A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORRY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPON THE PASSING OF REVEREND THOMAS N. BRITTAIN OF SPARTANBURG COUNTY AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly were saddened to learn of the death of Reverend Thomas N. Brittain at the age of ninety-seven on Thursday, March 6, 2025; and

 

Whereas, born in Inman on September 30, 1927, he was the middle child of T. C. Brittain and Belle Brown Brittain.  He was reared in a loving home with two brothers, the late Jake Brittain and the late Bill Brittain, and spent his childhood and youth during the years of the Great Depression and World War II. By the time he was eleven years old, he had lived in thirty-eight different states. He graduated from Inman High School in 1944, earned a bachelor's degree from Wofford College, and prepared for a life of ministry by completing Candler School of Theology at Emory University; and

 

Whereas, "Big Tom," as most called him, received his license to preach at the age of fifteen, and faithful to his calling of eighty-two years of service to Jesus through the United Methodist Church, he taught Sunday school on February 9, 2025, just three weeks before his death; and

 

Whereas, he began as an appointed pastor while in seminary at the age of twenty, serving five different congregations in North Georgia. Returning to South Carolina, he served the Swansea Charge, St. Andrews in Orangeburg, Triune in Greenville, Buford Street in Gaffney, First United Methodist Church (UMC) in Conway, Trinity in Spartanburg, First UMC in Myrtle Beach, as a district superintendent in Charleston, and as vice president of development at Epworth Children's Home; and

 

Whereas, spanning his ministerial career, Reverend Brittain served on countless local boards for various helping agencies, on the Wofford College Board of Trustees and numerous South Carolina Conference UMC boards. He was a delegate numerous times to the General Conference of the UMC, and he preached in over seven hundred local UMC churches in South Carolina, at the largest Methodist church in the world located in South Korea, at the oldest Methodist Church in the world, John Wesley's The New Room in England; and

 

Whereas, despite all his responsibilities to his ministry, he never neglected his role as husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He traveled to countless universities on Saturday night to see his son play football for Wofford and rushed home, rising early the next morning to preach two services. He and Jean attended ballgames, concerts, plays, worship services. He preached in every church that his daughter served in North Carolina. On the Saturday before he died, he was at the ballgame of a great-grandson; and

 

Whereas, he and his beloved wife, the late Jean Casey Brittain, were married on July 2, 1947, at Inman Methodist Church and celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary in July 2017. Together they reared two fine children, Thomas Casey Brittain of Myrtle Beach and Jan Brittain of Mooresville, North Carolina; and

 

Whereas, his children blessed him with the affection of four adoring grandchildren, Thomas Casey Brittain Jr., Andrew Preston Brittain, and Mary Madison Brittain Langway, all of Myrtle Beach, and Riley Brittain Donahue of Seattle, Washington. He had the joy of seeing nine great-grandchildren who were the delight of his life, and he was indeed their champion; and

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly are grateful for the life and legacy of Big Tom Brittain and for the example of service and kindness he set for all who knew him. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the passing of Reverend Thomas N. Brittain of Spartanburg County and extend their deepest sympathy to his large and loving family and his many friends.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Reverend Thomas N. Brittain.

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