Obituary of Wyman Corley Sox

West Columbia—Wyman Corley Sox, was born on January 20, 1934.  His fierce will to live delayed his entry into the church triumphant by a few days, but he is in pain no more.  He succumbed on April 9, 2020 to the effects of a stroke suffered on January 4 and was cared for at the end of his life at home by wonderful caregivers.  He is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, Bonnie Fae Shumpert Sox; three daughters, Bonni Sox Garcia, Viki Sox Fecas and Deborah L. Sox as well as grandchildren Lauren Garcia Chidester (Christian) and Matthew Fecas; sister-in- law, Bobbie Shumpert, and special friends Al and Donna Browder and Bethany Pendley.  He was predeceased by his parents, John Bell Sox and Lucinda Corley Sox, his daughter, Ronda Sox, his sister Juanita Sox Reeley, and a granddaughter, Loren Fecas.

 

Wyman was a lifelong resident of the Long Branch area of West Columbia now known as Springdale.  He grew up amidst hard times and loving cousins, with whom he toiled and savored life.  His work ethic was formed at an early age when he worked multiple jobs to help his family and a day would typically consist of laying the kindling for fires at Long Branch School (seven classrooms, two auditoriums and a cook stove) and then driving a bus route.  After school was out, he disposed of ashes, split coal and cleaned restrooms.  In the summers, he packed the silage for Jeff Roof and washed milk bottles for Long Branch Dairy.    He also worked at the Lown Brothers Grocery Store and cut wood which was hauled to the Foundry where slats were formed to make baskets.  He and his cousins worked at night to form the baskets which were finished off in the day shift by women who added handles.

 

He graduated from BC High School where he would later design and wire the bleachers.  He attended the University of South Carolina where he walked onto the football team and attained a degree in psychology.  He became a Shop Teacher at BC Junior High and coached football.  He had a fascination with electricity and obtained his certification as a Master Electrician and went on to hire and mentor many others, often buying them tools they would need in the trade.  He and Fae opened Sox Electric Center with him focusing on the electrical business and her selling lighting in the showroom.  When they expanded into other products, they opened Modern Lighting Center next door and ran it successfully for many years.  After years of fostering professional relationships, he was asked to serve as the Electrical Inspector for the City of West Columbia.  After that, his expertise in electrical fire origins led him to photograph fire scenes and be an expert plaintiff/defense, civil and criminal witness for multiple insurance companies.

 

While always physically fit, he went through a renewed interest in sports in his early 40’s.  He and his ‘cronies’ regularly pursued such adventures as snow skiing, running, bicycling and tennis.  He loved tennis so much that he graduated from the Dennis Van Der Meer Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island and was certified as a USTPR teaching professional.  He gave individual and group lessons while playing on tennis leagues with his wife Fae as his partner.  One year, they won regionals and were headed to the national championships until their opponents decided not to show up. 

 

Wyman was a passionate public servant.  He and Fae impressed upon their girls the importance of caring for others and expected them to donate blood regularly, advocate for the betterment of others and support institutions that were important to them.  Throughout his life, people entrusted him to be their leader and he was elected to the Springdale Town Council, and ultimately Mayor as his father before him had been.  As well, he led his church, Emmanuel Lutheran, in their building campaign which resulted in an expanded sanctuary.  He served on the Round Up Board for the Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperatives, on the Lexington County Hospital Board, Bank of America Board, and was elected President of the Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce.   Additionally, he was awarded lifetime memberships in the Mechanical Contractors Association and the Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM).

 

There will be a private committal service which can be seen on his tribute page at Thompson Funeral Home, Lexington.   A celebration of life memorial service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church as soon as it is safe to have a community gathering after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.  The family appreciates the outpouring of love and prayers and if folks wish to honor his life in this way, memorials can be made to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 2491 Emanuel Church Road, West Columbia, 29170.