Randol Lephon Small

Randol Lephon Small, 86, of Florence passed away on December 2 at McLeod Hospice House. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carolyn McElveen Small, his daughter Caroline McElveen Small, and one grandson, Miles Daniel Small LaFollette.He is preceded in death by his parents Teasley Small and Golie Lillian Hinson Small of Nichols, and a sister, Miriam Small Wright of Eastover. Mr. Small was a farmer by upbringing, a professional educator by trade, and a civic-minded Christian servant by calling and conviction.He was a faithful and active churchman, a current member of Calvary Baptist Church, a Sunday School teacher, a past deacon, and a participant in the men’s ministry, mission team and disaster team. He believed in serving his Lord with conviction and humility. For several years he served on the board of directors of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization of the Pee Dee. He was a lifelong Lion, with membership in the Bethune and Florence Evening Lions Clubs. He was Lion of the Year for Bethune in 1984 and for the Florence Evening Club in 2014-2015, and became a Melvin Jones Fellow of the Lions Club International Foundation in 2004-2005.He was elected to the SC Lions Hall of Fame in May 2016. He graduated from Floyd’s High School in Horry County in 1947, received a BA in history and political science with honors from Carson Newman College, and an MA in school administration from Appalachian State.During his career, he was an instructor of English and history at Porter Military Academy in Charleston; Deputy Clerk of Court in Horry County; Principal and Area Superintendent of Bethune schools in Kershaw County; and District Superintendent of East Clarendon District 3 in Turbeville. He served as president of the SC High School League, president of the SC Conference of Class A Schools, a member of the state council of the National Beta Club, and was on the board of the Pee Dee Education Foundation. Mr. Small was a Korean War veteran, stationed at Tokyo General Hospital. His assignment was to admit battlefield casualties, and he served as the assistant to the hospital’s chaplain. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a York Rite Mason, active in the Hampton Lodge in Florence, where he had served as chaplain.He was a Past Master and former chaplain of Lynchwood Lodge in Bethune. Visitation will be held at the Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home on Irby Street in Florence from 5-7PM on Sunday, December 4. Funeral services will be at 11AM Monday, December 5, at Calvary Baptist Church, 915 Cherokee Road in Florence with interment in Olanta Baptist Church Cemetery, Park Avenue, Olanta, SC.Memorials may be made to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Pee Dee, the Lions Club, or the Calvary Baptist Church Benevolent Fund. Please send messages to the family at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.