Barron receives South Carolina’s highest award
October 23, 2019
By Alex Junes-Ward
Former Richland County Coroner Frank E. Barron, III, was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest honor, by Gov. Henry McMaster during ceremonies at the Governor’s office, Wed, Oct. 23.
“Frank has dedicated his life to leadership,” said U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson in a letter endorsing Barron’s nomination last month. “He has displayed outstanding commitment and dedication in many endeavors to improve the quality of life and in many cases to save lives of South Carolinians.”
Barron served as coroner of Richland County for 22 years, during which time he was seven-times elected pres. of the S.C. Coroners Association. According to an article in The Standard newspaper, it was through the Coroners Association that “[Barron] used his expertise to work with the legislature in enacting stronger DUI laws, child restraint and seatbelt laws.”
Barron co-founded South Carolina Citizens for Life. He helped establish the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. He served on the Governor’s Committee on Criminal Justice, Crime and Delinquency, and he served in that capacity under several governors. He also served on the board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
In the spring of 2019, Barron, 75, became the oldest person to graduate from The Citadel following a 50-year hiatus from the storied Military College of South Carolina. The short of it is Frank was a cadet in the Class of 1966 – a biology major – but he wanted to marry his high school sweetheart. The Citadel required that cadets be unmarried. So Barron left before graduating.
In 2017, Barron enrolled in an online degree program at The Citadel. He completed the coursework for his remaining credit hours through the program. He earned a degree in Criminal Justice, and he is now credited with being a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1966, but with an official graduation year of 2019.
“Extraordinary, but not surprising,” says Barron’s longtime friend W. Thomas Smith Jr., a former U.S. Marine infantry leader who himself received the Order of the Palmetto earlier this year. “Frank is one of the most-persistent, most-resolutely driven human beings I’ve ever known.”
Barron says, “I can’t take all the credit. I’ve always been surrounded by a lot of good people helping me along the way.”
Endorsers and nominators for Barron’s Order of the Palmetto include Congressman Wilson, real-estate investor Charles Brooks, State Rep. Kirkman Finlay, and Dr. Joel Sexton, a forensic pathologist.
– The Order of the Palmetto was created in 1971 by Governor John C. West who wanted to recognize recipients for their notably distinguished lifetime of service and achievements of national or statewide significance.
