Obituary of Hugh Chapman Humphries, Jr.

Hugh Chapman Humphries, Jr., husband of Betsy Shealy Humphries, died on Saturday morning, February 11, his 85th birthday. Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Hugh Chapman Humphries and Hannah White Humphries. He attended the public schools of Sumter and graduated from Edmunds High School in the Class of 1950. He attended Clemson College and graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering. Hugh served as president of his senior class, a position he held until his Tiger Reunion in 2004, a total of 51 years. He served in the U.S. Army being discharged as a 1st lieutenant. Following his discharge, Hugh worked with Owens-Corning Fiberglass in Anderson, S.C., and in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He returned to Sumter as plant engineer with Williams Furniture. He was director of Engineering and Maintenance and later Manager of Operations with Georgia-Pacific, Williams Furniture Division. He ended his working career as a consultant mechanical engineer with James Durant Matthews and Shelley. A lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Hugh served as chairman of a number of committees including the Education, Finance, and Staff Parish committees; Church Lay Leader; chairman of Trustees and of the Administrative Board. He was a proud member of the Boyle Bible Class. He was the last surviving member of the Building Committee, which was responsible for the present Trinity sanctuary complex. In the community Hugh was active in the Sumter Kiwanis Club where he served as Pancake Day chairman and volunteered as a reader to Mrs. Spigner’s kindergarten class at Kingsbury School, member of the Progressive Club, the Salvation Army Board, and the Salvation Army Boys Club Advisory Board, the Sumter-Columbia Hunting Club, Sumter Mechanical Board of Appeals, the Board of Visitors for Columbia College, Wilson Hall Board of Trustees, and member of the Central Carolina Technical College Commission. A member and supporter of the YMCA from early youth, Hugh served on the YMCA Board and was president in 1976. He was presented the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award in 2003 and named Humanitarian of the Year in 2012. Surviving are his wife of Sumter; one son, Hugh (“Chip”) C. Humphries III of Sumter; two daughters, Beth Humphries Stilwell and her husband the Rev. Rodney Stilwell of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Logan Humphries Bagley and her husband Scott Bagley of Greenville, SC; a brother, Leonard Humphries of Myrtle Beach; a sister, Jane Humphries Lawton and her husband, the Rev. Kirk Lawton of Surfside Beach; four grandchildren, Emily Stilwell Kingsbury and her husband Philip; Josiah Stilwell; Helen Givens Truesdale and her husband Jordan; and Hugh C. Humphries IV; step-grandchildren, Robert Soles, River Soles, Tara Scout Soles, Elizabeth Bagley and Andrew Bagley; three great-grandchildren, Jackson Stilwell, Rachael Kingsbury and Cayden Kingsbury. He was preceded in death by infant twin sons, Mark and David Humphries; a sister-in-law, Betty Sawyer Humphries, and step-grandson, Colt Soles. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, February 14, at Trinity United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Holler officiating. Private burial will be in Sumter Cemetery. Honorary Pallbearers will be members of the Boyle Bible Class. The family will receive friends at the home. Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 226 West Liberty Street, Sumter, SC 29150; United Ministries, 36 S. Artillery Drive, Sumter, SC, 29150; The Rotarian CART Fund, P.O Box 1916, Sumter S.C. 29151; or the charity of your choice. On-line condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory, 221 Broad St. is in charge of the arrangements. 803-775-9386.