Paul Goldsmith Obituary

Paul Stephens Goldsmith of Greenville, South Carolina, died after a brief illness on January 31. 2025. He was 91 years old.

Paul was born on August 16, 1933 to William Goldsmith and Sarah Stephens Goldsmith in Greenville, South Carolina.

Paul's tremendous drive to work and be productive started early. He was a paperboy, delivering the Greenville News-Piedmont faithfully, no matter the weather. This allowed him to earn enough money to purchase the mortgage of a house on his paper route. This was his first income-producing property. Paul was always pleased with the fact that the family living in the house had no idea their paperboy was also their landlord.

At Greenville Senior High, he ran track, played football and basketball. He credited his days learning from Coach Slick Moore as some of the most important lessons of his life.

The friendships Paul made at Greenville High were lifelong. This group of friends still get together almost weekly.

At the University of South Carolina he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity and a forward on the USC Men's Basketball team, where he played in the very first ACC Tournament. After graduation in 1956, Paul joined the US Air Force as a navigator. He enjoyed being stationed in Harlingen, TX and Okinawa, Japan. Many of his Air Force stories aren't fit for mixed company. Suffice it to say he served his country with honor and an occasional hangover.

Paul returned to Greenville and joined the family business WM. Goldsmith Inc. and became a certified MAI Commercial Appraiser. Eventually he became president of the business and steered it successfully through multiple boom and bust years.

He met the love of his life, Nancy Coffey Goldsmith, on a blind date. Their life together was a true love story. They loved to read, to travel, to hold hands. They always wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves. They were happily married over 60 years.

Paul believed in service for the good of others. He spent seventeen years serving his beloved University of South Carolina on the Board of Trustees (1973-1990; Chairman 1985;1986;1989) and the USC Development Foundation Board (1991-2022; Chairman 1991). He and Nancy provided full scholarships to athletic and academic programs, as well as The Medical University of South Carolina here in Greenville. He was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for Distinguished Service to the university. He never forgot his years of playing basketball and camping trips at the YMCA, and served on the board and at the foundation for the Y for many years. He served his church, First Baptist Greenville, in just about every capacity possible, from Deacon Chair, to Finance Committee Chair, to Building and Grounds Committee, Personnel Committee, Foundation Trustee, to the person who sets up coffee for his Sunday School class.

Paul was a man who loved his family, his friends, his church, USC, any sport involving a ball and a score, Lake Summit, dogs, compound interest, and ice cream.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Coffey Goldsmith; his daughters, Sarah Stephens Goldsmith and Susan Williams Rabon (Neil Rabon); his grandchildren, Spencer Rabon (Jess Rabon), Pierce Rabon (Sophie Wolman), Austin Rabon, Smith Williams (Kylie Conlon) and Jefferson Williams. He leaves behind his great-grandchildren, Sawyer Rabon and Cooper Rabon. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Crayton Murdaugh (Vick Murdaugh), and many other loving cousins, family members, and friends who are grateful Paul had a life well-lived and well-loved.

Memorials are invited to be directed to The Foundation at First Baptist Greenville, The Greenville YMCA Endowment Fund or the Nancy and Paul Goldsmith Scholarship Fund through the University of South Carolina Educational Foundation.

A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Greenville at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 followed by a Celebration of Life at the Poinsett Club from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Favorite memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.