Leonard Inabinette

Leonard Wayne Inabinette, Lt. Col USAF Retired
Murrells Inlet
Leonard Wayne Inabinette, Lt. Col USAF Retired, age 67 of Murrells Inlet, SC, died at his home on May 12, 2012.
Born in 1944, he was the son of the late Marvin James and Mary Gladys Weathers Inabinette of Holly Hill, SC. Wayne was a 1962 graduate of Holly Hill High School. In 1967, he graduated from the University of South Carolina and was commissioned into the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant. As a career Transportation Officer, he was a graduate of Transportation Staff Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Squadron Officer School. While serving at the United States Air Force Academy, he was selected as the 1976 Air Force Transportation Officer of the Year. He served in numerous worldwide assignments, including tours in Europe, Asia and many Air Force installations across the United States to include, Director of Transportation at Fifteenth Air Force, Chief of Vehicle Maintenance at Strategic Air Command and Chief of Vehicles at Strategic Air Command. Perhaps his favorite assignments were those where he served as Transportation Squadron Commander; he enjoyed interacting with people as "a father figure, a disciplinarian, a cheerleader, a confessor, and a source of all wisdom and truth." He received numerous citations during his career, including five Meritorious Service Medals and two Commendation Medals. After he retired from the Air Force, he worked for Clemson University at The Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science where he spent seventeen years interacting with a large number of faculty and students from universities and agencies throughout the south. He was a tireless worker, traveling to wetland sites throughout the southeast, helping supervise graduate and undergraduate students, and volunteering to teach local school students about trees and plants. He was instrumental in developing and teaching a Junior Forester summer program for a number of years. His colleagues in the forestry community will miss him. He was a member of Murrells Inlet Presbyterian Church where he was an Elder and a member of the Session, a member of the Little Chapel restoration committee, an usher, and he participated in The Presbyterian Men. Col. Inabinette loved sports, especially the South Carolina Gamecocks. He had loved fishing since childhood. Wherever the Air Force took him he always managed to find fishing buddies. He also loved to travel. His most memorable travel experience was when he took his family to the Swiss Alps village of Grindelwald from which his family originated in the 1700's, and where they visited with twentieth century Inabnits. He also enjoyed woodworking, making things for his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of forty five years, Arden Walker Inabinette; a daughter, Rachel Inabinette, son-in-law Sid Mullins, grandson Whit, and granddaughter Flynn all of Charleston, SC; a son, David and daughter-in-law Gretta of Elizabeth City, NC; a brother, Barry of Pinopolis, SC; a niece, Lisa Floyd (Tom) a nephew, Brantley Inabinette; a great niece, Tricia; two great nephews Brady and Colin and many cousins and friends.
A memorial service will military honors will be held at Murrells Inlet Presbyterian Church at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 19, 2012; the Reverend Tom Thornton officiating. The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Murrells Inlet Presbyterian Church, PO Box 418, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 or to Hollings Cancer Services patient Support Program, 86 Jonathan Lucas St. Charleston, SC 29425.
An online guestbook is available at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com/obituaries
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.