Eldred "Whitt" Winton Cline III

Eldred Winton “Whitt” Cline III, 61, of Chapin, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2026. He was born on September 25, 1965, in Columbia, South Carolina, to Eldred Winton Cline Jr. and Sandra Power Cline.

Whitt was a lifelong resident of the Dutch Fork Community and a proud graduate of Chapin High School, Class of 1984. During his time at Chapin, he was a member of the varsity football team, where he and his classmates won 38 games and lost only 7. In his junior year, the team finished as conference runner-up, and in his senior year they won the conference championship for the first time in eight years.

He continued his education at Anderson College and later earned an Arboriculture Certificate from Midlands Technical College, along with a certificate in Municipal Forestry Management from the Municipal Forestry Institute. Whitt was also a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture, a distinction that reflected his deep dedication to trees, nature, and community beautification.

On December 19, 1992, Whitt married the love of his life, Anna Cline. Together, they built a loving family and raised two children, Elizabeth and Andrew, who were the center of his world.

Whitt spent his career serving his community and leaving a lasting impact on the landscape of the Midlands. He owned Lake Murray Landscaping for ten years before beginning a 26-year career with the Town of Irmo. During his time there, he became the town’s first certified arborist and served as its first Director of Public Services. His passion for urban forestry led to the planting of more than 2,000 street trees throughout the town. He also played a key role in building four parks and landscaping two interstate interchanges, helping shape Irmo into the beautiful community it is today.

His professional achievements were widely recognized throughout his career. In 2008, the Town of Irmo received the Golden Acorn Award from Trees SC in recognition of its development of an outstanding urban forestry program under his leadership. In 2016, he was honored by Friends of School Social Work for his efforts and support during the devastating 2015 “1,000-year flood.” In 2026, he received a personal Golden Acorn Award for Distinguished Service from Trees SC, recognizing his leadership and mentorship of younger arborists.

Outside of work, Whitt had a love for the outdoors and for his community. He was an avid angler who cherished time spent fishing on Lake Murray, where he created sixty years of treasured memories. He also served his community as a South Carolina high school football official for ten years.

Whitt is survived by his mother, Sandra Power Cline; his wife, Anna Kalinowska Cline; his daughter, Elizabeth Kalina Cline; his son, Andrew Winton Cline; his dog Cypress; his brothers, Brian Power Cline (Amy) and Jason Chappell Cline; and his nieces and nephews, Tanner Moore Cline, Baylee Cline Parker (Cameron), Lilly Lauren Cline, and Chase Duval Cline. He was preceded in death by his father, Eldred Winton Cline Jr.

Whitt will be remembered for his dedication to his family, his community, and the natural beauty he worked so hard to preserve. His legacy will live on in the trees he planted, the parks he helped build, and the countless lives he touched along the way.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced at a later date.