Hampton Sox Caughman

LEXINGTON – Funeral services for Hampton Sox Caughman, 92, of Lexington, SC will be held at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at Saint David Lutheran Church with interment to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday, June 3, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. David Lutheran Church Building Fund, 132 St. David’s Church Rd., West Columbia, SC 29170 or to “Take One Make One” c/o SCDNR, P.O. Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202 with funds designated to Thomas Caughman Memorial.

Hampton passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2019. He was born on January 10, 1927 to the late Willie Morgan and Mary Catherine Sox Caughman. In addition to his parents, Hampton was also preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Betty Dye Caughman; sisters, Evelyn Segelken, Zela Boozer, Sue Shull, Henry Etta Frye, Virginia Shull and brothers, Henry Morgan Caughman, Elford Caughman, Raymond Caughman and Kenneth Caughman. He was also predeceased by his beloved grandson, Army Specialist Thomas Day Caughman.

Hampton is survived by his son, Hampton S. Caughman, Jr. and his wife, Jane Day Caughman and their daughter, Lisa Caughman. He is also survived by his daughter, Carol Caughman and her son, Connor Caughman Hild.

Hampton was a WWII Army Veteran who served in China from 1945-1946. In 1949 he began a 32-year career in the retail grocery business as a partner in Frye & Caughman Grocery in West Columbia. He opened the first supermarket in Lexington in 1964, Hamp’s Red and White. Hampton was one of the organizers of the Food Retailer Association of South Carolina, serving as its President from 1958-1959 and was South Carolinas Grocer of the Year in 1974. In 1961, Governor Fritz Hollings appointed Hampton to the South Carolina Dairy Commission and in 1975, when he tried to resign, the Governor appointed him Chairman and he served in that capacity until 1981.

Hampton was one of the organizers of the Lexington Rotary Club, served as its first President, was Rotarian of the Year in 1971, and named as a Paul Harris Fellow in 1990. He served as the Chairman of the Rotary Club Horse Show for 30 years was recently honored for his 50 years of service to that club.

He and his twin brother, Raymond’s, hobby was riding and showing Tennessee Walking Horses. Every morning at 5:00 a.m. they would get up to ride, feed and water their horses. Hampton was a member of and President of both the South Carolina Walking Horse Association and the South Carolina Horse Show Association, and was named Horseman of the Year in 1977.

Upon closing Hamp’s Red & White, he and his wife, Betty, opened Caughman’s Catering and were well known for their country style steak and gravy and delicious banana pudding. Later Hampton earned his real estate agent license and worked with McGee Realtors until he retired in 2012. Hampton was very active in the Boy Scouts of America and was given the Silver Beaver Award for Distinguished Service to Boyhood in 1974. Hampton was twice awarded the “Key to the City” by the Town of Lexington and “The Order of the Silver Crescent” by Governor Nikki Haley in 2015.

Hampton was a very active member of St. David Lutheran Church for 92 years. He was Chairman of the Property Committee for 60 years, sang in the choir and was very active with the St. David Lutheran Men.

Hampton was a very loving, caring husband, grandfather, father, brother and friend who will be remembered for always putting the concern of others before him. He will be greatly missed by many people.