James Copeland Mccoll

James Copeland McColl, 94, of Florence, passed away on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Mr. McColl was born in Marion, SC to the late James Ellen and Alta Copeland McColl. Mr. McColl was a 1945 graduate of Marion High School and was one of two surviving members of his graduating class. He always regretted that his graduating class was unable to get yearbooks or class rings due to war rationings. The class ring resembled a button from the coat of General Francis Marion, known as the Swamp Fox. Upon graduation from high school, Mr. McColl attended the University of South Carolina where his dorm was on the Horseshoe. He raved about the good meals at nearby boarding houses. During the construction of the Darlington Raceway, Mr. McColl would often go and see the progress of the site and attended the very first NASCAR race in 1950. He served in the Air Force from 1950 to 1954 where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was among the very last occupying troops stationed in Germany after WWII. While there, he met Trudy Currie on a train to Scotland. They became lifelong pen pals. After his honorable discharge in 1954, Mr. McColl lived in Marion where he and Clarence Foxworth ran the Pure Oil Station. Proud of his Scottish heritage, he attended the very first Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in 1956. Mr. McColl began a career with Carolina Power and Light Company as a substation relief operator in 1956. He retired in 1989 as a substation operations foreman after 33 years of service. Upon retirement, he worked for Florence School District 1 as Energy Conservation Manager for 18 years. He was an active member of Southside Baptist Church where he was a past deacon, Sunday School teacher, Adult Sunday School Director, and church treasurer. He was also a member of the Gideons and served as treasurer for several years. He was a past member of the Railway Historical Society and was active in establishing the Caboose Rail Museum where he served as docent along with several others. He was a member of the Masons Clinton Lodge in Marion, SC. He was a passionate ham radio operator with call sign KA4PVT, and he collected cards from operators around the world. He especially loved the Lunch Bunch Net, of which he was a surviving member. He was predeceased by his parents and his wife of 54 years, Margaret Parsons McColl. Surviving are his brother, Zack McColl and sister, Alta Rogers, both of Taylors, SC; his son, James David (Susan) McColl of Laurinburg, NC; daughter, Trudy Lynn McColl (Jeff) Crawley of Florence; grandchildren, Ashley (Luke) Ross, Amber (Chris) Lee, Morgan McColl, and David McColl, and great-grandchildren, Addisyn Thomas, Eden Thomas, Eleanor Lee, Margaret Ross, and James “Buddy” Ross. The family would like to give special thanks to Pam Evans of Comfort Keepers, his home companion. We are forever grateful. He loved you dearly. Memorials may be made to the Gideons, PO Box 922, Florence, SC 29503 and to Southside Baptist Church, 1356 Pineland Drive, Florence, SC 29505. The family will receive friends from 1 – 2 pm Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at Southside Baptist Church with the service to be held at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. Please send messages to the family at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.