R. Wayne Gilmore

Mr. R. Wayne Gilmore, age 75, of the Walterboro area, a loving husband and father, passed away  at home on April 8, 2024, in the Aiken, South Carolina.   

He was born November 1, 1948 at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California.  He graduated from Carlisle Military School, Bamberg, SC in 1967.   He joined the USAF-R at Charleston Air Force Base in Dec.1967 and served until 1974 with an Honorable Service Award.

He is survived by his wife and best friend, Cheryl “Cheri” D. Gilmore, three daughters, Kimberly G. Smith (Ryan) Clayton, NC;   Karen Nicole “Nikki” Tripp (Kerry), Ruffin, SC, and  Lindsey G Schofield (Adam), Summerville, SC;  three step-children, Amanda F Whittle (James), Aiken, SC, Chris D McGee (Keri), Aiken, SC, and Brandi M Polatty (Chad), Jefferson, GA; two grandsons,  Dalton & Garrett Hughes, Goldsboro, NC,  three granddaughters: Kennedy Burton, Mocksville, NC, Berkeley Tripp, Ruffin, SC, and Sawyer Smith, Clayton, NC, four step-grandsons,  Nathan J. Whittle (Luana), New York, NY, Aaron J Whittle (Bruna), New York, NY, Noah and Jonah Polatty, Jefferson, GA ; one step-granddaughter, Sarah   F. Whittle, New York, NY., his mother-in-law, Vera B Dukes, Aiken,SC.  He is further survived by nephew, Joshua Taylor, Walterboro, SC.  

He considered his three amazing children and five wonderful grandchildren the best contribution to the world as his legacy that he had cherished and loved very much.  

He was pre-deceased by his parents, the late Betty Jean (Ulmer-Gilmore) Donnelly, step-father the late Theodore C. “Ted” Donnelly, Ruffin, SC, and father, the late Roy W. Gilmore of Atmore, Al and by his sister the late Susan G. Gilmore-Taylor, Walterboro, SC, and a wife, Sharon L. Gilmore, and his very best friend, Landis Carter.

He attended The University of South Carolina and College of Charleston, SC with focus on a Business and Material & Logistics degree.  He was a member of the Masonic Unity Lodge # 55 in Walterboro, SC, also both the Scottish Rite 32 degree and the Shriners Club in Charleston, SC, as a lifelong member.  He assisted in the initial beginning of the Colleton County Rescue Squad as a certified EMT & belonged to the Colleton County Volunteer Fire-fighters organization and faithfully served for several years after the startup.  He was employed by J.P. Stevens/CCX, Walterboro Plant for over 23-years, while a co-owner of the Walterboro SEARS Store in the Ivanhoe Shopping Center for many years, until the family relocated out of state to pursue other ventures. He joined a Tier 1 Automotive Management Team, a manufacturing company located in Alabama and later moved to Goldsboro, NC.  After joining the DHS/TSA as a Federal Security Manager in Greenville, SC in 2002 and later moved to join the DOE/MOX Special Project at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC where he retired in 2013.  He was a member of Bethel Methodist Church in Ruffin, SC. 

Wayne Gilmore was very involved in boating, water & snow sports growing up and loved being a part of his children’s school and sports activities, when he could.  He also enjoyed outdoor adventures and traveling.  

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that, if desired, memorial contributions be directed in his memory to an organization that was very dear to Wayne Gilmore’s heart:  Shriners Hospitals for Children, Attn: Office of Development, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 (www.donate.lovetotherescue.org) .