Bill McClanahan with his son, Kelly, and wife, Kay
Bill McClanahan died June 15 following a year–long illness. He was born in Snohomish, Washington, to Erma and Dick McClanahan. He graduated from the University of Washington and did graduate work at American University.
During the Korean War, he served as a forward observer for the US Marines. Later, he joined the US Air Force and became a special envoy to the National Security Agency in Washington, DC. After retiring from the Air Force, he moved to Columbia where he joined the SC Civil Air Patrol as a major.
McClanahan designed the first computerized history system for the State of SC then became data processing manager at SLED. He met and fell in love with SLED Agent Kay Jones and they were married in 1974.
After earning a BS degree in accounting from USC, Bill joined a five–state healthcare conglomerate as chief financial officer. In 1990, he retired to his farm in Lower Richland to raise racehorses. In 2000, he produced the highest–earning SC–bred mare.
He is survived by his wife Kay; three children – Ana, Craig, and Kelly; three grandchildren – Ariana, Aaron, and Michael; and two sisters – Delores Bradley and Michele Cloyd of Seattle.
The funeral was held June 20 at Beulah Baptist Church in Hopkins. Rev. Brad Bessent presided.
Rev. Joe Neal, a member of the SC Legislature, sang
In the Garden
. His rich bass tones rattled the stained glass windows and brought tears to everyone’s eyes. Neal commented on seeing Bill and Kay for the first time. “It was in a Richland County Council meeting. There they were on the front row – a little bitty lady and a big tall man raising sand. I asked myself, ‘Who are these people?’ I soon found out Bill was speaking for those not able to speak for themselves. He was committed to the cause of property rights. We soon became fast friends, and our family adopted Bill and Kay.”
Rev. David Baughn of the 240–year–old Congaree Baptist Church told of meeting Bill McClanahan in 2000 and watching him during battles with the schools and the Town and Country. “At the Richland County Council meetings,” Baughn said, “Bill spoke extemporaneously. He was amazing, clear, precise, and gentle…That was the night he and Kay were taken out bodily by the police. Even then Bill was gracious and non–retaliatory.”
Baughn remembered the June 13 hearing in Florence when Bill was separated from his family and taken off life support, “No one was allowed in his room, not even pastors. I got the judge to get me permission. Even then I was stopped. Finally, I went in and said last prayers with Bill.”
Rusty DePass recalled his friendship with Bill McClanahan. “Bill’s life was honest. He ridiculed shams…He had a warm and tender heart.” DePass, a real estate agent and Republican activist, said Bill was a “rights man. He took up the mantel of property rights to help those less able to protect themselves…He believed property rights were to protect the weak against the strong, the government. Bill McClanahan was always willing to explain the harm being done by the Richland County Council and the SC Legislature…A giant has fallen in Richland County.”
Rev. Joe Neal sang the Lord’s Prayer and the service moved to the chapel at Greenlawn Memorial Park mausoleum. A fallen giant, a protector of property rights, a true defender of freedom, received full military honors at the graveside.
By Warner M. Montgomery
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