Days after entering hospice care, Chapin Mayor Al Koon has died
Days after moving into hospice care, Chapin Mayor Al Koon has died.
The town of Chapin announced Koon’s passing Friday afternoon on its Facebook page. Koon, 74, had been mayor of the town on the north shore of Lake Murray since 2021, and before that had served on the town council.
“Mayor Koon was not only a dedicated public servant — he was a man of deep faith, a devoted husband and father, and a true visionary who led with heart, integrity, and unwavering commitment to Chapin’s growth and well-being. His absence will be profoundly felt throughout our town,” the town posted.
A retired enginner for SCE&G, Koon was a lifelong resident of the town of Chapin, where he could trace his ancestry back eight generations. He was born July 23, 1951, to the late Albert Ray Sr. and Dorothy Stuart Koon. He was married for 52 years to his wife, Susan Keating Koon. They have two sons and four grandchildren.
The town announced that Koon will lie in state at Chapin Town Hall from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20. The family will receive visitors that evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church. Arrangements are being handled by Whitaker Funeral Home.
“The Town of Chapin extends our deepest condolences to the Koon family,” the town said in a post. “Mayor Koon’s legacy will live on in every corner of Chapin he worked so hard to serve.”
Before entering hospice, Koon had been a candidate for a second term as mayor in the election due Nov. 4. As early voting in the mayor’s race starts Monday, the Lexington County Elections and Voter Registration Office said it is too late to remove Koon’s name from the ballot. Postings in polling places will inform voters that any votes for Koon will not be counted, election director Lenice Shoemaker told The State.
Retired home builder Ron Colley and pastor Bill Mitchell are the two other candidates running to be Chapin’s mayor.
This is a developing story
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM.
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