Melvin William "Bill" Youngblood

William "Bill" Youngblood, 79, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, loving husband of Tomi Gray Youngblood, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. 

Bill was born May 28, 1945, in Charleston, South Carolina, son of the late Melvin William Youngblood and Louise Hiott Youngblood. He graduated from Saint Andrews High School in 1963 and the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in English in 1967. At USC, Bill served as Student Body President and competed as a collegiate athlete in Track and Field. He was the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award at USC in 1967. This award is given in honor of a graduating senior who exhibits nobility of character exemplified by selfless service to others and the community. Bill received a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1970. During law school he served as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings in Washington, DC. After law school, Bill served as a law clerk to SC Supreme Court Chief Justice Bruce Littlejohn. He then served on active duty in the United States Air Force. Bill was admitted to the South Carolina Bar and the U.S. District Court for the District of SC in 1970 and to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals in 1971. 

Bill had a successful 52-year legal career. He began his practice in Charleston in 1972 with the law firm of Sinkler, Gibbs & Simons and became a partner in that firm in 1976. He joined McNair Law Firm, P.A. in August 1985 as a shareholder and practiced in the firm's Charleston office. His practice areas included Municipal Finance; Administrative, Business, and Commercial Law; Health Care Law; International and Legislative Law; and Government Regulation and Relations. Bill advised many state agencies and institutions on the authorization and sale of municipal securities, participating in several "test cases" before the South Carolina Supreme Court in matters of public finance and local government law. He was selected annually by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. 

Bill was a partner at Burr Forman and the former CEO and Managing Partner of its South Carolina predecessor, McNair Law Firm, from 2003-2009. He was widely acknowledged as one of the best public finance lawyers in the state. His contributions to both the legal and local communities were profound, and his leadership left a lasting impact on the State of South Carolina and those who had the privilege of working with him. Bill was a member of the Charleston County Bar, the South Carolina Bar, the American Bar Association, and the National Association of Bond Lawyers, where he was a frequent presenter at seminars relating to municipal finance and economic development incentives in South Carolina. Bill retired from Burr Forman January 1, 2022.

In the early 80s, Bill chaired a working committee for Governor Dick Riley’s administration to develop and implement the SC Education Improvement Act of 1984, which laid a foundation for positive changes that lasted through the 90s and into the early 2000s. For that work, he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award, given only by SC governors. This effort was extremely successful, propelling Governor Riley to become the U.S. Secretary of Education. 

As a reflection of his love for the state and his local community, Bill’s community service was extensive and ever evolving. He served as Finance Chairman of the Vestry for Grace Episcopal Church, Board Chair of the South Carolina Aquarium, including as Chair of its Education Committee, Board member of Kids on Point, Member of the business advisory group to the Charleston County School Superintendent, and Chair of the education task force for Mayor Joe Riley. On July 1, 2000, he began a term as President and Chairman of the Board of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and served on the Statewide Task Force on School Restructuring and the Trident Economic Development Authority, the regional economic development agency serving Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties. Bill also served on the Board of Cities-in-Schools of Charleston County, Inc., the Trident Technical College Foundation, as Chair of the Presidents' Round Table, a collaborative effort among the Trident region's college presidents and business leaders, the Trident Chamber's Workforce 2000 initiative, as President of the Exchange Club of Charleston, and as Chair of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation. 

At the state level, Bill served as Chair of the Program Committee of the Governor's Task Force on Financing Excellence in Public Education (which drafted the initiative resulting in the Education Improvement Act of 1984), Vice Chair of the State Business/Education Partnership charged with monitoring the implementation of both the Education Improvement Act and Target 2000 legislation, Chair of the University of South Carolina College of Education Partnership Board, Chair of the Statewide Attorney Grievance Commission, Board Member of The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, Chair of Charleston Regional Development Alliance, and Board Member of the Leadership South Carolina Advisory Board and Selection Committee. He also served on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and The South Carolina Research Foundation. 

Bill believed deeply in the power of education and was dedicated to ensuring a quality education to all citizens. He served as a Member of the South Carolina State Chamber of Commerce's Business Center for Excellence in Education, the South Carolina Independent Colleges Foundation, the Business Advisory Council to the College and University Presidents of South Carolina, the Business Advisory Council to the College of Charleston School of Business and Economics, the University of South Carolina Educational Foundation and the Education Policy Center, the Board of Visitors of Winthrop College, Trustee for the Center for the Advancement of School Leadership, chairing its Business Advisory Council, the Task Force to Address South Carolina School Facility Needs, and the South Carolina Literacy Association.

Bill’s greatest passion, however, was for his family. As a son, husband, father, and grandfather, Bill was surrounded by women and believed wholeheartedly in their empowerment. He was a champion for his wife, Tomi, supporting her many professional and service endeavors. Tomi and Bill married while still in college and have been a team for the last 59 years. They made it a practice to compliment each other every day and have been best friends since their first date. They lived a wonderful and exciting life with their girls and had opportunities and experiences they never dreamed possible. Bill also championed his children and grandchildren, reminding them regularly of their potential, strengths, and opportunities. His love was unwavering and returned, and it was no surprise he was surrounded by his wife, daughters, and granddaughters as he left this world. 

Bill was a wonderful listener and always had a thoughtful and sincere answer, touching people of all ages. He had the ability to connect with anyone and always put his family and others first. An extremely humble man with a quick wit, he loved to tease. When his daughters were young, he started each day by reminding them, “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” Leading by example, he approached each of his days with this same sense of wonder and purpose. Bill had the ability to look at things in the long term - a vision for the future. He was a careful decision-maker and was very persistent. He always stayed with something for the long haul. He tried to find a common thread among disparate factions and was viewed as a person who could be the quiet voice of reason when a heated discussion erupted. He was always steady and could defuse any situation, the ultimate diplomat. His thoughtfulness, dedication and generosity will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Bill is survived by his wife of 59 years, Tomi; daughters: Lisa Gray Youngblood (Johnny Krawcheck) of Cashiers, North Carolina, and Lauren Lee Youngblood (Walker Cate) of Eastover, South Carolina; and granddaughters: Sarah Louise Krawcheck of Charleston, South Carolina and Eleanor Gray Krawcheck of Los Angeles, California.

Bill and Tomi loved sports and in the last 40 years rarely missed a College of Charleston basketball game. Tomi always said that Bill married her because she loved sports as much as he did. In honor of Bill’s service to his community and the joy he and his wife, Tomi, experienced watching College of Charleston basketball, his family has created the Bill Youngblood Endowment to Support Student Athlete Academics. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested a memorial contribution to The Bill Youngblood Endowment Fund, College of Charleston Foundation, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424, Attn: Laurie Soenen (www.givecharleston.org/Youngblood) or Kids On Point, P.O Box 22731, Charleston, SC 29413.

Bill’s Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at The Cooper River Room at the Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park at 5:00 p.m. We hope you will join his family to celebrate the life of this wonderful man. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel.