John Armstrong Warren

COLUMBIA — Memorial services for John Armstrong Warren, 84, will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2009, at 2 p.m. at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends following the memorial service in the church parlor. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.
 
Born January 31, 1925, in Paducah, Ky., he was the son of the late Thomas Kerley Warren and Effie Whitehead Warren. He was reared on a farm near Spring Hill, Tenn., and graduated from Battle Ground Academy, Franklin, Tenn., and Vanderbilt University, Class of 1948, with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree. He was an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Air Corps during WWII.
 
After graduating from Vanderbilt Mr. Warren was employed by Goodwin Engineers in Birmingham, Ala. He was involved in the design and development of municipally-owned natural gas systems in rural areas which ultimately brought Mr. Warren to South Carolina in 1957, where he served as President of Carolina Energies, Inc., until 1982.
 
In 1982, Carolina Energies was acquired by South Carolina Electric and Gas Company and Mr. Warren became President of SCE&G. He subsequently became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the utility and its holding company, SCANA Corporation, in 1985.
 
Mr. Warren served on the Board of Directors of SCANA Corporation, Liberty Corporation, South Carolina National Corporation and Palmetto Seed Capital Corporation. He also served on the Board of the S.C. State Ports Authority and served as the first Secretary of Commerce under Governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
 
Mr. Warren’s civic involvement included serving on the Boards of the Richland Regional Medical Center Foundation, ETV Endowment, United Way of the Midlands, Central Carolina Community Foundation, Carolina Children’s Home, S.C. Chamber of Commerce, Carolina Research and Development Foundation and MedCorp Health Systems, Inc.
 
He also served as a trustee of the Palmetto Business Forum, S.C. Research Authority, U.S.C. Business Partnership Foundation, Palmetto Foundation, Governor’s School for Science and Math and Coker College.
 
Mr. Warren was awarded honorary degrees by the University of South Carolina, The Citadel and Coker College. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr., named the 1990 Ambassador of the Year by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and awarded the 1990 Distinguished Alumnus Award by Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. Mr. and Mrs. Warren were recognized by Richland Regional Medical Center Foundation and Children’s Hospital of Richland Memorial as the 1990 Distinguished Humanitarians of the Year. In 1991 Mr. Warren was recognized as the Businessman of the Year by the S.C. Chamber of Commerce. In 1992, he was inducted into the S.C. Business Hall of Fame.
 
Mr. Warren’s business associations included serving as a Director of the American Gas Association, Edison Electric Institute, National Association of Manufacturers and Southeastern Electric Exchange. He also served as a Director, Chairman of the Advisory Council and was a Life Member of the Southern Gas Association. He had also served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Southeastern Gas Association.
 
Mr. Warren was a member of Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, having served terms as Chairman of the Administrative Board, TRUMC Foundation, Finance Committee, the 1962 Building Committee and as a Sunday school teacher.
 
Mr. Warren was currently serving as chairman of the Laurel Crest Resident Council.
 
Mr. Warren was a member of Forest Lake Club, Palmetto Club, Summit Club and Quadrille Club.
 
Surviving are his wife, Betty Godbold Warren; daughters and sons-in-law, Minta W. and John F. Floyd of Spartanburg, Madeline W. and Malford J. “Mal” Fagan of Atlanta; grandchildren, John Warren Floyd and his wife, Nealie Littlejohn Floyd, Larkin Floyd Dobson and her husband John, Jack and Helen Fagan; great-granddaughter, Campbell Ligon Dobson.
 
Memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital Fund, Palmetto Health Foundation, Nine Richland Medical Park Drive, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29203 or the Sanctuary Building Fund, Trenholm Road U.M.C. Foundation, 3401 Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29204.
 
Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.