Hammond A. Beale Jr.

COLUMBIA - Hammond A. Beale, Jr. died Monday, November 21, 2022. Born in New York City in May 6, 1942, he was the son of the late Ruth Bryan Beale Scarborough and the late Hammond A. Beale, Sr. Because his late father was employed by E.I. DuPont & Co, he lived all over the US, living in 20 states the first eighteen years of his life. In 1960, he graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence, SC. In 1964, he graduated from The University of South Carolina where he was president of Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity. He earned his doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1967. He served in the U.S. Army from 1967 until 1971 where he was a CPT in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He distinguished himself as a military judge. Upon his release from active duty, he retired to Columbia, SC and was employed at the Veterans Administration as a Claims Adjustor for several years. He then went into the private practice of law. He was an experienced litigator who tried military and civilian cases. He founded Palmetto Law Center, P.C. He was an active member of the Richland County Bar, the SC Bar Association, the SC Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Trial Lawyers, and the SC Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. He was admitted to practice law and went before the SC Supreme Court, the US District Court for the District of South Carolina, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court. He was also admitted to practice before the US Court of Military Appeals. He was one of the original members of the South Carolina Bar Committee for the “Lawyers Helping Lawyers.” He and Nancy are longtime members of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he honorably served on the vestry.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy Farmer Beale; stepson, Christopher James Huffman; his son, Allen Leighton Beale; his daughter and son-in-law, AnnGelle Godwin-Beale Nyatuka and Geoffrey Nyatuka; his grandson, Holden McCravy Beale; and his granddaughter, Caroline Anne Nyatuka.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 27, 2022 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 2827 Wheat St, Columbia. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 6:30 p.m. Saturday, November 26, 2022, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Guests are encouraged to honor Hammond by dressing for the funeral as colorfully as he loved to do.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.