Chapin community mourns Mayor’s passing

From WIS

CHAPIN, S.C. (WIS) – The town of Chapin announced the passing of its mayor, 74-year-old Albert R. Koon, on Friday. Koon lay in rest at the Chapin town hall Monday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., giving members of the community an opportunity to pay their respects.

The town announced Koon’s passing just two days after announcing he had entered hospice care.

“My life was enriched by the life of Albert R. Koon,” said Walt McLeod, a friend of Koon’s.

Koon was born in the town of Chapin and spent years serving it. He was a council member first before he was elected mayor in 2021. In a statement, the town described him as a devoted husband and father, a dedicated public servant and a man of deep faith.

Small orange and purple flags surrounded town hall in honor of Koon, a Clemson Tigers fan. The town hung up the university’s flag beside town hall and lowered it to half-staff during the gathering.

Friends described Koon as charming, sarcastic and devoted to his public role as mayor.

“He was a darn good leader, and he knew how to handle people and manage people, so I would simply say my life was enriched by the life of Mayor Al Koon,” said McLeod.

Ann Hutchens grew up in Chapin and said she’s known Koon for as long as she could remember. She can recall times during her childhood when she watched Koon playing basketball in the town.

She and her husband hope people remember his caring heart and his willingness to help anyone in need. When asked how people should remember Koon, Hutchen said, “A joker, a little bit of sarcasm from time to time with his jokes, but just a thoughtful person, loving and always willing to help anyone”.

Nicholle Burroughs, the Chapin town administrator who has known Koon for over 20 years, shared 20 lessons she’s learned from her friend,

Care—no matter how little. If you said you didn’t care, he’d remind you why you should.

Make everything EPIC. He didn’t believe in small dreams—he believed in big, bold ones.

Hit them high and long. It was ball advice for my kids, but really, a life philosophy: aim high.

Set generational change. Do something that will matter long after you’re gone.

Champion your “community all-stars.” He loved those who served others selflessly—and he celebrated them. If he gave you the title, you were loved.

Invest in the next generation. He believed our future was as bright as the kids who’d shape it.

Your beginnings don’t define your ending. Work hard. Rise above. Lift others along the way.

Have the hard conversations. He valued honesty over comfort and understanding over ego.

Love completely. His devotion to Susan and his family was unmatched.

Pay your debts—with humor and heart.

Defend what you love. Fiercely and without apology.

Find your people and invest in them. Build them up and hold them close.

Always make time for others. No one was ever too small for his attention and he was never too busy.

Perfect your craft and share it. His woodworking was an art form—and an act of care. Gifting those he loved with his talent.

Serve above self. Always.

Celebrate talent. Whether it was a bluegrass fiddle or a kind heart, he noticed.

Find what makes people happy and deliver it.

Stay the course. Even in adversity, never back down from doing what’s right.

Disagree on policy, not on people. He sought understanding, not victory—and with few exceptions, he almost always found it.

Go forth and do good. His signature send-off to every meeting, and now, his legacy to all of us. He stole it from someone else, so it’s fitting I steal it from him.

” Saying goodbye to him has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’ve lost a boss, a mentor, and a member of my chosen family. Serving beside him for the past eight years—and walking with him through his final days—will forever be the honor of a lifetime. Al’s legacy will shape Chapin for generations to come. He set a standard for leadership that was grounded in compassion, faith, and purpose—a standard that will be hard to match, but one we can all strive to uphold”, said Burroughs.

Koons’ funeral service will be held Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. at Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church.

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Source: https://nathansnews.com/2025/10/chapin-community-mourns-mayors-passing/