Frederic Schumann Le Clercq

Frederic Schumann Le Clercq October 24, 1937 - January 12, 2025

Retired University of Tennessee Law Professor Fred Le Clercq died Sunday morning, January 12, in Rome, Italy, after a brief illness, while on vacation with two of his sons and one grandson. His family, friends, and former students will miss him.

Fred was the son of Honore Le Clercq and Byrl Price Le Clercq. He was born in Columbia and grew up in Denmark, South Carolina. He attended the public elementary school across from his boyhood home in Denmark. Fred attended the University of South Carolina, Class of 1959, majoring in political science and philosophy. He was president of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, and student body president his senior year. While in college, Fred was a champion debater, traveling nationally with the USC debate team. He was an ardent Gamecock fan his entire life and a Tennessee Vol for most of his life.

Fred worked from an early age. In elementary school, he sold peanuts outside the Denmark cinema. In high school, he spent summers working for Southern Railway, installing signal switches in the Altamaha swamp in Georgia. In college, Fred supported himself by selling encyclopedias door-to-door as a national sales leader for P.F. Collier. Fred got a Master's Degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1960, then attended Duke Law School, receiving his J.D. in 1963. Fred worked his way through law school at Duke, teaching political science at NC State most mornings before his law classes in the afternoon. His dream was to be a United States Senator from South Carolina.

The enduring love and passion of Fred's life was his wife of 54 years, Anne Sinkler Whaley Le Clercq. Fred and Angie met in the summer of 1960 on the beach in front of the Sand Crab, the summer home of Angie's family on the Isle of Palms. Fred courted Angie assiduously while she was a freshman at Sweetbriar College. They were married at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pinopolis, South Carolina, on September 12, 1961.

Following his graduation from Duke Law School in 1963, Fred was briefly employed by his father-in-law Ben Scott Whaley, at the Barnwell Whaley Law Firm in Charleston. He was also hired by the Citadel to teach political science in the Fall of 1963. Fred was an outspoken supporter of the civil rights movement and was never shy in voicing opinions. After writing a letter to a South Carolina newspaper expressing support for proposed civil rights legislation (passed as the Civil Rights Act of 1964), on Citadel stationary (not having yet taught any classes), he left South Carolina in the Summer of 1963.

Fred and Angie moved to Berkeley California, where Fred was a fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Society. Fred was an instructor and took courses in political science toward a Ph.D. Ted was born in Berkeley in 1963. Ted's arrival found them low on funds: it cost $50 to have a child born at the Berkeley Free Clinic. Since the Clinic offered $25 per pint of donated blood, Fred enthusiastically rolled up both sleeves and said, "Make it a double." The young family moved back to Columbia, South Carolina in 1965, so that Fred could run for Congress. Fred ran as a Democrat for Congress on two occasions, in 1966 in Columbia, and in 1969 in Atlanta, Georgia. Both efforts were unsuccessful, but there was still joy: their second son, Ben, was born during Fred's 1966 run for Congress. Fred and Angie were dancing at the Oldside on the Isle of Palms the night before Ben's birth.

With a family to support, Fred began his career as a law professor. He worked hard for many years to feed, clothe, and educate his family. Fred was employed by Emory Law School from 1967 to 1969. He was heavily engaged in Democratic politics in Atlanta. Following his unsuccessful run for Congress in 1969, Fred was hired by the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1970. He started at the UT Legal Clinic, and shortly thereafter became a law professor, which position he held until 1996. Fred educated an entire generation of Tennessee lawyers. He taught many courses, with his favorites being constitutional law and civil procedure. He was a firm believer in the Socratic method. Fred was a "hot bench," and kept his students on their toes with a heavy barrage of incisive questioning. Fred expected and demanded excellence from his students and his sons. Fred loved his students like his children and regularly invited his classes over to the family house for supper and singing. In 1976, Fred's third son Kershaw was born, and the family purchased 2806 Kingston Pike, overlooking a bend in the Tennessee River and what previously was the University of Tennessee Farm. His students will no doubt remember fondly the many law school functions held there.

Fred was gregarious and had a quick wit. He was a bon vivant, always curious, enthusiastic, and a self-starter throughout life. He was extremely generous and supportive to his family and students. He spent most of his adult life in "uniform"-khaki pants, blue blazer, and bow tie. As he grew older his political affiliation switched, and he became a strong supporter of conservative political candidates.

After Angie was hired as head of the Daniel Library at the Citadel, Fred retired from UT in 1996 and moved back to Charleston. During his retirement, being a lifelong collector of fine art, Fred opened and ran Alkyon Arts and Antiques, on the corner of Queen and Meeting Street.

Fred stayed active in his retirement, learning German and studying French, Spanish, and Italian. He loved poetry and frequently recited verse, some learned early in childhood. His favorite toast speaks volumes about him:

"When the long list of ills to the Gods was presented,

listing what fate each mortal attends,

at that long list of ills, a kind goddess relented,

and gave us three blessings: wife, family, and friends."

Fred was predeceased by his beloved wife Angie. He is survived by his brother Honore, to whom Fred was devoted all of his life, his three sons and their wives, Ted (Courtney), Ben (Allston), and Kershaw (Anne), six grandchildren: Douglas, Price, Susan, Will, Peter, and Ned, and his close friend and sweetheart Margaret Lawson. Although his death came as a shock to the entire family, there is some beauty in that, in the end, Fred was with family, exploring and walking the streets of Italy, squeezing the nectar out of life, as always.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at St. Philip's Cathedral in Charleston at 11 a.m. The family will receive visitors at 701 Creekside Drive, Mt. Pleasant, following the service.