H*5484 Resolution, By Funderburk, J.E. Smith, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, 
Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bedingfield, Bernstein, 
Bingham, Bowers, Bradley, Brannon, G.A. Brown, R.L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, 
Clary, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, Collins, Corley, H.A. Crawford, 
Crosby, Daning, Davis, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Duckworth, Erickson, Felder, 
Finlay, Forrester, Fry, Gagnon, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, 
Hardee, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Henegan, Herbkersman, Hicks, Hill, Hiott, Hixon, 
Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, Jordan, Kennedy, 
King, Kirby, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, 
McEachern, McKnight, M.S. McLeod, W.J. McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D.C. Moss, 
V.S. Moss, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, Norrell, Ott, Parks, Pitts, 
Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, 
Ryhal, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, Sottile, Spires, Stavrinakis, 
Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Tinkler, Toole, Weeks, Wells, Whipper, White, 
Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Yow
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE DEATH OF FRED R. SHEHEEN OF CAMDEN
 AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.

   06/15/16  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 13)

TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE DEATH OF FRED R. SHEHEEN OF CAMDEN AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives were deeply saddened to learn of the accidental death of Fred R. Sheheen of Camden on June 6, 2016, at the venerable age of seventy-nine; and

Whereas, born in 1936 to Austin Moses Sheheen, Sr., and Lucile Roukos Sheheen, Fred graduated with honors from Duke University, graduated from the Institute for Education Management at Harvard University, and became a South Carolina institution who devoted his life to lifting up all of us. As a young journalist, he wrote stirring reports on the Civil Rights Movement, revealing stories of injustice that helped spur a nation to act. He played his own part in the long march toward justice as an aide to South Carolina Governor Donald Russell, during whose tenure our State took fitful, yet peaceful, steps toward desegregation. Fred continued his fight for justice for decades more, working to integrate our colleges and universities as commissioner for higher education from 1987 to 1997 and fighting to bring the Confederate battle flag down from the State House as a member of the executive board of UNITED 2000; and

Whereas, he continued to work for a better future for the rest of his life, teaching a course in state government at the University of South Carolina Honors College and serving as director of the Institute for Nonprofit Leadership and director of the Rural Leadership Institute at Francis Marion University. A true Renaissance man, Fred was also an avid piano player; and

Whereas, Fred's entire family has devoted itself to our State. His brother Bob Sheheen is a former Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, and his son, Vincent, serves in the South Carolina Senate and was the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2010 and 2014; and

Whereas, in terms of his own politics, there was no better grassroots activist than Fred Sheheen. This Camden native was a stalwart of the South Carolina Democratic Party Executive Committee, a human dynamo; and

Whereas, Senate Minority Leader Nikki Setzler of Lexington says of Fred Sheheen, "He was an incredible human being and a tremendous advocate for higher education in South Carolina." Bob Oldendick, director of the Institute for Public Service and Policy Research at the University of South Carolina, adds this praise: "Fred's dedication to public service was unsurpassed... [He] was dedicated to making South Carolina a better place..."; and

Whereas, the House renders grateful thanks to God that He allowed all of us to benefit as long as we did from Fred's wisdom, public service, and example; and

Whereas, he leaves to cherish his memory his beloved wife, Rose Sheheen; his son, state Senator Vincent A. Sheheen; his two daughters, Maria Sheheen Spring and Margaret Rose Sheheen Bishop; six dear grandchildren; and a host of other family members and friends. This distinguished son of South Carolina will be greatly missed by those fortunate enough to have known him. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the death of Fred R. Sheheen of Camden and extend the deepest sympathy to his family and many friends.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Mrs. Rose Sheheen for the family.