Eddie Case, 65, of Fountain Inn, husband of Kathy Case, died unexpectedly on Saturday, August 5, 2017.
In a celebration of the life of Eddie Case, friends, relatives, and business colleagues packed the First Baptist Church in Fountain Inn on August 9 to pay homage and express their love and admiration for Eddie.
Born in Greenville, he was the son of the late Charles D. Case and the late Willis Edwards Case. Eddie was a lifetime member of Fountain Inn First Baptist Church. He was a member of the Fountain Inn City Council for over 20 years and served as city administrator until recently leaving for a new position in Simpsonville.
From the beginning of the service to the very end examples of the remarkable relationship the speakers had with Eddie were shared…and it always ended in ‘I love you man, you are my best friend’. Van Broad set the stage with his elegant voice by sharing touching vocals of ‘It is Well’ and ‘Surely the Presence’. Eulogies were given by Pastor Benny Littlejohn, former Mayor and very close friend Ben Davis, and LuAnn Kilday Malone who had a professional equine relationship with Eddie. All praised him for his love of family, his friends, his horses, and his dedication to the Lord. US Congressional representative Jeff Duncan spoke of his relationship with Eddie as partners in the auction business and gave Eddie credit for giving him his start. He spoke of Eddie’s organizational skills and his commitment to his family and his profession. Scripture reading and prayer were done by Pastor Sean Hevenor and a message of love from Pastor Condi Richardson recognized Eddie for his dedication to his church and to God. Former Mayor Gary long spoke of their unique relationship working together on city business. He fondly remembered the phrase Eddie used quite often in several situations; “Tell It Brother”.
Eddie’s sister, Ann Case, spoke of her childhood and the closeness she shared through her entire life with her older brother. When the family got a new horse, Eddie had to ride it first to break it in for Ann. “He always took care of me.” Ann remembered.
As the service ended, the solemn recessional was accompanied appropriately by the song “Happy Trails.” Many in the congregation joined in singing helping to Celebrate Eddie Home!
Several comments were forwarded to the Sentinel expressing their feelings for Eddie.
John Hastings, Fountain Inn Chamber President reminisced, “I never told Eddie this but in hindsight; I suppose he felt kind of like a brother, seeing as we were only two months age difference. There were a few times we did not agree with each other, just like siblings do. But we worked it out and awoke to a brand new day to start over. A quote that he used with me so many times was ‘It is what it is. Work it out’. I will miss him very much as will so many, many people.”
Don Nickson, former president of the Fountain Inn Symphony, appreciated Case’s encouragement and support. “At a time when the future of the Symphony was uncertain, Eddie reminded me that FISO came into being primarily as the wish of the people of Fountain Inn. Our efforts were being backed by the community as a whole. That was the word I needed to hear at that very moment; and it came from the guy that was famous for his encouraging words. No telling how many folks walked out of his office feeling better equipped to take on what seemed like unsurmountable problems. That’s a gift,” Nickson said.
So many people heard Eddie say, “What can I do to help you today”? It was a favorite question of his.
“I had the opportunity of dealing with Eddie case for over 30 years. As city attorney, I had many occasions to work closely with Eddie as both a City Councilman and later as City Administrator. I always enjoyed working with him. We disagreed on a few things every now and then but always the issues were resolved in a positive manner. He was always the cool, calm guy in the room.” commented Melvin Younts.♦
