Rudolph "Rudy" Singleton, Sr., age 74, beloved husband of the late Delores Ann Singleton, died on Sunday, April 29, 2012, at his residence.
Born on March 14, 1938, he was a son of the late Charles Ellis and Marie Walker Singleton. He was a graduate of Sumter High School and joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served in the Vietnam War and received the Highest Combat Award, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.
Mr. Singleton served on the Sumter County Council, District 2, from 1991 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002. He served as the Chairman on local council committees for the Personnel Committee, the Internal Affairs Committee, the Litter Control Committee, the Solid Waste Committee and various council committees. He also served on the National Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development for the National Association of Counties.
Mr. Singleton was the founder of the Major General George L. Mabry, Jr., Veterans Memorial Park, the Willie "Bill" Pinkney Memorial Park, Coalition of Retired Military Veterans (CORMV), the first Sumter County Council Litter Committee, the Christian Soldiers, Rudy Singleton's Outreach Street Ministry and the largest Veterans for McCain/Palin Presidency in United States. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge number 64 A.F. M. where he was presented the Life Membership in Claremont for 40 years of service in his home lodge. He was also known for his writing skills and as a well-known author.
Mr. Singleton received numerous letters of appreciation and awards, some of which were from the Kiwanis Club of Sumter, for which he was the Palmetto Guest Speaker, the Palmetto Tax Coalition for Citizens Rights to vote on taxes, the Watch Dog for the Tax Payers Award from the Office of the Treasurer for the State of South Carolina, a Crestwood High School guest speaker for the Government Class and a certificate of Special Recognition from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for his dedicated work in improving the entrance to the burial grounds of a National Historical Landmark.
He was an avid boxer, football player, sumo wrestler and held a black belt in judo.
He is survived by: two sons, Rudolph "Rudy" Singleton, Jr. and Robert Singleton; his fiancée Laurie Ann Lawhorn; a daughter, Sheila Ann Singleton-Geddings and her husband Jack; one brother, Buck Singleton; six grandchildren, Rudolph Singleton, III, Amber Joe Barnette, Ariel Ann Singleton, David Smith, Jr., Charles Ellis Smith and Jonathan Michael Smith and six great- grandchildren, Bristol Lynn Singleton, William Mathew Singleton, Landon Carter Smith, Caleb Callahan Smith, Preston Alexander Smith and Brady Allen Murphy and a sister-in-law Hazel Singleton.
He was preceded in death by a brother, C.J. Singleton.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Holley officiating. Burial will follow in the Sumter Cemetery with military honors.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, from 6-8 pm Bullock Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Life Member Disabled American Veterans, Attention, Gift Processing, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250 or to the American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210.