Malcolm Erwin Obituary

Malcolm McMurtry "Mack" Erwin, Jr. CHARLESTON - On the evening of Saturday, February 18, 2012, Malcolm McMurtry "Mack" Erwin, Jr., husband of Martha Walker Erwin, entered into eternal rest. He was a resident of Charleston for over 50 years. The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm M. Erwin are invited to attend the funeral services of the former on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at The Second Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in the Churchyard. The family will receive friends at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL, Wednesday, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Mack was born on December 12, 1926 in Honea Path, SC, the son of Inez Tice Erwin and Malcolm McMurtry Erwin. He grew up in Greenville, SC, where he began a lifelong love affair with sports, playing Little League Baseball with batting tutelage from Shoeless Joe Jackson. While attending Greenville High School, he was selected for the SC Shrine Bowl his senior year as well as for both the All State and All Southern football teams. After graduating from Greenville High, he attended the University of South Carolina where he played football and was selected as fullback for the SC All State Team. He left USC to serve his country in the US Navy during World War II aboard the USS Tangier in the South Pacific. Upon his return, he entered Davidson College, a legacy of his father, lettering in baseball and football. As a Davidson football player, it was said that he was "a great competitor. When the going is the roughest and the hole is the smallest, he seems the hardest to stop." Off of the athletic fields, he was a member of ODK, Who's Who, and SAE. He graduated from Davidson in 1950 with a BS in Business. Mack was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Davidson College in 1996 for his performance and record as fullback for their football team. After college, Mack went on to have a stunning career as head baseball and assistant football and basketball coach at Johns Hopkins University, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Furman University and the Citadel. He won conference championships at every school he coached. Mack was inducted into the Citadel Honorary Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. His 1960 championship team won the first conference championship in the history of the school, without any baseball scholarships, and was ranked 17th nationally. Mack had the highest ever winning percentage for a Citadel coach, and his 1960 team was the first to represent the school in the NCAA district playoffs. After Mack retired from coaching, he had a successful 30 year career at First Federal Savings and Loan of Charleston, from 1961-1991, where he held the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing. During that time he earned his MBA from Indiana University. Mack was a Southern Conference Football Official for over 25 years, officiating the 1985 Gator Bowl and the 1977 Peach Bowl. Mack held a deep love of his Saviour and his church. In his 50 years as a member of Second Presbyterian Church, he served as a deacon, elder, and president of the Men's Bible class, and sang in the choir. He was a life member of the Sertoma Club of Charleston and the James Island Yacht Club. He also volunteered as a Little League Baseball coach for the James Island YMCA. Mack is survived by his wife of 57 years, Martha Walker Erwin; his three children, Malcolm McMurtry Erwin, III of Six Mile, SC, Margaret (Happy) Erwin Byrd and her husband William Ashley Byrd of Charleston, SC, and Joy Erwin Coe and her husband Andrew Garcia Coe of South Boston, VA; and his seven grandchildren, Malcolm Benjamin Byrd, Michael William Byrd, Margaret McMurtry Coe, Joshua Baldwin Coe, Sarah Anne Aderholdt Coe, Mary Garcia Coe and Elizabeth Grace Coe. He is also survived by his brother, William David Erwin of Greenville, SC, and his aunt, Jean Wilson Parker of Atlanta, GA. The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the numerous caregivers from Bishop Gadsden and Odyssey Hospice for the loving care extended to Mack and his family. Memorials may be made to the Mack Erwin Baseball Scholarship, The Citadel, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409, or a charity of choice. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/ deaths