Ernest Joseph Nauful Jr.

COLUMBIA - Ernest J. Nauful, Jr., 78, died on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, after a short illness. Born in Columbia, S.C. on September 28, 1949, he was the son of the late Ernest J. Nauful, Sr. and Elizabeth Gloria Joseph. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Bradley Nauful, who was the love of his life and his best friend for over fifty years. Mr. Nauful was a lifelong resident of Columbia, where prior to his retirement he practiced law for forty-two years. He was also a veteran proudly serving in the United States Air Force Reserves.

He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina, having earned an undergraduate degree in business management in 1965 and a J.D. degree in 1968. He was a pre-eminent attorney known statewide for his trial skills and expertise in healthcare law, medical malpractice and occupational diseases. He was admitted to the South Carolina Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Claims, and the United States Supreme Court. He co-authored "Hospital Consent Manual and Legal Reference Guide", South Carolina Bar's Jurisprudence "Hospital Law", and a national publication in the Journal of the Federation of Insurance Counsel on "Peer Review". He was instrumental in drafting the laws in South Carolina related to Emergency Medical Services and served on the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, including a term as chairman, for eighteen years.

While in undergraduate school, he served as Charter President of the Carolina Chapter of the American Management Association. He was a member of the Richland County Bar Association, South Carolina Bar, where he served as a member of the House of Delegates, Federation of Defense Counsel, American Society of Law and Medicine, South Carolina Society of Hospital Attorneys, South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, where he served as a member of the Board, Secretary/Treasurer and President. He was a charter member of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

An active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for most of his life, he served as Chairman of the Planning Committee, Building Committee, Finance Council and Special Advisor to the Pastor. He also chaired or co-chaired three capital campaigns for the church and school. He was proud of his service as both a Lector and Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister, but especially those occasions on which he could still serve as an altar server, even after reaching his seventies.

Throughout his life he was known to a few for his extraordinary generosity to those in need, especially family and close friends. A rabid Gamecock fan, he was a member of the Gamecock Club for over 50 years and particularly enjoyed Carolina football and baseball. His family and close friends will miss his superb culinary skills. During his lifetime he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and hunting. He was a skilled handyman and could repair almost anything.

Although he was grateful for his many professional accomplishments, he was likely the proudest in 1982, when the esteem to which he was held by the medical community he served as an attorney, was recognized with an honorary life membership in the Lexington Medical Association. He was a recipient of the Pinnacle Award from The Palmetto Hospital Trust, PHT Services, LTD, and Palmetto Health Liability Program for his contributions to the three organizations.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two brothers and four sisters, Eli Nauful (Betty) of Columbia, Rose Mary Nauful of Greenville, Lillie Morris (Pat) of Manor, Ga., George Nauful (Lisa) of Los Angeles, Ca., Victoria Sanders and Catherine Nauful, both of Augusta, Ga. He had numerous nieces and nephews, as well as great-nieces and great-nephews.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all services will be private. The family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church; Lutheran Homes Foundation; or the USC College of Nursing Scholarship Fund.

Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful. It is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. Love never ends… Faith, hope, love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love.”

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.