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That he died Thursday a century old, just six months out of Congress, has made him the talk of the nation. A one-time South Carolina governor and the state's senator for nearly 50 years, he's the talk of the town in Colum-bia, too.
In Beaufort County, it seems everyone has a story to tell about Strom Thurmond.
For Edna Crews, deputy superintendent of the county school district, that memory starts in the '60s, at the Hampton County Watermelon Festival. Visiting her stepfather, a watermelon farmer, while home from college for the summer, Crews ended up chauffeuring Thurmond and fellow Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings in the festival parade.
"They were looking for drivers in convertibles, and I happened to have a convertible," she said. Later, as a curriculum director working at the State Department of Education, Crews would meet Thurmond often at education events.
"He was such a powerful icon, but even when he was aging and becoming more fragile, you still knew that there was a strong personality back there," she said.
That personality impacted County Council Chairman Weston Newton at an early age. An intern for the senator in the mid-'80s, Newton recalled a Thurmond, in his 80s, with an amazing drive.
"His stamina at the time could outpace mine, and I was a sophomore in college," he said.
Thurmond's stamina carried him through more than six decades of public service, including eight six-year terms in the U.S. Senate, four years as South Carolina's governor and six years as a state senator. In 1948, he ran for president as a Dixiecrat, on a segregationist ticket, losing to Democratic candidate Harry S. Truman.
Although he later chang-ed his stance on segregation, Thurmond was thrust into the spotlight last year when Sen. Trent Lott made what were construed as racist remarks at Thurmond's 100th birthday party. That didn't taint Beaufort City Councilwoman Donnie Beer's view of Thurmond.
"People may not have liked his politics at one time, in the not too distant past, but he stood up for what he believed in and when he was wrong, he changed his mind," Beer said.
Even Leroy Sneed, a 72-year-old black man who stepped down from the Jasper County Council in December after serving 12 years, said he realized Thurmond changed his colors after the 1948 presidential race.
"It takes time to change ways, and I'm not saying this on a basis that he's white," said Sneed. "I'm saying that the time was so much different back then. The white people had to be in power more than black. But he has changed some of the things about him. He's helped South Carolina a lot."
Edie Rodgers Martin, a former Republican House member from District 124 and former member of Beaufort City Council, remembers Thurmond's attention to the small things. A former owner of the Secession House, Martin remembers when Thurmond inscribed his name during a reception following the 1993 Water Festival parade.
Thurmond got a bum rap in the early 1990s about his memory, Martin said, but she knew his memory was sharp. When the senator visited Secession House in 1993, the house was for sale and Beaufort Realty had a small sign on it.
"No one mentioned to Thur-mond that the house was for sale," Martin said. "Six months later I met him in Columbia. I introduced myself. He said, 'I know who you are. By the way did you ever sell your house?' "
"That man's memory was not failing," she said.
The night she was elected to Beaufort City Council was also a testament to Thurmond's ability to keep tabs on his constituents, Martin said.
"Strom called me that night," Martin said. "I don't know who was keeping him informed, but his staff knew the details."
Beaufort County Coroner Curt Copeland remembers Thur-mond's visits to Beaufort during the annual Water Festival. In 1975, when Copeland was the festival's commodore, rain dampened the parade, but not the senator's spirits, Copeland said.
"My concern was getting the convertible top up for the car (Thurmond) was riding in," Copeland said. "It didn't seem to bother the senator much that he was getting wet, but it sure bothered me."
A big-time politician, Thur-mond didn't neglect small communities.
Thomas McClary, a Jasper County councilman, remembered when Thurmond visited Jasper County schools in the '70s to talk about improving education in the ailing district.
"It was amazing that a senator would come to Jasper County, being a small county that we are," McClary said.
When Thurmond came to Beaufort for the 1984 Water Festival, State Law Enforcement Division agent Robert "Bobby" Jenkins, who was on his security detail, also noticed the senator's compassion for his constituents.
"What fascinated me about him was his recollection of all the old people in town," Jenkins said. "He'd visit with somebody and talk about how he'd helped this person out."
Jenkins said the former senator has a special place in his heart because it was Thurmond who created SLED during his time as governor.
Beaufort Police Chief Jeff Dowling also remembers when Thurmond was in town for the Water Festival.
"One of the things that always struck me was his ability to remember your name," Dowling said.
Local attorney Hugh Davis, who worked in Thurmond's office in the late '70s, dealt with calls from constituents.
"People would call us and ask for help with problems," Davis said. "It was our job to try to provide and help those people with whatever issues they had. The time I worked with (Thurmond) was a wonderful experience."
Beaufort County Council Vice Chairman W.R. "Skeet" Von Harten remembers Thurmond for his hands-on work with the Beaufort community in the days leading up to the 1995 federal base-closure decision.
"Every time I called on him or asked for assistance he was right there and knew what to do," Von Harten said.
Thurmond came to speak to area residents during a 1995 event held to celebrate Beaufort's three military bases being left off the list of facilities to be shut down.
"I described him then as a legend in his own time," Von Harten said. "And I still feel that way."
