Former Myrtle Beach city councilman, solicitor dies at 94

The Grand Strand community is mourning the death of former city councilman and solicitor Hopkins “Harry” Gardner Charles, who died Tuesday evening following a stroke he suffered several days earlier.

Charles was 94 years old.

The former Air Force JAG officer, who retired as a full colonel, came to Myrtle Beach in 1974. Charles served as solicitor for the 15th judicial circuit and 12 years as councilman and mayor pro tem on the Myrtle Beach City Council.

Charles was born in Florence on Nov. 23, 1921, and remained there until he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps one year after entering college, according to his obituary.

He met his wife, the late Jane Bentley Charles of Richmond, Va., during a break in his service while the two were attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Charles returned to serve as a JAG officer with the U.S. Air Force and the two traveled the world with their four children.

The Charles’ were leaders in the Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild and were instrumental in the development of the Burroughs and Chapin Museum, according to his obituary.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Church, 3000 North Kings Highway. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 11, at McMillan-Small Funeral Home, 910 67th Ave. N. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in the name of Harry Charles to the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum of Myrtle Beach, 100 S Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

McMillan-Small Funeral Home is handling arrangements and condolences can be left online at www.msfh.net.

This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Former Myrtle Beach city councilman, solicitor dies at 94."