Fred Golden Jr.

SENECA -- After an extended illness, Fred Golden Jr., 84, of Seneca, departed this life at the Cottingham House in Seneca.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, at St. Mark United Methodist Church, Seneca, with the Rev. W.C. Honeycutt officiating.

The family will greet friends at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Seneca. Memorial services will be conducted by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Burial will take place on Monday, Jan. 16, in Belleville Memorial Gardens, Orangeburg, with full military honors.

Fred Golden, Jr was born on Aug. 10, 1938, in Rockaway Beach, New York, to the late Fred Golden Sr. and Tara Hart Golden. He spent his childhood years in St. Matthews, graduating from John Ford High School where he starred in multiple sports before entering Claflin College on a football scholarship. After graduating from Claflin in 1961, with a Bachelor of  Science in general science and a minor in mathematics, Fred began his lifelong passion to become a teacher and coach.

He first taught in Aiken County, where he met the love of his life, Rose Marie Brown. He would later teach in Abbeville County, before moving to Blue Ridge High School in Seneca, where he also began his coaching career. In addition to teaching math and science, Fred coached football, track and field, and women's basketball. His athletic teams at Blue Ridge excelled and his women's basketball team won numerous conference championships.

After settling in Seneca, Fred joined Ebenezer Baptist Church, and was a faithful member for almost 60 years. At Ebenezer, he served as a trustee, church treasurer, and was a member of the Men's Choir and Baptist Men's Club.

In 1969, Fred transferred to Seneca High School as a math and science instructor, assistant football coach and head men's track coach. At Seneca High, he coached several future professional athletes and established one of the premier high school track and field programs in the state of South Carolina. His track teams won five conference titles and finished four times as the state runner-up. In 1978, he was voted S.C. State Track Coach of the Year and received honorable mention as National High School Coach of the Year. In 2010, he was elected to the second inaugural class of the Seneca High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 1983, he was promoted to assistant principal at Seneca High School. He continued coaching track until 1985, before devoting his full attention to administrative duties. He retired from Oconee County School District in 1995 with over 34 years of service as an educator. Coach Golden is a recognized name in Oconee County, positively impacting the lives of hundreds of youths and continuing his community service after retirement from the school system.

Fred was a senior life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, served as one of the chapter's early polemarchs and was an active member of the Greenville chapter for over 50 years. He was a member of the Seneca Jaycees, president of the Seneca Kiwanis Club, second vice president of the Oconee United Way, Oconee County NAACP treasurer, board member of Oconee Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Oconee Foster Care Review Board. Fred was also a founding member of Club Elegant Social Club in Seneca.

In addition to a bachelor's degree from Claflin University, Coach Golden also holds a Master's in Education from South Carolina State University and completed coursework in educational administration at Clemson University.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Rose Marie Brown Golden; three sisters, Betty Morgan, Maydell Brown and Sheila King; and two brothers, Louie and Richard Golden. He leaves his cherished memory to his children, Wayne Jones of Bronx, New York, Northan Golden (Audrey) of Orangeburg, Tera Kennedy of Greenville, Trixie Summerville of the home and Tracey Golden (Masako) of Dumfries, Virginia; brother-in-law, Norman F. Brown (Ruby) of Sumter; two sisters-in-law, Lois King of Orangeburg and Betty Golden of Taylors; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, please send financial support to Claflin University Fred Golden Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund, 400 Magnolia Ave., Orangeburg, SC 29115, or to Ebenezer Baptist Church of Seneca.

Friends may call at the residence. Arrangements have been entrusted to Adams Mortuary of Seneca.