McElveen, Robert Leon

Lake City: The Honorable Robert Leon “Red” McElveen passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2011. Born in Hartsville, S.C., he was the son of Clemuel Thomas and Sallie Mixon McElveen. Judge McElveen was married for 57 years to Felicia Brown McElveen, and they reared their family in Lake City, S.C. Most of his life, few knew that he lived with only a right lung, and consequences from surgeries to reconcile previous health issues with the removed lung led to a brave fight of recovery. He was a 56-year member of the Lake City First Baptist Church, where he was a devoted Sunday School teacher and served many terms as a deacon. He was also a Sunday School teacher in the early years of Northside Baptist Chapel in Lake City and taught a Sunday School lesson at the Lake City Country Club for many years. Most of his career was as owner of the R.L. McElveen Insurance and Real Estate Agency in Lake City. He was appointed Florence County Municipal Magistrate in 1989, and served Florence County until his retirement. He served twice on the Lake City Town Council, and was a former president of the S.C. State Board of Realtors. He was also a member and President of the Lake City Jaycees and the Lake City Lions Club, he was a Master Mason, .32nd Degree Shriner and was active for many years in the Lake City Civil Air Patrol. Former Governor Jim Hodges awarded Judge McElveen the Silver Crescent upon his retirement and as Magistrate for The Lake City District in Florence County. A long-standing and avid Gamecock fan following his Gamecocks for 70 years, his family treasures decades of tailgating with friends through the years, both at home and away games. He is survived by his wife, daughter Deborah Beard (David) of Spartanburg, daughter Sharon McElveen of Columbia, and step-grandson Hudson Beard. He has many cousins in the Hartsville, Columbia, Myrtle Beach areas, as well as Lake Charles, Louisiana. A Memorial service will be held at 4:00 P. M. Monday at the Lake City First Baptist Church. The family will receive Guest following the service in the First Baptist Church Family Life Center. Memorials may be made to the Lake City First Baptist Church, 135 S. Church Street, lake City, SC.