Milton Joel Bateman

Milton Joel Bateman, 83, died at his home in Mt. Pleasant on March 16. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sharon McClary Bateman; daughters Kim Bateman Baker of San Antonio, Texas; Jodi Bateman Forney (Ned) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Ashley Bateman Cusick (John) of Westfield, NJ; grandchildren Jessica Baker, Jack Cusick, James Cusick, great-granddaughter Ava Baker; and brother Ashton Bateman and 2 nephews.

Joel was born at Baker Hospital in Charleston on July 28, 1939 to Ashton Smith Bateman and Loris Nelson Bateman. His family moved to Georgetown when he was in junior high, and after graduating from Winyah High School he joined the Navy, where he was a Radioman 3rd class on USS Aggressive (MSO-422), stationed in Charleston. After being honorably discharged he was hired at Cameron and Barkley, and in the evenings he took night classes at The Citadel and Charleston Southern.

Joel enjoyed a 46-year career with Cameron and Barkley, working his way up from the warehouse to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, President of International Supply Consortium and President of McJunkin-CamBar. When Cameron and Barkley sold to Hagemeyer, he became Senior Vice President of Contracts and Global Accounts. He enjoyed hiring and teaching young people and watching their careers flourish and was particularly proud of having started the first training program for new college graduates. He is remembered for his hard work and dedication as well as his honesty and uncompromising integrity throughout his professional endeavors. Joel befriended many of his colleagues and remained friends with them until the end of his life.

Joel and Sharon traveled extensively with friends old and new. He also studied photography for many years, and once he retired he traveled with professional photographers and friends, photographing everything from polar bears in Canada and jaguars in Brazil to the northern lights in Iceland and much in between. His love of nature and fellowship with friends drove his passion for photography. His family estimates he has left behind roughly 50,000 photographs.

When he wasn’t traveling for photography, he enjoyed family and friends at his lake house in North Georgia, where he and Sharon spent summers with his daughters and grandchildren and hosted many friends over the years, giving countless water skiing lessons along the way. He loved exposing his grandchildren to nature and history through the “Grandaddy’s Adventures” that he organized.

Joel was a member of the Carolina Nature Club, Charleston Artist Guild, World Affairs Council of Charleston and First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, where he served as an Elder. His funeral will be at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church on Friday, March 24 at 2PM with a visitation following the service. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mt. Pleasant Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, 53 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29401.