Funeral scheduled for state Sen. John Scott, 69, who died Sunday
State Sen. John Scott’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday, according to a memo from the Senate president’s office.
Visitation is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at Leevy’s Funeral Home at 1831 Taylor St. in Columbia. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Bible Way Church of Atlas Road at 2440 Atlas Road in Columbia.
Scott’s interment will take place at Memorial Gardens of Columbia at 9301 Wilson Blvd. A reception will follow at the Bible Way Church.
Scott died Sunday. The cause of death for the 69-year-old has not been disclosed.
As people mourn Scott’s death, his desk in the Senate chamber is draped in a black sheet with a single flower in a vase placed on top.
“We’re more than state senators. We’re colleagues and friends,” said Senate President Thomas Alexander, an Oconee Republican. “It makes it difficult to go through this when you lose a member of the family.”
Scott was first elected to the State House in 1990. He served nine terms as a state representative before being elected to the state Senate in 2008 for the first of four terms.
Among the initiatives Scott pushed for was creating the education lottery in South Carolina in 2002, which helps pay for college scholarships.
He also commanded the Joint Services Detachment from Feb. 18, 2017, to Jan. 19, 2019, according to the South Carolina Military Department.
Scott most recently served on the following state Senate committees: Banking and Insurance; Education; Finance; Labor, Commerce and Industry; Legislative Oversight and Medical Affairs.
When on the budget-writing Finance Committee, Scott pushed for money to help historically Black colleges and universities, which state Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland, called Scott’s passion.
“It is a tremendous loss to South Carolina and even a bigger loss to Richland County,” Jackson said.
A special election to complete Scott’s term will be scheduled.
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 5:28 PM.
