Lamar’s life was one of adventure, laughter, and friendship. He was not very closely supervised as a child, which led to an assortment of stories recounted through the years, such as riding a tricycle down the middle of Main Street, drinking condensed milk from the can, and shoving his baby sister’s carriage down a steep unpaved road – with her in it.
Lamar married his bride Joan Williams Brown on January 8, 1955, after proposing to her on their second date. Since January 8 was also Joan’s birthday, it greatly reduced the likelihood of him forgetting their anniversary. Two daughters were born to them, who always knew how much their father loved them and was proud of anything they did. This trait continued later to his beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who brought great joy to his life.
Lamar graduated from Columbia High School in 1947 and under the diligent tutoring of Joan, he graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1961. Lamar served in the U.S. Air Force active duty for three years. During this time, he heard there was a war in Korea, so he managed to get assigned to scenic Germany instead. He served an additional 31 years in the Air National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, and was proud to take an Honor Flight to Washington, DC, in 2014. He also worked for the FBI and IBM. He retired from South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation, receiving the Order of the Palmetto in 1998.
Lamar, also known as Papa, Bo, and Mr. B, took pleasure in the simple things in life, including watching Judge Judy on his phone and answering Jeopardy questions while eating supper. Material possessions didn’t hold much value to him. He enjoyed sharing with those in need, which must be what made him a magnet for any random stranger who was down on their luck, with a sad story and in search of a few dollars. One thing that did hold great value to Lamar was his alma mater. His loyalty was unwavering. Through good seasons and struggling ones, Lamar always pulled fiercely for two teams: the USC Gamecocks and ABC – Anybody But Clemson.
Lamar was a loyal friend, maintaining contact through the years with a wide variety of folks, including his Columbia High graduates, Vocational Rehabilitation retirees, First Baptist Church ushers, Friday morning prayer group, and his tennis buddies. He often said he wanted to die on the tennis court. While he didn’t quite get his wish, his last outing was spent with his favorite tennis crowd.
Lamar lived out his faith in Christ by serving others. He enjoyed serving in a variety of capacities at Eau Claire Baptist Church and later at First Baptist Church, where he served as church clerk for 15 years. Most rewarding were the 35 years he spent as an usher where young visitors to his door were snuck a piece of peppermint candy in addition to their bulletin. He looked for opportunities to help fellow senior citizens with their computer problems, all the while declaring his loyalty to the ancient ProFile and ProWrite software. For years, he drove children in DSS custody all over the state for family visits, with the well-behaved ones being treated to a McDonald’s meal on their travels.
Lamar had the great gift of not taking life too seriously and brightening the lives of those he encountered. If you found yourself on Lamar’s email list, you could expect an inbox filled with humorous anecdotes and sometimes questionable content. He could be counted on to arrive at medical appointments with a Whitman’s Sampler in hand for the staff, along with a warning to EKG techs that they should not get too excited when they saw his abs. Lamar also came prepared with a litany of corny jokes; somehow, he never could forget a joke. And until he was in his 70’s, he could occasionally be found riding his bicycle – backwards.
Lamar was predeceased by his parents; his siblings, William Brown, Delores Whittington, and Geraldine Breyette. Lamar is survived by his wife, Joan Brown; his daughters, Ellen Henderson (Mike) and Barbara Wagers (Woody); grandchildren, Christina Sitter, Dr. James Sitter (Kimberly), William Wagers, Dr. Charles Wagers (Anamaria), Anna Catherine Wagers (Nick); and great-grandchildren, Liam Sitter and Emily Sitter. He is also survived by a number of beloved nieces and nephews, many of whom will remind you that Uncle Bo was their favorite.
The world has lost a good, kind man, and he will be missed greatly.
Visitation will be held from 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM at First Baptist Church, Ellis Hall, on Monday, January 8, 2024, on what would have been Joan and Lamar’s 69th wedding anniversary. A celebration of life service will follow in Boyce Chapel at 3:00 PM. In honor of Lamar’s fierce loyalty to his Gamecocks, those attending are encouraged to wear garnet and black attire. Burial will be private at a later date in Fort Jackson National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Baptist Church, 1306 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, is assisting the family.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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