he received many awards, including the Olin D. Johnston Good Citizenship Award and the Religion Award. In 2002, Kappa Sigma Alpha service fraternity named its highest award, given to the student who gives the most service to the community, the Thomas R. Bailey Humanitarian Service Award in his honor.
1999
Thomas Patrick Floyd, Jan. 13, 2022, Dallas, Texas. Floyd was managing director at Regions Bank. He received a 40 Under 40 Award from the Commercial Finance Association in 2017. He was a board member and past treasurer of Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship.
2008
Geoffrey R. Griffin, Nov. 17, 2021, Cheraw, S.C. Griffin was a facilities quality auditor at McEntire Foods in Columbia, S.C.
Susan Chalfant Walker, Sept. 23, 2021, Charlotte, N.C. Walker was a senior manager at Accenture in Charlotte. While at Wofford, she was a member of the women’s choir. Her favorite place was Bald Head Island, N.C., where she enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
FRIENDS
Carolyn Creal, Feb. 10, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C. A 1969 graduate of Centre College in Danville, Ky., Creal was a cataloging assistant at the Sandor Teszler Library from 2010-18. In 1970, she became the curator of the Spartanburg County Regional Museum and worked there for the next 36 years. She was the co-editor of the book “When the Soldiers Came to Town,” which was published in 2004 by Hub City Press. She enjoyed traveling and had special memories of trips to London. She enjoyed reading, cats and all things Christmas.
Freddie Lewis Meadows, Dec. 1, 2021, Spartanburg, S.C. Meadows retired from Wofford in 2013 after 33 years of service in facilities.
Jack Peterson, Nov. 12, 2021, Boiling Springs, S.C. Peterson was a former Wofford football coach and director of athletics. He compiled a 16-14-1 record in three seasons (1971-73), earning the NAIA District Coach of the Year Award in 1972. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church, where he served on the pastor-parish relations committee and taught Sunday school.