Charles T. Gatch

Funeral service for Tommy Gatch, 79, will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 1, 2016 at Bethel Baptist Church in Prosperity, with burial at 3:00 p.m. in Ebenezer Cemetery, Yemassee. The family will receive friends Friday, September 30, 2016 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, Irmo. Mr. Gatch passed away Tuesday, September 27, 2016. Born in Ridgeland, SC, he was the only child of the late Raymond Frederick Gatch and Thelma Hunt Gatch. Tommy was the husband of 53 years to the late Harriet Louise Price Gatch. He was a devoted and active member of Bethel Baptist Church and served as a former Deacon. Mr. Gatch began his career with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health as Farm Supervisor. While working full time and raising a family, he attended and graduated from USC with both his BS and Masters Degrees. He continued working his way up for the next 30 years, at the SCDMH and retired as Deputy Commissioner in 1989. In 1994, he returned to work at Baptist Hospital and established the Corporate Audit and Compliance Department where he retired in 2001. He served on numerous hospital boards and as Trustee of the Palmetto Health Alliance Baptist Board where he remained a member until the time of his death. Mr. Gatch was a dedicated volunteer for Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital and Palmetto Health Parkridge having over 8,000 hours of volunteer time. He felt this service was extremely important and he not only enjoyed his time spent at the hospitals, but he looked forward to them. Mr. Gatch unselfishly gave of his time to help those in need of anything. He loved woodworking and fishing, but most importantly, he loved the Lord and his family. Surviving are son, Charles T. (Sheila) Gatch, Jr. of Lexington; daughter, Harriet Amanda “Mandy” (Thomas) Rister of Lexington; granddaughter, Deana Gatch Lyons (Rhyman) of Lexington; grandson, Andrew Thomas “Drew” Gatch of Charleston; great-granddaughters, Annabella Grace “Bella” Cockrum, Madyson Taylor “Mady” Dixon, and Charlotte Louise “Charlee” Lyons. He was predeceased by a son, Raymond Gatch. Memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Foundation – Baptist Hospital Fund, Wells Fargo Processing Center, PO Box 602575, Charlotte, NC, 28260-2575. The family extends their sincere appreciation to the staff of Colonial Gardens, W. Cola and the Dr.’s, nurses, and staff at Palmetto Health Parkridge. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.