Coach John Franklin Thames

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Coach John Franklin Thames, 82, died Friday, November 18, 2016, at his home.

Born May 20, 1934, in Alcolu, he was a son of the late Charles Franklin Thames and Katherine Harvin Thames. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served as a tank platoon leader in 1958 and 1959 in Korea. He was a teacher and coach at Manning High School for more than 55 years, where he is best remembered as the Winningest Girls' Basketball Coach in South Carolina history.

He was inducted into the South Carolina Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Clarendon County Athletic Hall of Fame in its inaugral class in 2011. He was awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent on his 70th birthday by former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

He was a member of Manning First Baptist Church, where he taught the youth Sunday School class for many years.

Survivors include a number of cousins.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, at the John F. Thames Arena at Manning High School, with the Rev. Dr. Robert Lewis Alderman officiating. Burial will follow in Trinity Cemetery in Alcolu.

Glenn Ardis, John Lesaine, Preston Threatt, Michael Haynes, Brian Joyner, Robbie Briggs, Shayne Stephens and Todd English will serve as pallbearers.

Visitation will be an hour prior to the service at the John F. Thames Arena.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the John Franklin Thames Scholarship, presented by the Clarendon School District 2 Education Foundation, c/o Barry Ham, P.O. Drawer 520, Manning, SC 29102; or to Manning First Baptist Church, 49 W. Boyce St., Manning, SC 29102.

Stephens Funeral Home and Crematory, 304 N. Church St. in Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179.

www.stephensfuneralhome.org