James William Garvin, Jr.

Technical Sergeant James William Garvin, Jr., United States Air Force (Ret.), age 84, of Lodge Highway in Lodge, entered into rest eternal Wednesday evening, December 18, 2019, at the Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro.

Born September 26, 1935, in Charleston, South Carolina, he was a son of the late James William Garvin, Sr. and the late Jennie Lucile Hilton Garvin.  In 1945, at the age of 10, his family moved to Cherokee Plantation in Colleton County when his father took the mangers position.   His young days were spent there on the Plantation until he married.  He served in the United States Air Force where he retired after twenty-one years of faithful service where he served during the Vietnam Era.  He also worked as a Housing Maintenance Supply Manager at Charleston Naval Shipyard before eventually transferring and then retiring form Shaw Air Force Base.  He was a communicant of Saint Theresa The Little Flower Catholic Church in Summerville where he had served as a Usher.  He was a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus having held membership in both Msgr. Richard C. Madden Council 6629 and Reverend David J. Shiller Council 11910.  He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and also was a member of The Ancient Order of Hibernians.   During his days in the military he was a Golden Glove Boxer.    To say he was an outdoorsman, would be an understatement.  He immensely enjoyed fishing, fly fishing and hunting.  He was a member of the Quality Deer Management and was the head and ultimate authority of J.W.’s Hunting Club. He was also a passionate equestrian, possessing a great love for horses.  J.W. adored his family, and being with his family was paramount in his life.

Surviving are: his wife of sixty-one years, Mrs. Joan Morrissey Garvin; three children, Randy Garvin and his wife Cindy of Goose Creek, James W. Garvin, III and his wife Sonja of Hendersonville, and Donna Garvin McMillan and her husband Johnny of Lodge; a brother, Thomas W. “Tommy” Garvin and his wife Bea of Yemassee; and two sisters, Barbara Jean Hiott of Walterboro and Dorothy Joan Sanders and her husband Joe of Charleston.  There are twelve grandchildren, Shelly Johnson, Erica Dunn, Mistie Bishop, James William “J.W.” Garvin, IV, Cortnie Short, Michael Garvin, David Reeves, Benjamin Reeves, Kyle McMillan, Ben McMillan, John McMillan, and Julie McMillan; and fourteen great grandchildren; as well as a host of nieces, nephews and cousins that also survive.  He was preceded in death by three children, Cynthia Lynn Garvin, Rodney Wayne Garvin, and Anne Lucile Garvin; and a sister, Dora Elizabeth Garvin Lyons and her husband Gussie.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be directed in his memory to:  Saint Theresa The Little Flower Catholic Church, Building Fund, 11001 Dorchester Road, Summerville, South Carolina 29485.

The Relatives and Friends of the Garvin Family are invited to attend The Mass of Christian Burial for James William Garvin, Jr. this Saturday afternoon, December 21, 2019, at 1 o’clock from Saint Theresa The Little Flower Catholic Church, 11001 Dorchester Road, Summerville.  Monseigneur Edward D. Lofton, Celebrant.   The Final Commendation and Farewell with Military Honors will follow at 3:30pm in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Hendersonville Highway, Walterboro.

The family will receive friends during a time of visitation this Friday evening from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock with recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6 o’clock at THE BRICE W. HERNDON AND SONS FUNERAL HOMES AND CREMATORY, WALTERBOROCHAPEL, 1193 Bells Highway, Walterboro, 843.538.5408.  Visit the registry online at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com.