Fritz Allen McElveen, 73, husband of JoAnna McElveen, of Lake City and Columbia, passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Mr. McElveen was born on September 28, 1946 in Florence County, son of the late Elisha Vaughn McElveen and Joan Coleman McElveen. He was a member of Cameron United Methodist Church in Lake City, South Carolina. Fritz graduated Class of '64 from Lake City High School. He worked briefly for Bell Telephone Company in Marion, SC before going into the military. He served two years in the Army and was honorably discharged. After his service was complete, he returned to Bell Telephone Company and later worked for AT&T. After retiring, he was the owner and operator of McElveen & Company, a clothing store in Lake City, South Carolina.

Fritz was a southern gentleman with a quick sense of humor. He lived in South Carolina all of his life and enjoyed all that the state had to offer. He was right at home in a boat with a fishing pole in his hand and an old beagle at his side. He was a natural caregiver, taking care of many throughout the years from his parents, his father-in-law, and even a friendly yet sometimes odd little cat that showed up at his door. Fritz was a builder and took great pride in building a home from the ground up and filling it with antiques from days gone by.

Surviving are his wife, JoAnna Thomy McElveen; sister, Pauline McElveen (Foyle) Hightower; brother-in-law, Vincent A. Thomy; nieces, Victoria Hightower (Jeremy) Pollard and Caroline Hightower; great-nephew, Boone Pollard; step-daughter, Pamela Dellinger.

Mr. McElveen was preceded in death by both of his parents; wife, Patricia Shatzel McElveen; sister, Lynn Eargle; step-daughter, Lillian Terry Colyer.

Memorials may be made to Cameron United Methodist Church, c/o Grainger Davis, 1531 N. Camerontown Road, Lake City, 29560.

A Celebration of Fritz's life will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, June 6, 2020 at E.V. Gaskins Family Cemetery, Preston Road, Lake City, SC.