Edwin Allen Hancock Sr.

COLUMBIA - Edwin Allen Hancock, Sr., 75, of Columbia passed away on November 3, 2017. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at Arsenal Hill Presbyterian Church where Ed and Kaki began their 52 year marriage. Officiants are Reverend George Crow of Northeast Presbyterian Church and Reverend Rhett Sanders of Blythewood Presbyterian Church. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery. There will be a celebration of Ed’s life at Spring Valley Country Club at 1:00 p.m. Due to limited seating and parking at the church, the family encourages those who want to share their condolences to join them at Spring Valley Country Club. Ed was born on October 25, 1942 in Columbia to Bruce Blackburn and Margaret McCall Hancock. After graduating from Dreher High School, Ed attended the University of South Carolina where he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. During his college years, he joined John Kennedy’s Peace Corps as the second group in the newly created program. He served 2 ½ years as the country’s volunteer co-ordinator in Colombia, South America. Upon returning to USC, he graduated, married his USC cheerleader, and they have remained ardent Gamecock fans. Then he entered the architectural field. In 1985 Ed with his partners have established the Jenkins, Hancock, Sides architectural firm. Gifted with natural artistic abilities, Ed created countless drawings reflecting his designs and the designs of others who had the joy and privilege of collaborating with him. Most notably, Ed participated in the planning and design of athletic projects to support the University of South Carolina including the Colonial Life Arena and the Athletics Village. Ed was also responsible for the planning of numerous large-scale resort projects along the coasts of the Carolinas and Florida. Sports were always a love for Ed and his wife Kaki. Following this passion, they established the first select national traveling softball team in the state. For 20 years their mission was to provide the opportunity for young women to obtain college scholarships. During these busy years, they opened their homes to foreign exchange students who became cherished members of the family and Ed served on the Board of Directors of the Columbia YMCA and Oliver’s Gospel Mission. Within this full life, Ed’s greatest joy was being a loving Dad to his 3 children and a cherished “Pop” to his 5 grandchildren. With them he was patient, kind and giving of his time and attention, as he was with everyone. This intense love of family grew out of his enduring love of his wife Kaki. Her happiness was always uppermost in his life. Her love and admiration for him can be summed up in the words, “To know him was to love him.” In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son, John Kevin Hancock. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Kaki; his son, Edwin Allen Hancock, Jr. and daughter, Lindsey Hancock Russell; his daughter-in-law, Gina Hancock; his 5 grandchildren, Edwin Allen, III, Collen Grace, Grey Freeman Russell, Andrew Bryce and Ellis Rachel Hancock; brothers John (Bonnie) and Bobby Hancock (Elizabeth). In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or a charity of your choice. Dunbar Funeral Home, Northeast Chapel, is assisting the family. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.