Pelion, SC (Paul Kirby) – Charles, “Mr. Charlie”, Haggard, the former mayor of Pelion, SC has passed away. His health had been failing as of late and he had not been seen around the town as much as he was in the past.
Mr. Charlie was the husband of Jean Haggard, former principal of Pelion High School. He was active in many community organizations and was known for his excellent cooking abilities. Whether behind an outdoor grill or at a stove at home, church, or anywhere else, Mr. Charlie’s country cooking was well-known as some of the best around.
There was rarely a time when Mr. Charlie didn’t have time to stop and speak with an old friend, neighbor, or even a new acquaintance. You could often find him in the aisle of Shumpert’s IGA as he shopped preparing for his next feast. You’d see him talking with someone, and he was always up to date on happenings in Pelion, the nation, or the rest of the world. He was exceptionally friendly and well versed on just about any subject brought up.
Often, Mr. Charlie offered help to people he may not have even known without asking for any recognition or praise in return. Some of these people were total strangers to him that were just down on their luck.
Mr. Charlie was the mayor of Pelion for many years. During his tenure, the Police Department was reestablished. Police Chief Chris Gardner (ret.) said after his passing that Charlie Haggard was, “The most proactive mayor for great law enforcement I’ve seen in my 40 plus years in this line of work.” He took a number of other steps that moved the small town toward the future. Even though he sometimes did things in the name of progress, he never forgot that Pelion was a small town and people liked for it to feel that way. He knew that neighbors were important, and community was more than a geographical area where you lived.
Charlie Haggard was also quite an historian of his hometown. He knew Pelion’s history well and was happy to share it with others. The loss of Mr. Charlie is a blow for the community.
We will run a full obituary including his full family, all of which he was very proud of, when that information becomes available. Please check back over the next few days for more.
