1949
John Edwin “Ed” Foster, Jan. 21, 2025, Spartanburg, S.C. Foster was a member of the Southern Guards ROTC battalion at Wofford and served as second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was a local business owner in the Spartanburg community and a licensed airplane pilot. Foster enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, gardening, family and military history.
1952
Wade Alvin Snipes, Oct. 25, 2024, Virginia Beach, Va. Snipes worked in banking, insurance, real estate sales and pharmaceutical sales, a career which included 23 years at Sonoco Products. He was a church leader, a volunteer reader for elementary school children and a member of the board of visitors at Coker College in Hartsville, S.C. He enjoyed reading, bridge, dancing, tennis, biking, running and fishing.
Wade T. “Buck” Buchanan Jr., Dec. 24, 2024, Canton, Ga. Buchanan played basketball at Wofford, and he was also an avid tennis player and golfer. He served the U.S. Army as a paratrooper, stationed in Japan, before attending college. Buchanan formed Wadeken Industries in 1975. He sold the business 44 years later. He was a member of Canton First Baptist Church, and he was actively involved in the Canton community as a city councilman and president of the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
1953
Lynn Hammond Youmans Jr., Nov. 27, 2024, Furman, S.C. Youmans had a long, distinguished career in agriculture. He was a sixth-generation farmer and an agricultural leader in South Carolina, serving on many advisory boards and agricultural committees. He served as the mayor of Furman and coached girls high school basketball. Youmans was a member of Furman United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday school and served his and other local churches as lay speaker.
1954
Buford Earl “Butch” Trent, Oct. 7, 2024, Clemson, S.C. Trent served the city of Clemson as a councilman and mayor pro tempore for more than 20 years, advocating for the community’s needs and working to make Clemson a better place for its residents. He served as a Sunday school teacher and became a life deacon at First Baptist Church of Clemson, where he was a member for over 60 years. Trent was an avid golfer and cherished simple pleasures, particularly M&M's and Oreos.
Charles Raymond “Charlie” West, May 28, 2024, Hillsborough, N.C. West spent more than 27 years at Duke University as director of corporate payroll services, responsible for all Duke employees. Upon his retirement, he received the Duke University Award for Merit for his exemplary service. In his retirement years, he followed one of his passions and became an excellent ice skater. When he was not skating or traveling, he spent many hours gardening.
Donald Ryan “Don” Caldwell, Dec. 31, 2024, Ahoskie, N.C. Caldwell attended Wofford on football and baseball scholarships. He served two years in the U.S. Army in Austria after graduation, then he returned home to work for Milliken & Co. He later changed careers to work in the chemical industry with Monsanto, retiring as head purchasing agent. Caldwell was an active member of the United Methodist Church.
1957
William Ralph “Bill” Huff Jr., Aug. 20, 2024, Greenville, S.C. Huff served in the U.S. Army before becoming a lifelong salesman. He was a well-known flea market vendor for 40 years. Huff’s many interests included reading, watching baseball, watching old Western movies and listening to classic country music. He was known as intelligent and generous to a fault.
1958
William Dabney “Bill” Miller Jr., Dec. 4, 2024, Saluda, N.C. Miller owned a film production firm and worked many years in hospitality in South Carolina and North Carolina. He also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Miller loved dogs, traveling, the outdoors, hunting, camping, golfing, gardening and cooking.
Laurens Dorroh “Brother” Pitts, Jan. 15, 2025, Columbia, S.C. Pitts was commissioned as an officer through ROTC at Wofford, and he served a tour as first lieutenant in the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson. He was a successful salesman in Virginia before moving back to South Carolina to open The Chopping Block Steaks & Spirits in Columbia. He retired from Budweiser of Columbia. Pitts loved golf, telling stories and spending time with his family.
1959
The Rev. Richard Douglas Hopper, Dec. 10, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Hopper was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 1964 and served congregations throughout the South Carolina United Methodist Conference. He served as director of YMCA Camp Skyuka in the 1970s, and he was active in Emmaus Communities, Habitat for Humanity and Salkehatchie. Hopper’s hobbies included woodworking and building.
1961
James Norman “Buddy” Kirby, Jan. 11, 2025, Chapin, S.C. Before attending Wofford, Kirby joined the U.S. Navy and served on a diesel submarine during the Korean War. He spent time in education, human resources and hospital administration before founding Lexicode Corporation, growing the firm into a national medical record audit and staffing company. Kirby loved to travel, including frequent trips to Wofford to attend athletics events and in service on the Terrier Club and alumni boards. He and his wife, Shirley, were jointly selected to the Wofford College Athletics Hall of Fame for their support.
James Lewis “Jim” Martin, Jan. 10, 2025, Naples, Fla. Martin was a student-athlete on Wofford’s football team and had a brief professional stint with the Cleveland Browns before serving the U.S. Army for three and a half years in the Korean War. Martin was known as a cornerstone of the Naples community, contributing his leadership and wisdom as the president of the Kiwanis Club and Hospice of Naples, chairman of Moorings Park and Christ School, treasurer of First Presbyterian Church of Naples and as the founder and owner of James L. Martin Inc.
1963
Tommy William “Tom” Read, Dec. 1, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Read’s professional journey led to a career as a manager at IBM. He served in the U.S. Army. Read loved to fish, read, journal and craft things, especially through woodworking. He was known for never having met a stranger, talking to everyone. He enjoyed forming friendships wherever he went.
Melford Alonzo Wilson Jr., Nov. 1, 2024, Lake Junaluska, N.C. Wilson taught at Winthrop University for 50 years. During his career, he built the political science department, directed the International Center and served as vice president for academic affairs. He served on Rock Hill’s City Council and received several Fulbright grants to teach in China, receiving the key to both the cities of Rock Hill and Shanghai. Wilson was happiest when he was with his family, at Lake Junaluska or leading a group to a new place.
Clarence McDaniel “Dan” Dinwiddie Jr., Dec. 8, 2024, Columbia, S.C. Dinwiddie served in the U.S. Navy, then joined his father to work at the Dinwiddie Insurance Agency. He later joined Keenan-Suggs Insurance. Dinwiddie served many associations and boards, including the Boy Scouts of America, which honored him with a special award for “leaders of exceptional character who have provided distinguished service to scouting.” He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and the St. Andrew’s Society.
1964
Dr. Gerald McCall “Jerry” Chamber, Dec. 23, 2024, West Columbia, S.C. Chamber was a radiologist with Pitts Radiological Associates at Palmetto Baptist Medical Center and Providence Hospital in Columbia for 25 years. He was a major in the U.S. Army from 1972 to 1974. Chambers was known as a wonderful storyteller with a heart of gold and a keen sense of humor, and he enjoyed spending time with his family, trips to the beach and other travel.
1967
Dr. John Vinson Nicholson Jr., Nov. 28, 2024, Ridgeway, S.C. Nicholson practiced general dentistry for 27 years in Winnsboro, S.C., and he also served his country in the U.S. Army Reserve for 24 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served on the boards of many organizations and was president of the Winnsboro Rotary Club. A faithful member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Nicholson served on the Vestry and as church treasurer. After retiring, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and longtime friends, driving his tractors and traveling with his family.
C. Roland Jones Jr., Dec. 29, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Jones served as 7th Judicial Circuit assistant solicitor, associate judge of the Spartanburg Civil and Criminal Court and chief magistrate of the Spartanburg Magistrate Court. He was also passionate about teaching, and he taught throughout his life at Chesnee High School, night school at the Central Correctional Institute, the USC Law School and USC Upstate. Upon retirement, he taught and served as a career path consultant at Charleston Law School for 10 years. He enjoyed driving to Skyuka Mountain, spending time with his grandchildren and gathering with friends. Jones was a member of First Presbyterian Church.
1968
Alexander Stuart “Stu” Walker III, Nov. 21, 2024, Kerrville, Texas. Walker served in the U.S. Army before becoming a pharmacist and ultimately opening his own compounding pharmacy, Oak Hills Pharmacy. Boating, fishing and hunting were among his special interests. Walker also loved to crochet, grow African violets and exhibit his prize roses, including his well-known Black Magic roses, in the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.
Peter Terrell “Pete” Ray, Dec. 7, 2024, Savannah, Ga. Ray enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from Wofford, and he served until 1971. He began a long career as a smallscale farmer and lover of ornamental plants. In the 1980s, Ray provided individual and group therapy to children, adults and families in Georgia, North Carolina and Colorado. He was passionate about his family and investing.
1969
Michael Straley “Mike” Pedneau, Dec. 24, 2024, Raleigh, N.C. Pedneau played football at Wofford before enlisting in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman, then serving the Marines as a combat medical corpsman. He earned a combat action ribbon for his service in Vietnam. Pedneau received the Order of the Longleaf Pine, the highest civilian honor granted by the North Carolina governor, for his work as director of Dorothea Dix Hospital and director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. He loved fishing, hunting, gardening, building and traveling.
1970
The Rev. Peter Michael Larsen, Nov. 4, 2024, Greenpoint, N.Y. Larsen served as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church and summer supply priest at St. Andrew’s Dune Church for the last 26 years of his active duty. He also served Episcopal dioceses in Washington, D.C., South Carolina and Rhode Island. Larsen served the Navy Reserve for 30 years and retired with the rank of captain. He loved animals, singing, the Red Sox and his annual trips to Aruba with family and friends.
1971
Russell Goodson “Rusty” Follis II, Nov. 27, 2024, Brentwood, Tenn. Follis was a member of SAE fraternity at Wofford. He worked for more than 40 years as a human resources professional, including time spent as vice president of HR for Comdata and IASIS. Follis spent his time planning family get-togethers, traveling with his wife and friends, golfing, maintaining his award-winning lawn and garden in Brentwood, going to his grandson Finn’s soccer games and, in his last years, being a part of the supportive local Parkinson’s community.
1972
Dr. George Calhoun “Cal” Aycock Jr., Dec. 4, 2024, Sumter, S.C. Aycock practiced medicine as a family practitioner and emergency room physician. He enjoyed playing golf, spending time with his family and attending Zoar Church.
Harry Latham Gable, Dec. 26, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Gable was a lifelong educator, teaching in Spartanburg School District Two, Roebuck Junior High School and Dorman High School, where he served as vice principal before retirement. He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, a certified basic pistol instructor and a certified master gardener through Clemson Extension. Gable loved to spend time with his family, always making sure to get the group family photo.
1973
Dr. Chrys Jay Harris, Nov. 2, 2024, Greer, S.C. Harris enlisted in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot before beginning his higher education journey, which culminated in a Ph.D. in child development and family studies. He opened Family Therapy and Trauma Center in Greer as a marriage and family therapist, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder, and he also consulted with the Vet Center in Greenville, S.C. Outside of work, Harris enjoyed spending time with his dogs, exploring the outdoors, music, football and technology.
Charles Michael “Mike” Lunsford, Jan. 9, 2024, Clover, S.C. Lunsford worked for Edwards Wood Products in Marshville, N.C., before his retirement.
1974
David Howard Creasey, Nov. 9, 2024, Mechanicsville, Va. Creasey played football at Wofford. He was a well-known CPA and tax accountant in the Richmond area. Crease was an engaged community member and involved in business organizations, serving on the boards of many and acting as president for several.
1975
Carl Wayne Wren, Dec. 4, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Wren served the U.S. Army in 1969 and 1970 before attending Wofford. He worked in sales and marketing in various media markets and hospital systems in South Carolina and Texas. He was an involved member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Dr. Gary Carlton Kimsey, Jan. 17, 2025, Fort Mill, S.C. Kimsey was a beloved dentist in Fort Mill for more than 25 years, and he spent several years after retirement providing dental services to residents of skilled nursing facilities. He volunteered on dental mission trips to Haiti, Central America and South America. Kimsey enjoyed hiking, traveling, golfing, snow skiing, scuba diving and spending time by the ocean. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Mill.
1978
Dr. David Bryon Dedmon, Dec. 4, 2024, Spartanburg, S.C. Dedmon was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Wofford. He served the Spartanburg community as a dentist for 35 years and served on the Carolina Piedmont Foundation board. Dedmon devoted himself to local work through the Spartanburg Evening Lions Club, where he held district and state offices, and he was also a master gardener and loved to travel.
1981
Dr. Michael Cunningham “Mike” Watson Jr., Dec. 13, 2024, Raleigh, N.C. Watson spent much of his life serving the uninsured and underinsured population of North Carolina as a doctor. He used his skills and passion as a volunteer for medical missions around the globe, learning fluent Spanish to assist him on many of his trips, and he gave “Ask the Doctor” talks at independent living facilities later in life. Watson was a workout enthusiast, a cyclist and a long-distance runner. He had a Class B skydiving license and a pilot’s license to fly Cessna aircraft.
1988
Floyd Christian “Chris” Harris, Dec. 1, 2024, Greenwood, S.C. Harris owned Apache Pawn and Gun & Pawn Shop in Greenwood and was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection.
1998
Joseph Brian Williams, Dec. 28, 2024, Augusta, Ga. Williams worked as director of operations at Duke University Health System until 2015, when he and his family moved to Miami, and he continued his healthcare career in corporate strategy at Baptist Health. Williams had a heart transplant in 1990 and fought five major cancers during his life, yet he remained a loving family man until his death.