Alexander McRae Stanton

FLORENCE Alexander McRae Stanton, 99, died Saturday, March 8, 2014, at his residence after an illness.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at Central United Methodist Church with entombment to follow in Mount Hope Cemetery Mausoleum. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, at Waters-Powell Funeral Home.

He was born September 16, 1914, in Dillon, SC, a son of the late Eugene Childs and Mary Belle Cottingham Stanton. He served our country for 37 years in the U.S. Army during World War II, the Korean War, and subsequently in the Army National Guard, retiring as a full colonel.

Mr. Stanton retired from Sears as a TV Department Manager in 1975.

Mr. Stanton was a member of Central United Methodist Church, where he served as head usher for 36 years. He was also a member of the Wesley Fellowship Sunday School Class and taught the class for several years. He was a member of the Optimist Club, and was a member and past treasurer of the Salem Club. He also volunteered free tax services through AARP Tax Aid for 25 years.

Mr. Stanton was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Honor for saving the life of a woman from drowning in the ocean.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 73 years, Vera Saleeby Stanton of Florence; son, Alexander McRae Stanton, Jr. (Sue) of Dana Point, CA, and their children, Amy Pelligrini (Jeff) of Yarrow Point, WA, Andrea DeSmedt of Laguna Niguel, CA, and Amanda Bowron (Sinjin) of Los Angeles, CA; son, Samuel Nicholas Stanton (Ellen) of Vienna, VA, and their children, Todd Stanton (Bronwyn) of Australia, Jason Stanton (Heather) and Abigail Larsen (CJ), both of Warrenton, VA; daughter, Melinda Stanton Saleeby (George) of Florence, SC, and their children, Odette Reifsnider (Clark) of Simpsonville, SC, and Rima Saleeby (fiance, Tsukasa Sato) of Wilmington, NC; 15 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Hazel Stanton of Virginia; brother-in-law Gene Nix of Clinton, SC; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by siblings, Eugene Childs Stanton, Jr., Thomas Woodrow Stanton, George Dewey Stanton, Cameron Sinclair Stanton, Mary Belle Stanton Nix, and Sarah Lillian Stanton Saleeby.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, House of Hope or a charity of your choice.

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