Charles "Marshall" Cain

AIKEN, SC - Mr. Charles "Marshall" Cain, 90, beloved husband of Anne Hodges Cain, passed away Monday, January 13, 2025.

Born in Richmond, Virginia, he was raised in Aiken and was a son of the late Dr. C. Howard Cain and Helen Holley Cain. He attended Aiken Elementary and Aiken High School, where he was president of the student body. He attended the University of South Carolina, undergraduate and law school, from which he graduated in 1959.

At USC, he was president of his social fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma, for three years, president of the Inter-fraternity Council, and was selected for membership in Blue Key, an honor society dedicated to service, whose members are selected on the basis of scholarship, character, personality and leadership. At law school, he was associate editor of the South Carolina Law Quarterly, a member of its National Moot Court team for two years and a member of Wig and Robe, honorary society for outstanding legal scholars.

Following graduation from law school in 1959, Mr. Cain served as legislative assistant to Sen. Strom Thurmond in Washington, D.C. where he met his future wife, Anne, who was working in the same office. They were married in 1961 and celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary last year.

Mr. Cain returned to Aiken in 1961 to practice law with the firm of Lybrand, Simons and Rich and remained with the firm until 1981 when he was appointed as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington.

Mr. Cain was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1968 and was re-elected three times. For six years, he was elected by Republicans in the House as their Minority Leader. Although serving in a leadership position in the Republican party in the House, he demonstrated an ability to work with Democrats to accomplish significant legislative accomplishments: he was the primary sponsor of legislation which created the Legislative Audit Council, an agency charged with investigating waste, fraud and abuse in State agencies; he was the only Republican to serve on a six-member House-Senate Committee to visit alcohol and drug rehabilitation homes in the United States that resulted in a complete revision of the State’s drug laws; he was the only Republican appointed to a 10-member House-Senate Committee to study recommended revisions to the 1895 State Constitution and report back to the two bodies. A strong proponent of legislation that he favored, he could also be a determined opponent of bills he opposed. On the last night of one session, he filibustered for several hours against special interest earmarks added by the Senate until the House adjourned for the year without adopting them.

As a member of the Aiken County Legislative Delegation he supported actions that created the Aiken County Council and authorized a new County Hospital.

In 1974, Mr. Cain was asked by Gov. James B. Edwards to serve as Executive Assistant to the first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He was appointed by Gov. Edwards to be his liaison to the General Assembly, to be in charge of appointments to boards and commissions, to serve as liaison to the State’s law enforcement agencies and to serve as Chairman of the Governor’s Committee on Criminal Justice, Crime and Delinquency, which administered federal funds from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. In 1976, Gov. Edwards awarded him the Order of the Palmetto, the State’s highest civilian award.

Mr. Cain practiced law in Columbia with the law firm of Richardson, Plowden, Grier and Howser from 1984 until 1988 when he was appointed as Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington. In that role, he was responsible for litigation, legislation and oversight of Regional Attorneys in regional operations of EPA. He served until 1996 when he retired to Aiken.

Mr. Cain was a loyal member of First Baptist Church of Aiken, where he served as chairman of the Deacons, Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee, member of the Sanctuary Choir and taught various Sunday School classes over the years. He was elected as a Life Deacon by the congregation of the Church in 2015. Through the years, he was also a supporter and contributed to various civic and charitable organizations. He was a past president of the Aiken Rotary Club, Chairman of Aiken Senior Life Services and former member of the South Carolina and American Bar Associations.

He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He particularly enjoyed the family’s annual beach week which grew over the years from six to 25, including all children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses and an occasional cousin, date or in-law.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Cain is survived by his daughter, Julie McGill, and her husband, Tommy of West Columbia, South Carolina, and their children, Thomas (Kylie), Kennedy (Andrew) and their son Elliot, and Leandra; his son Marshall and his wife, Starr, and their children, Thomas, Katherine and Sanders of Lexington; and sons David and his wife Sarah and children Madison, Hannah and Titus, of Columbia, and Stuart and his wife Ellen and sons Caleb, Benjamin and Gideon of Vienna, Virginia.

The family will receive friends at 10:00 AM on Friday, January 17, 2025 at Aiken's First Baptist Church, in the church parlor. The funeral will be held at 11:00 in the sanctuary with the Revs. John Carroll and Tommy McGill officiating. Following the service, a reception will be held in the church fellowship hall. Interment will be held in Millbrook Baptist Church Cemetery at 2:00 PM. Pallbearers will be his grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be the Faith Explorers Sunday School Class and Aiken Rotary Club Members.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Aiken's First Baptist Church, 120 Chesterfield St. NE, Aiken, SC 29801.

SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801.