Dan Sandel

Dan was born July 16, 1926, son of Jenkins Houck and Eunice Warren Fulmer Sandel. He graduated from Little Mountain High School at the age of 16, wrote the class poem and class song and was voted the Friendliest, Best All Round and Best Athlete by his classmates.

He earned his BS Cum Laude degree from Newberry College, Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina and did additional graduate study in mathematics at Florida State University and West Texas State University.

He was employed as the first Mathematics Supervisor for the State of South Carolina in 1960. Prior to his employment at the State Department of Education, he was a mathematics teacher and basketball coach in Greenville County, high school principal and basketball coach at Calhoun Falls High School and then principal at Denmark Olar High School in Bamberg County. He served as president of the Abbeville County Education Association, Bamberg County Education Association and the High School League. As Mathematics Supervisor, he chaired all mathematics textbook adoptions for the State during his twenty-four years employment.

Dan presented lectures for the Nation Science Foundation, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and chaired the National Council Meeting held in Charleston. He was privileged to meet astronaut Charles M. Dukes at the Charleston airport and escorted him to the National Council Meeting in Charleston, SC. He served as an adjunct professor for the University of South Carolina in their evening programs.

Dan chaired the Center for Individual Instruction for schools in NC, SC and VA. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Nation Laboratory of Higher Education. He served as a referee for funding of projects for the National Science Foundation. He served as treasurer of the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics (ASSM) for four years.

He was a member of several State and National Mathematics organizations and had articles published in State and National publications.

The South Carolina Mathematics Association and the Supervisors of Mathematics for outstanding contribution to Mathematics Education honored Dan with plaques.

Dan was an active member of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church for 29 years where he served on Church Council for several terms, on a number of committees, and implemented the first kindergarten program at the church. He was a member of the building committee and chaired the furnishing committee for the national award winning sanctuary. He was financial secretary for the church for 11 years. He chaired a call committee for a pastor and chaired the steering committee for the yearlong celebration of the founding of the church.

Dan served on the Vocations Committee and the Continuing Education Committee for the SC Synod for several years.

He was an active member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church where he served on a variety of committees and coordinated the Newberry College Crossroads campaign. He chaired a call committee for securing a pastor. He was a frequent volunteer at The Heritage at Lowman nursing center where he assisted to go shopping, to the zoo, movies, etc.

He served as President, Vice President and Secretary of the St. Thomas Lutheran Men in Mission and Secretary/Treasurer of the Heartland Conference. He wrote the Lutheran Men song that was adopted as the official song for the State organization. He was honored as the Lutheran Man of the Year of the Heartland Conference in 2004 and the SC Lutheran Man of the Year in 2011.

He chaired the committee for the yearlong celebration of the founding of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, assisted in the writing of the history of the church and wrote the lyrics for the 125th anniversary hymn.

Dan was a World War II veteran, having served in the US Navy doing rescue duty while aboard the USS Paiute 159.

He is survived by his son, Steve (Mona) Sandel; brother, Bill (Melverta) Sandel; granddaughters, Cali (Chris) Sandel, Katherine Amanda (Nick) Sandel, Cameron (Justin) Moore, McKenzie Sandel and Jessica Carder as well as many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his wife of over 60 wonderful years, Marie Sandel; beloved son, Warren (Lisa) Sandel; brother, Joe Sandel and sisters, Lee Lindler and Edith Creel.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at St. Thomas Lutheran Church with interment to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the church fellowship hall.

Memorials may be made to St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 215 St. Thomas Church Road, Chapin, SC 29036 or www.stthomaschapin.com

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.caughmanchapin.com for the Sandel family.