Obituary of Donald Arant

OLYMPIA—Funeral services for Donald Arant, 76, of Olympia, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2014 at Thompson Funeral Home, West Columbia Chapel, 200 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169. Burial will follow in Olympia Cemetery, 1179 Olympia Avenue, Columbia, SC 29201. Reverend Dr. Clark McCrary will officiate. The family will greet friends from 6-8:00 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2014 at the funeral home. Mr. Arant, beloved husband of the late Evelyn Arant, passed away on Easter Morning, April 20, 2014. Born in Columbia, he was a son of the late Hack Arant and Eulalee Murphy Arant. He was a four sport athlete at Olympia High School where he averaged 33.5 points per game in 1955, his senior year basketball season. This was a South Carolina state record for many years. He attended the University of Miami, FL on a full basketball scholarship. He retired from General Electric where he served as Plant Supervisor starting in Irmo, SC all the way to Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. Donnie was a great man, father and grandfather. Donnie is survived by his son, Randy Arant of Atlanta, GA and daughter, Melanie Fisher (Gardner) of Atlanta, GA ; three grandchildren, Jeff Arant of Myrtle Beach, SC, Ashley Fisher of Atlanta, GA and Luke Fisher of Atlanta, GA; one great-grandson, Rivers Arant of Surfside Beach, SC. He was predeceased by his son, Craig Arant. Memorials may be made to Luke's Lighthouse c/o Northview Christian Church, 2000 Gravel Springs Road, Buford, GA 30519