Charles Nelson Plowden Jr.

COLUMBIA - A memorial service for Charles Nelson “Boots” Plowden, Jr., 85, will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. A reception will immediately follow in Thompson Hall. A burial service for family will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery in Summerton. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

Honorary pallbearers are current and former partners of Richardson Plowden & Robinson P.A.

Mr. Plowden passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2019. A native of Summerton, SC. and resident of Columbia, he was born on November 27, 1933, and was the son of the late Norvelle Brailsford Plowden and Charles Nelson Plowden. He was predeceased by brothers Lucien Brailsford Plowden and Alfred Judson Plowden.

Mr. Plowden attended the public schools of Summerton, Darlington School (Rome, Ga.), and The Citadel and graduated from the University of South Carolina with BS and LLB (JD) degrees. He lettered in tennis at Darlington, The Citadel, and USC and was a member of The Citadel’s Block C Club and Varsity Club, as well as USC’s Association of Letterman. At USC he was a member of Beaux Arts and Kappa Alpha Order, as well as a Squadron Commander in the AFROTC. Mr. Plowden was a member of the Alumni Associations of USC and The Citadel.

After graduating from USC, Mr. Plowden served almost four years on active duty in the United States Air Force, first as Assistant Judge Advocate and as acting Staff Judge Advocate of the 7305th Air Base Group in France. While there he attained the rank of Captain and received an Outstanding Merit Award for his organization’s actions in the “Congo Crisis” and the National Defense Medal. Mr. Plowden served in the Air Force Reserve for twenty-one years, being placed in the retired reserves as a Major.

Upon his return to South Carolina after active duty, Mr. Plowden practiced law with Nelson Mullins Grier & Scarborough for eleven years, during which time he became a partner. Thereafter, he co-founded the Columbia law firm which bears his name and from which he retired after thirty-seven years of practice. He served his firm as partner, member of its executive committee, and managing partner.

A gifted trial lawyer, Mr. Plowden tried civil jury cases in Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Saluda, Newberry, Orangeburg, and Aiken counties, as well as arguing several cases before the South Carolina Supreme Court. A member of the Young Lawyers division of the American Bar Association, he was also circuit Vice President of the Bar Association, a delegate to the House of Delegates of the SC State Bar, and a SC State Bar Delegate to the American Bar Association.

As a member of the Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Mr. Plowden received from Martindale-Hubbell the highest rating for competency and integrity. He was especially proud of his firm’s young law clerks who became outstanding lawyers, those who practiced in different parts of the state, and those who became circuit judges.

A devoted student of history, Mr. Plowden was on the governing boards of the Society of the Cincinnati of SC, the Society of the High Hills of the Santee, and the SC Historical Society, as well as being a member of the SC French Huguenot Society.

Mr. Plowden was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. He also served as a director and CEO of the Bank of Summerton and was on the governing board of the Jaycees. In addition, he was president of the Caprician Club, the Dance Club, the Summit Club, and Forest Lake Club, as well as a member of Pine Tree Hunt Club.

During retirement, Mr. Plowden engaged in extensive reading of history and especially loved sharing family stories and studying genealogy. He additionally found time to hunt, fish, golf, and enjoy his family, all of whom he loved dearly.

Mr. Plowden is survived by his beloved wife of more than 62 years, Grace (Tee) Zimmerman; his sister, Norvelle Plowden Walker; sons, Charles Nelson, III, (Leslie), Russell Zimmerman (Sally) and William Moultrie; five grandchildren, Charles Nelson, IV, Sarah Caroline, Grace Zimmerman, Anne Brailsford, and David Moultrie; and nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Society of the Cincinnati of South Carolina, P.O. Box 1041, Charleston, SC 29402 or St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 6205 Camp Mac Boykin Rd., Pinewood, SC 29125-9239.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.