Anderson University President Evans P. Whitaker, Ph.D., today issued the following statement on the passing of South Carolina philanthropist and friend of the University, Dr. Melvin Younts:
“Anderson University mourns the loss of our great friend, Dr. Melvin Younts. The AU campus community is praying earnestly for the Younts family even as together we celebrate the life of this remarkable man to whom we owe such a debt of gratitude.
“One couldn’t be around Dollie and Melvin without laughing and having a wonderful time. In their 80s, they were more active and involved than many younger couples. My wife, Diane, and my fondest memories of them include spending time with them boating in coastal waters near the Cape Fear River.
“Words are not sufficient to fully explain the enormous impact Dr. Younts has had not only on Anderson University, but throughout South Carolina. Together, he and his late wife, Dollie Isgett Younts, supported numerous charitable causes in his home state. Simply put, the world is a better place for Melvin and Dollie Younts having lived in it and invested in it. They changed countless lives for the better because of their selflessness and commitment to leaving a legacy that will last for generations.”
About Dr. Melvin Younts
Dr. Melvin K. Younts, a noted South Carolina attorney, investor, philanthropist and Anderson University lifetime trustee, passed away Saturday August 27, at the age of 93.
Dr. Younts was a 1950 graduate of Furman University and 1952 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. He was a retired attorney of the firm Younts, Alford, Brown and Goodson and experienced tremendous success in a variety of business endeavors including real estate development.
Dr. Younts was preceded in death by his wife, Dollie, in 2018, and their daughter, Kerry Ann Younts Culp, in 1996. They were members of First Baptist Church of Fountain Inn. Dr. Younts is survived by four sons Kemp, Joe, David, and Laney. The Younts’ grandchildren include graduates of Anderson University.
A long-time resident of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, Dr. Younts made countless charitable gifts to Christian non-profit organizations, including a recent $3 million challenge gift to Anderson University to begin a Division II football program in the South Atlantic Conference.
In consideration of his extraordinary gift, Anderson’s football stadium will be known as The Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium, in special recognition of these two wonderful fans and supporters of Anderson University.
Anderson University is an academically selective, comprehensive Christian university offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus and online. Anderson University is among U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Regional Universities South,” and is on the publication’s “Best Value,” “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” “Best First-Year Experience” and “Best Online Programs” lists. Anderson also is ranked #25 nationally for Student Engagement by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education; is a “Best College” among institutions of higher learning in the southeast by The Princeton Review; is a four-time Apple Distinguished School; and is on the honor roll of the prestigious Great Colleges to Work For program.