Charles Harris “Charlie” Sweat Jr.
Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home
Mr. Charles Harris “Charlie” Sweat Jr. Passed away at his home in Walterboro Wednesday, January 6, 2021. He was 74.Charlie was born in Walterboro January 4, 1947 a son of the late Charles Harris Sweat Sr. and Elizabeth Wells Sweat. He graduated from Walterboro High School in 1965, and later received degrees from both the Southern Technical Institute and Georgia Southern University. Along with his father and his brother Elbert, he founded Sweat Pontiac-Buick-GMC-Implement in 1971, and worked in the family business until his retirement in May of 2008.
Charlie was born in Walterboro…but the city was much more than a simple birthplace to him. It was woven into the fiber of his life, and practically every path he chose focused on his hometown and the ways in which he could promote and improve is existence. He served on city council for twenty-seven years from 1978 until 2005, at which time he was elected mayor. He held that position for one term…having to reluctantly leave politics from the result of injuries he sustained in an accident while promoting one of his greatest projects…the Great Swamp Sanctuary. Charlie battled through his injury, and after months and months of rehabilitation, returned to a quiet life in Walterboro.
Charlie was heavily involved in business, tourism and civic organizations throughout his life. He was the first president of the South Carolina Nature Based Tourism Association (1995-1998), was Chairman of the Board of the Colleton County National Heritage Corridor (1998-2010), and was a member and president of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (2005-2010). He was a founding member of the Walterboro Tourism Committee (2006-2020) and served on the board of the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail Commission (1988-2020). Charlie was a former member, and president for three terms of the Lowcountry Council of Governments.
Charlie was a member of the board of the Colleton County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (1977-1992), and served as its chairman from 1987 until 1992. He had been a member of the Colleton County Chamber of Commerce since its creation, received awards for distinguished service in 1980 and 1983, and was awarded the Humanitarian Award in 2009. He was a member of the board of Directors of The Lowcountry Regional Airport from 2005-2009.
Throughout his years of service to the community, Charlie is perhaps best known as the face of Live Oak Cemetery. He possessed a keen interest in the generations of families interred on that hallowed ground, and could easily point the casual visitor or curious genealogist to the proper site where someone might be buried. On a daily basis he made his rounds through the cemetery, ensuring that everything was as it should be. He spearheaded the effort to improve the appearance of the grounds years ago, initiated the construction of the metal fence around the property, and monitored fundraising and maintenance. He served on the board, and was the manager, since 2002.
Charlie is survived by his siblings Elbert W. Sweat (Neyle) of Walterboro, Betty S. Prather (David) of Augusta, and Howell Sweat of Florida. There are a host of nieces, nephews and extended family that adored him.
Due to the current situation in the nation, state and county with the coronavirus pandemic, the family will conduct a private graveside service on the family plot at Live Oak Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Live Oak Cemetery, P.O.B. 1351, Walterboro, SC 29488. Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home, 117 Paul Street in Walterboro is in charge of arrangements.
