Longest-serving USC board member, who served for more than 40 years, dies
The longest-serving board member at the University of South Carolina has died.
Eddie Floyd, a 1956 USC graduate, joined the board of trustees in 1982 and remained a pillar until his retirement in 2024. He served as chair from 1992 until 1996.
The South Carolina House of Representatives honored Floyd with a moment of silence Thursday morning.
“It’s a sad day today,” Rep. Phillip Lowe, R-Florence, said. “He passed after a long illness. He’s had a great life.”
Floyd was born into a family of tobacco farmers during the Depression in rural South Carolina. He studied at USC, where he was also member of the swim team, and went on to attend medical school in Charleston.
He eventually established a medical practice in Florence, where he became known for advanced work in vascular surgery, but he remained a tobacco farmer who at one time grew a sizable crop in the Pee Dee section of the state, an area known for tobacco cultivation. It was as much as 932,000 pounds at one point, according to reports.
The Floyd Football Building near Williams-Brice Stadium, which housed the staff and support team for the Gamecocks, was named for Floyd and his wife, Kay. Floyd was a prominent figure in the Florence area and South Carolina cultural and political life for decades.
“At the core of his principles was his firm belief in the power of education to change lives,” USC President Michael Amiridis said in a statement. “His beneficial influence in the success of our students, in the mission of our university, in the fields of medicine and the arts, and in the betterment of life across our state will be felt for countless decades to come. He will be deeply missed.”
Board chair Thad Westbrook called Floyd an “unparalleled champion” for the university
“No Gamecock ever exhibited greater love for his alma mater,” Westbrook said in a statement. “Dr. Floyd was an exceptional force for good in South Carolina.”
Along with his service to USC, Floyd was the chairman of a wealthy local foundation, and sent millions of that charity’s money to Francis Marion University, and funneled money to build a new county library, a museum, a county performing arts center and a university health science center that educates nurses and other health care professionals.
He was also a prominent political donor, and helped raise money for Republican state and national presidential candidates. He also supported Democrats, like Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.
Floyd quietly stepped down from the board in October 2024.
Gov. Henry McMaster appointed his daughter, Coleman Floyd Buckhouse, to fill his seat.
“For more than four decades, Dr. Floyd’s service to the USC Board of Trustees ensured consistent wisdom and oversight,” Westbrook said at the time. “All of us will miss his presence on the Board, along with his warmth and kindness.”
This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 12:31 PM.
