William “Gene” Eugene Rhymer, Jr

William Eugene Rhymer, Jr. “Gene”, 74, of Greenville, went to be with his beloved Shirley on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Gene was born on April 26, 1948 in Winnsboro, SC, to the late William Eugene Rhymer, Sr. and Lillian Wilkes Rhymer. He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Bennett Rhymer; his parents; and his brother, Floyd Wilkes Rhymer.

He is survived by his two sons, Scott Rhymer (Ann) and Michael Rhymer (Amy); his daughter, Lacey Cobb (Matt); six grandchildren to whom he was “PaPa”, Taylor and Megan Rhymer, Callie and Cayden Rhymer, and Carson and Ethan Cobb; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and a beloved extended family which included friends from all walks of life.

Gene thrived on hard work even as a young boy. From the hardware store to textiles plants, he meticulously cared for lawns, cars and boats, all while balancing work and family life. Gene was dependable, diligent, energetic, and devoted to every task he ever set out to accomplish.

Gene and Shirley became sweethearts at 12 and 14 years old respectively. They met and spent their free time together at the Winnsboro YMCA swimming pool and ball fields. Gene graduated from Winnsboro High School and became a first-generation college student, earning a Bachelor of Science in Textiles from Clemson University. While Gene may have been the Clemson student, Shirley was the one who spearheaded their love for all things Clemson, especially orange sunsets that can only be found over those hills.
Gene was always asked, “why do you work all the time?” He would reply, “it is not because I have to; it is not because a boss told me to; it is not because I’m expected to; but it is because I was born to do it. Some people love what they are doing…other people go through life missing something. They miss the inner feeling of fulfillment and enjoyment of somehow helping others improve their life. They simply are not enjoying each day they have here on earth! I was just born to be in factories with machines and people producing products. It is the blend of engineering achievements and ‘managing the environment of productivity’, that I loved so dearly.”

Some say he was a workaholic, but he was truly a “familyaholic”! He loved spending time with family, especially in Clemson at the lake or tailgating for football games, and also loved making friends everywhere he went. Gene’s infectious smile and outgoing personality meant that he never met a stranger.

A visitation will be held Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m. at Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes, Downtown. The graveside service will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.    Family and friends who are unable to attend the service can view the Live Stream by clicking on the “Watch Livestream” button located on the main obituary page.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association at http://alz.orgor the charity of your choice, but you can best honor Gene’s memory by spending intentional time with family and friends and always cherish those memories and traditions.

Favorite memories and condolences may be shared with Gene’s family by clicking on the button labeled “Leave A Message, Share A Memory” below.