Charles Baxley of Lugoff passed away on March 30, 2024 at the age of 72. Charles was a 1974 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a 1976 doctorate in law. He founded and practiced law with the firm of Baxley, Pratt & Wells, P.A., now Baxley, Wells, and Benson, P.A., for forty-five (45) years. Charles served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kershaw County Vocational Education Foundation, Inc. for over twenty-five (25) years. He served as an officer and member of the Executive Board of the Indian Waters Council, Boy Scouts of America, and Chairman of the Kershaw County Public Defender Corporation. He was a President of the Lugoff Optimist Club and the Kershaw County Bar Association. He was a Master Tree Farmer, President of the Kershaw County Forest Landowners Association, and managed his family forestlands. He served as President of the Kershaw County Historical Society and served on that board for thirty (30) years. Charles also served over fifteen (15) years as Judge for the City of Camden, SC, and taught business law as Adjunct Professor of Law for Limestone College and American Management College. He served as a captain in the USAF Reserve.
Charles served eight (8) years as Trustee and as the Chairman of the Kershaw County (SC) School Board. He has received the Silver Beaver award from the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Palmetto from the State of South Carolina. As he was retiring from the practice of law in 2021, he was appointed by Governor McMaster to serve as Chairman of the South Carolina Sestercentennial Commission, a group established to guide the celebrations for the state’s 250th birthday.
Commital will be held graveside on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 1pm at Quaker Cemetery in Camden, SC followed by a visitation at Liberty Hall in Camden, SC from 2pm – 5pm.