Frank Mcleod Flowers

Frank McLeod Flowers, Sr, age 88, passed away Tuesday, April 25, 2017 in Morrell Nursing Center. Funeral services will be held 3:00 PM Friday, April 28th at Black Creek Baptist Church, with burial following in Auburndale Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Thursday at the funeral home and other times at 3120 Leavensworth Rd. Darlington, SC 29540. Born July 30, 1928, Frank is the son of the late George Wellington Flowers and Eula Springs Flowers. He attended grammar school in Dovesville, SC and was valedictorian of his class. He was a1947 graduate at St. John's High School. Frank was a member of the National Honors Society, Charter President of the Key Club, a Collack Medal Recipient, and lettered in football, baseball, basketball, and track. In 1951, Frank graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. He was Cadet Captain in his senior year, and in 1951 was a member of "Commission of Three Hundred" to study the future of Clemson University. Frank was inducted into the Clemson University Dairy Hall of Fame in 1999. After graduating from Clemson University, Frank served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in U.S. Infantry as riffle battalion leader in 224th Infantry regiment. He served in three major companies during the Korean Conflict and was awarded for his service with the Combat Infantry Badge, three battle stars, and received a purple heart. He retired as 1st Lieutenant and was a life-time member of the V.F.W. of Darlington. Frank was a member of the Darlington County Farm Bureau since 1954 and served as the first vice president until joining the S.C. Farm Bureau as a district field representative and later promoted to field service director. He later resigned his position as field service director to assume full-time control of his dairy and farming operations. In 1975, he was elected as vice president of the Pee Dee Farm Bureau District, and held that position until 2014. During his tenure in S.C. Farm Bureau, he also served as co-chairman of the National Farm Bureau Dairy Advisory Committee, a member of the S.C. Farm Bureau Dairy Committee, and chairman of the executive committee of the dairy committee for 13 years, prior to his retirement from dairy farming in 1998. He was a 1983 recipient of the S.C. Farm Bureau distinguish service award. Frank served as president of the Darlington Kiwanis Club, past member of the board of directors for Federal Land Bank, a member of the board of directors of Darlington County Mutual Savings and Loan, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and a past President of Darlington County Agricultural Society. He was a life-long member of Black Creek Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday school superintendent for 35 years, and was a Deacon for many years and was chairman of the board of Deacons for many terms. He was a member of the board of trustees, and also held many other positions in the church. Frank was a longtime contributor and supporter of the Lord Cares Ministry, Connie Maxwell Children's Home, and the Free Medical Clinic in Darlington. In 1973, Mr. and Mrs. Flowers expanded their farming operations by purchasing Auburndale Plantation. He along with his family built a new dairy operation known as Auburndale Jerseys. The dairy herd had a reputation of being one of the top Jersey herds in the nation. The Jersey Herd was sold in 1998 to a Dairy Farm in Tifton, California. The plantation was converted totally into row crops and beef operations following the dairy cattle sale. Surviving are his three sons, Dr. Frank McLeod Flowers, Jr of Laguna Beach, California, Marshall Flowers and his wife Kathi, Damon Flowers and his wife Susan, both of Darlington; his daughter, Meg Flowers Clark and her husband Don of Hartsville; his grandchildren, Ginny F. Munson and her husband Kevin of Darlington, Marshall "Wells" Flowers, of Darlington, Dr. Damon Flowers, Jr., of Baton Rouge, LA, Susanna Flowers of Mt. Pleasant, Caroline Clark of Greenville, Anna Clark, and Don Clark, Jr, both of Hartsville; his great-grandchildren, Tillman Munson, Bennett Munson, McKinley Weaver, and Marshall Wellington Flowers, III. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years, Margaret Steger Flowers; his sisters, Mary Flowers Kirven, and Georgia D. Flowers; his brother, Paul T. Flowers, and infant brother, George W. Flowers, Jr. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Black Creek Baptist Church, 137 Mont Clare Rd, Darlington, SC 29540, or to Clemson University Foundation in memory of Frank M. Flowers, Sr, 110 Daniel Dr. Clemson, SC 29631, attention Margaret Owens.

Visitation

APR 27. 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Belk Funeral Home - Darlington 229 West Broad Street Darlington, SC, 29532

Service

APR 28. 3:00 PM

Black Creek Baptist Church 137 Mont Clare Rd Darlington, SC, 29540