Thomas Earle Macfie

May 25, 1928 - January 10, 2021

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Thomas Earle Macfie, 92, of Greenville, died peacefully on January 10, 2021.

A lifelong South Carolinian, Tom Macfie was born on May 25, 1928, in Columbia, South Carolina, the second child of Nathan and Louise Stanton Macfie. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1951 with a degree in mechanical engineering, attending on a ROTC scholarship. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, the honor society Omicron Delta Kappa, and the engineering honor society Tau Beta Phi. Tom served in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant Junior Grade during the Korean War.

Tom lived in Greenville since 1956. For over thirty years, he worked as a regional sales representative for a heating and air conditioning contracting company. He was also a President of the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Tom served Christ Church in various capacities, particularly in his work with acolytes during the tenure of the Rev. Tom Carson. He was a charter member and served as one of the Presidents of the Rotary Club of Pleasantburg. He was a member of the Greenville Country Club, the Poinsett Club, and the Metropolitan Club.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Jourdan Jones Macfie of Greenville (now residing in Crofton, MD) and the families of his three children and three step-children:

Tom Macfie, Jr. and wife Pamela Macfie of Sewanee, TN, and grandson Thomas.

Evie Macfie Benton and Sam Benton of Charlotte, NC, and grandchildren Leah; Joseph (Ashley) and great-granddaughter Bellamy; Frances (Drew); and John (Taylor).

Kathleen Macfie of Hillsborough, NC, and granddaughter Wallis Sinatra (Ken).

Amy Henderson Newton of Easley, SC; grandson Weston W. Newton (Kendal) and great-granddaughter Peyton and great-grandson Hunter; granddaughter Margaret Nolte Newton and great-grandsons Wyatt and Blaine.

Priscilla Elizabeth Newton Carroll and husband James Randol Carroll of Crofton, MD; granddaughter Ellis Carroll and grandson LCpl James R. Carroll, Jr., USMC.

William Weston Jones Newton and wife Rose Buyck Newton of Bluffton, SC, and granddaughters Reedy Newton and Elizabeth Rose Newton and grandson, William Newton, Jr.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, sister Jennie Macfie Tompkins, step-son Howard E. Newton, III, and grandson Morgan Newton.

The family had a remote private gathering for prayers at the time of death with the Rev. Charles Jenkins of Christ Church.

The burial liturgy will be scheduled on a date in the future at Christ Church, Greenville.

In lieu of flowers, please make a gift to Christ Church Episcopal or the Honor Flight Network.

Thomas Earle Macfie, 92, of Greenville, died peacefully on January 10, 2021. A lifelong South Carolinian, Tom Macfie was born on May 25, 1928, in Columbia, South Carolina, the second child of Nathan and Louise Stanton Macfie. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1951 with a degree in mechanical engineering, attending onContinue Reading

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My father Clifford F. Gaddy Jr and Thomas Earle Macfie were fraternity brothers together at USC. Tom finished a year before my father did. Kathleen Macfie and I were in the same class of 1981 at CCES together and were choir partners in 1971 under Robert J. Powell. I didn’t remember that detail until Kathleen attended a Christ Church Chapel Service where I was singing when we were in our early 40s. Kathleen taught me how to play poker when we were in middle school. I used that skill to support myself college in 1984. Kathleen was an outstanding teacher!

Kathleen had my stepmother Jackie Suber for 7th grade English. Jackie was very impressed with Kathleen’s abilities and for reasons we will never know, Jackie let me grade her 7th grade English class papers.

Our fathers were in the Poinsett Club together in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Jourdan initially cast me in a play that she was directing at CCES when I was in the 8th grade. Jourdan was a good friend of my mother Betty Sue McDonald (owner of Sue Gaddy Interiors) from the 1960s on. She was also friends with my father.

I have uploaded a photo of Sen. Newton and myself from 12/15/2016.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.