Rodney Allen Spaulding

Rodney Allen Spaulding, 76, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, husband of Patricia Ann Phagan Spaulding died Friday, November 7, 2014, due to complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. Rod was born on July 27, 1938, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Rollin Taylor and Mattie Viola Spaulding. He met Patricia Phagan at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX, singing in the a cappella chorus, and they married in 1961. They adopted two little girls, Sybil and Sandy, and moved to West Islip, NY in 1963, where he was one of the ministers for the West Islip Church of Christ. He served as Executive Director of Shiloh, a year-round social action program in metropolitan New York City. His other children - Stacy, Scott, and Stephen - were born in NY.

The family moved in 1972 to Memphis, TN, where Rod worked with the Memphis City School District in community and race relations, school integration, and public information. He worked as a consultant with other school districts and organizations throughout the country. In 1983, this work brought him to Charleston, SC, where he lived until his death. Rod worked first as Deputy Superintendent and later as the Public Relations Director with the Charleston County School District and retired in 2005.

After retirement, he served as a member on the Board of East Cooper Community Outreach in Mt. Pleasant. Rod was a member of Circular Congregational Church of Charleston. He loved singing, listening to great music, enjoying fine food and family gatherings, as well as watching sports on television, especially football and baseball.

Rod is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his four children and their families, Sybil Spaulding and Jeff Johnson of Nashville, TN; Stacy, Abdellatif, Hanna, and Zak Attafi of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Scott and Sue Spaulding of Seattle, WA; and Stephen, Melissa, Elizabeth, and Linnea Spaulding of Charleston. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sandy Spaulding Watson.

A memorial service celebrating Rod's life will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2014, at 7:00 pm at the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 20401. A reception will follow. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, INC. MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.

The family thanks the memory care providers at Somerby of Mount Pleasant, and especially those in the Gold Wing of Mt. Pleasant Manor.

Donations may be sent in Rod's name to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001 (www.alzfdn.org) or Hospice of Charleston, 4975 LaCross Road, Suite 200, North Charleston, SC 29407 (http://hospiceofcharleston.com).