Carl E. Compton, 85, a pastor and former president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and a former Baptist Courier trustee, died Dec. 4, 2006, in Myrtle Beach.
Born in Mebane, N.C., Aug. 12, 1921, he graduated from Mars Hill Junior College and Wake Forest College (Phi Beta Kappa). He graduated with a doctor of theology degree from Southern Baptist Seminary in 1949. Between his postgraduate degrees, he served as a World War II Navy chaplain on the USS Shelby, APA105.
Compton was most recently pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach, after serving as its pastor from 1949 until 1986. Other than fulfilling preaching requirements for his divinity degrees, First Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach, was his only full-time pastorate.
He served his denomination as president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Sunday school curriculum writer for the Southern Baptist Convention, and as a member of the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home board of trustees. When Coastal Carolina University was still a part of the University of South Carolina system, he served as an associate professor of religion for 12 years.
He became known as a church builder. Surfside Baptist Church, Socastee Baptist Church, Ocean View Baptist Church and Forestbrook Baptist Church were all begun as missions of First Baptist Church of Myrtle Beach under his leadership.
He also was involved in his community. For many years, he served as fire department chaplain, on the Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad, the Housing Authority, the Chapin Library Commission, the first Planning and Zoning Commission and many other local boards. In 1979 he was the Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.
“Dr. C,” as he was known, was predeceased by his wife, Martha Stafford Compton, in 1996, after 52 years of marriage. Survivors include four children, nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.