Reverend Fred Ashmore Walters

The Reverend Fred Ashmore Walters, died unexpectedly on July 20, 2023, at the age of 72 on the river in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, enjoying God’s creation while fishing. He was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, attorney and a Deacon.

Fred is survived by his wife, Connie Allen Brownlee Walters, his daughter, Townes Walters Denemark (Stephen) and his grandchildren, Landon Ashmore and Reid Brownlee Denemark. Siblings, Frances Anne Hitt (Tom), James David Walters, Jr. (Carol), his twin, John William Walters, and Jane Elizabeth “Chip” Walters.

Born April 1, 1951, in Greenville County to James David and Mary Frances Ashmore Walters he was a graduate of Wade Hampton High School. In 1975, he earned a degree in Business Management from the University of South Carolina and a JD from the University School of Law in 1979. He was also a graduate of the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

His legal career began in 1979 at Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1982, he returned to South Carolina as General Counsel. During his tenure with BellSouth, Fred and Connie had the opportunity to move to Sydney, Australia when Fred was named Managing Director and General Counsel, BellSouth Asia/Pacific Pty., Ltd. In 1994, Fred was again promoted and returned to Atlanta as the Chief Trial Counsel, BellSouth Corporation. He held this position until his corporate retirement in 2000. Fred became a Partner at Lewis, Babcock & Hawkins in 2000 until 2004 then transitioned to a sole practitioner until 2012.

On January 31, 2009, after graduating the School of Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina, he began his third career, one devoted to service, when he was Ordained into the Sacred Order of Deacons. Fred served the parishioners of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Cayce; Saint Martin’s in the Fields Episcopal Church, Forest Acres; The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Columbia; and Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church, Pawleys Island.

Fred was a Founding member of the Capital Rotary Club, a former Board Chair of Sexual Trauma Services, a member of the local Board of Advisors at First Union National Bank and Divisional Chair of the United Way of the Midlands.

All his accomplishments are secondary to the man that he was and how much he will be missed by so many. He was a gifted orator and conducted many Homilies over the course of his tenure as a Deacon. In a recent Homily he said “Jesus died for us so we may live and that through his resurrection we know for certain that death no longer has dominion over us, death is not the final word, death is not an end to our existence. Rather, death is but a doorway to sharing in God’s eternal glory, whereas we are reminded in Holy scripture, we will be filled with a joy that is beyond human comprehension. A joy that fills our very soul.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Church of the Good Shepherd, 1512 Blanding Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201; Trinity Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201; or Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church, 113 Baskervill Drive, Pawleys Island, South Carolina 29585.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 28, 2023 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. A reception will follow the service in Satterlee Hall. Burial will be private. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com