Alfred Lewis McCarty

LEXINGTON - Alfred Lewis McCarty, 76, of Lexington, SC was born October 21, 1941 in Columbia, SC to the late, Roy Morse McCarty and Mary Rushton McCarty and passed away Friday, January 19, 2018. He was a member of Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church.

In 1964 Sheriff McCarty started his law enforcement career as a patrolman with the West Columbia Police Department and remained with the West Columbia Police Department until he was appointed assistant sheriff at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department in 1972. He was second in command at the department until his retirement in 1999. Sheriff McCarty served as Lexington County’s 38th sheriff from June 2014 until Jay Koon took office in April 2015.

During his first tenure at the Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff McCarty served as a father figure to many deputies as well as a strong administrator. Sheriff McCarty took time away from his family to help deputies and citizens with their personal problems and challenges. Sheriff McCarty supervised homicide investigations and assisted young officers in developing their personal budgets. Sheriff McCarty dedicated himself to the best interest of the Sheriff’s Department, the agency’s employees and the citizens whom the Sheriff’s Department protects and serves.

Sheriff McCarty received many law enforcement honors, including the Order of Palmetto from Governor Nicky Haley, Strom Thurmond Award of Excellence for Law Enforcement, the Thomas J. Fox Award of Excellence in Law Enforcement and the High Shooter Award from the South Carolina National Guard. Sheriff McCarty also was elected by his colleagues to serve as District Chairman of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association and President of the South Carolina Police Combat League. Sheriff McCarty graduated from the FBI National Academy and played an instrumental role in implementing new technology and tools to solve criminal cases in South Carolina, including the use of behavioral science to profile and identify a serial murderer who later was convicted and executed for his crimes.

Sheriff McCarty was a 1961 graduate of Bookland-Cayce High School and a 1964 Graduate of Palmer College where he received an associate’s degree in marketing. Sheriff McCarty was a lifelong resident of Lexington County. Sheriff McCarty practiced the Golden Rule on a daily basis, treating people fairly and treating people as he wanted to be treated.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Gayle Hunt McCarty of Lexington; daughter, Frances Johnson Gable, and her husband Richard B. Gable; son Robert S. Johnson, Jr. his wife, Charley Simpson Johnson; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Frances Gable, Caroline Inez Gable, Stella Grace Johnson and Lewis McCarty Johnson “Mac”.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 21, 2018 at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church. Viewing of the body will be prior to the service at the church.

Honorary pallbearers will be all Lexington County Sheriff’s office employees and all other Law Enforcement Officers. Pallbearers will be, Ernest Wyndham, Dr. Beau Thompson, Ben Thomas, David Riser, Ben Riser, Tommy Hunt, Alvin Wright, Bill Scott, Alan Brock and Pete Olmstead. Memorials may be made to Lexington Sheriff’s Fondation for Lewis McCarty Firing Range or South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, Officer Down Fund. Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

www.caughmanharmanfuneralhome.net