John L. Melton III, 61, of Cheraw, died Dec. 21, 2021.
Born in Cheraw, he volunteered with the Cheraw Fire Department and the Cheraw Rescue Squad, and later became an EMT and paramedic. He was instrumental in creating the Darlington County Fire District and served as fire chief of the Cheraw Fire Department for 12 years. After retiring from Cheraw Fire Department, he became the CATE program instructor for the Intro to Public Safety course at Cheraw High School and was an Instructor with the South Carolina Fire Academy for over 35 years, inspiring and teaching firefighters across the state. He was also a diving instructor and an avid photographer, operating a photography business for over 30 years. He led the Lower Macedonia Baptist Church youth ministry for many years before serving as pastor of Wallace Baptist Church for the past 10 years.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Mary Lynn Melton, four children, nine grandchildren and a great-grandson.