Larry Abernathy, mayor of Clemson, dies at 64

Clemson Mayor Larry Abernathy died on Saturday afternoon.

Mayor Pro Tem Butch Trent, a close friend of Abernathy who will assume the duties of the mayor until a new mayor can be selected, said his friend's health had deteriorated in the past two years with diabetic complications and heart problems. Friends and family were hopeful Abernathy would recover. He fell in his home Monday, broke his arm and was admitted to Greenville Memorial, where he died Feb. 11.

Abernathy grew up in North Augusta. He was a son of the late Paul Hicks and Madge Aline Mitcham Abernathy. As a teen, he worked for The Star, where his dad was the press man for many years.

Still attached to the community he grew up in, Abernathy was one of the first to answer the call to return to North Augusta to help with Real Life 101, which offers practical life lessons to seniors at North Augusta High School. During the first semester of the North Augusta 2000 initiative, he came back to his high school and taught the segment of the class on local government, etc.

Mayor Abernathy served for a total of 32 years in city government for the City of Clemson - four years on council before being elected Mayor in 1984. During his tenure as mayor, both the City of Clemson and Clemson University had significant growth, yet maintained a small-town quality. As a visiting professor at Clemson and director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission for Oconee and Anderson counties, Abernathy helped create an atmosphere of cooperation between the school and the City.

Colleagues agreed Abernathy's accomplishments were many, but among other things he helped found organizations and facilities including the Littlejohn Community Center, Clemson Community Care and the Clemson Free Clinic.

As mayor, he led an ultimately successful effort to keep Walmart out of Clemson.

He was not known for political fights, but his opposition to the Confederate flag led to some drawn-out battles.

During his tenure, the Clemson Area Transit system began operation. Abernathy helped move forward the Nothin' But the Blues music event set for April.

"Larry W. Abernathy Waterfront Park," named in dedication to the City of Clemson's Mayor, began in early 1994 with public meetings and a citizen's planning committee. The eventual result was a linear park of just over 1âÑ2 mile long. A passive park, it encourages the use of the lake while extending the streetscape. The park maintains the natural character of the site. It is the natural area aspects of the park that are emphasized for public enjoyment.

Abernathy's survivors include his wife, Jo Ann Davis Abernathy; daughter, Dana Simpson and her husband, Tim, of Clemson; son, Ben Abernathy, and wife, Nicky, of Atlanta, Ga.; and grandchildren, Blake Simpson, Tyler Simpson, Chase Abernathy and Cody Abernathy. His mother-in-law is Sara Davis of North Augusta.

In addition to his parents he was predeceased by a brother, Danny Abernathy.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. on Thursday at First Baptist Church of Clemson.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC.