Judge John Dewese

Judge John Dewese was born on October 4, 1951, in Fairfield County, South Carolina, to the late James C. and Pearl Dewese. He departed on November 25, 2022, at MUSC-Charleston.
John graduated from Great Falls High School in 1969 and attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Benedict College in 1973, and later a Master of Education degree from Winthrop University. John worked for South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation for thirty years, eventually becoming an Area Supervisor in the Lancaster, S.C. office. After retirement he worked for the Fairfield County School District. In 2014, he became a magistrate judge for Fairfield County, and later a Judge for the town of Winnsboro, S.C.
In addition to being a member, and former Basileus for the Kappa Pi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he was a former National Chair of The Coalition for Juvenile Justice, former President of the South Carolina State Employees Association, former Vice-Chairman and Director of Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, served as a Board Member for Chester County Department of Social Services, and a Mt. Zion Lodge #127, F&A Mason. He was a member of Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church in Winnsboro, S.C., where he served as a deacon, and he was a licensed funeral director, and later became manager at Russell-McCutchen Funeral Home in Winnsboro S.C.
Johnny was married in 1981 to the former Jennifer Washington. He is survived by a son, Jared Dewese of Washington, D.C.; a daughter, Jessica Dewese-Jones of Great Falls, S.C.; their mother, Jennifer Washington-Dewese of Great Falls, S.C.; and two granddaughters, Aaliyah and Olivia Dewese-Jones. He also leaves eight siblings, Mary Cunningham of Winnsboro, S.C., Pearlie Evans of Lancaster, S.C., Virginia Campbell and Maude Davis of Winnsboro, S.C., David Dewese of Great Falls, S.C., Randy Dewese of Blackstock, S.C., Donald Dewese of Columbia, S.C. and Timothy Dewese of Winnsboro, S.C.; two sisters-in-law, Maggie B. Dewese, and Rev. Bertheia Maria Washington-Kelly; a brother-in-law, Darryl Washington; and a host of stepsiblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.