Janie Glymph Goree

CARLISLE - Funeral service for Mayor Janie Glymph Goree, former mayor of Carlisle, South Carolina, will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. (family visitation begins at 1 p.m.) at Seekwell Baptist Church, Maybinton, South Carolina, with burial in the church cemetery. A family visitation will be held Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Leevy’s Funeral Home, Taylor Street Chapel.

Janie Glymph Goree, the first female African American mayor in South Carolina, died Tuesday, January 13 at Agape Senior Living and Rehabilitation in West Columbia, South Carolina, twelve days before her birthday.

Mrs. Goree was well-known as an educator and politician in Union County.

In 1978, she ran for mayor of Carlisle and won; serving as mayor for more than 20 years and also held the position of municipal judge. She was noted for improvements in the small rural town’s fiscal management, public works, fire and police protection, recreation, housing, and education. She also initiated an annual Christmas Parade and Piggy on the Rock Festival. She played an active and historic role in local politics throughout her tenure as mayor and years thereafter.

For 33 years she taught in the Union County public school system, beginning her career as teacher of mathematics at Sims High School and ending her career at Union High School. For many years, she taught reading in adult education classes at night.

Born in Newberry County, she was the last surviving child of ten children born to the late Orlander Tobias and Chaney Hodges Glymph. She was predeceased by brothers, George, Timothy, John, James, Curtis and Orlander, and by sisters, Mary, Thavolia Hodges and Sarah McClinton. She was married to the late Charlie Goree and also to the late Johnny Williams.

She attended Newberry public schools and graduated with honors from Brande Institute in Chester. In 1948, she also graduated magna cum laude from Benedict College where she was a charter member of the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado in 1959. She was active in professional organizations in teaching and mathematics.

As mayor, she traveled to the White House, holding audiences with Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. She held offices in the S.C. Conference of Black Mayors, the National Conference of Black Mayors and the World Conference of Mayors. She represented these conferences at international meetings throughout the world. During her dual careers, she received hundreds of honors which included being featured in the Southern Bell African American calendar and the South Carolina Department of Education’s publication African-Americans and the Palmetto State. She was also honored by the South Carolina Commission on Women for her accomplishments in politics. Numerous articles in national newspapers and magazines have chronicled her remarkable achievements. “She walked with kings, but never lost the common touch.”

She was a lifetime member of Seekwell Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and spearheaded outreach programs for the church.

She was survived by a foster son, Henry Lee (Betty) Suber of Charlotte, NC, 32 nieces and nephews, brother-in-law, Isaac McClinton of Columbia, the six children of her late husband Charlie Goree, Winifred, Charles, Denice, Michael, Juanita and Darryl, and many other close relatives.

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