Melvin Brice McKeown Jr.

Melvin Brice McKeown, Jr., 84, passed away peacefully with loving family
present on August 13, 2022 in the early hours of the morning.
Mel was born in Chester, SC and graduated from Chester High School. In
his last week of life he was still able to teach his daughters cheers that the
Chester High School band used to do at high school football games.
He attended Furman, where he played trumpet in a dance band (he loved
recalling that members used a purple hearse to drive from gig to gig), and
then he completed his J.D. at the University of South Carolina School of
Law. He began his career in York where he met and married his beloved
wife, Melinda Gaines McKeown. Mel and Melinda raised their two girls in
York and remained active members of their community and their church,
Trinity United Methodist Church, for many years. They remained in York
until March of 2022, when they moved to Greenville to be closer to their
daughter Susie.
Mel practiced law in York for 52 years. He served as the attorney for the
County of York for 38 years and as the attorney for the York Electric Co-op
for 52 years. He served on several local boards, including the board of the
Bank of York (over 30 years.)
Mel is survived by his wife of 56 years, Melinda Gaines McKeown of
Greenville, SC; his daughters Susan McKeown (Scott Stuart) of Greenville,
and Adrienne McKeown (Steven Hall), of Madison, NJ; his granddaughters
Chloe Hall of Chicago, IL, and Lucy Hall of Pittsburgh, PA; his siblings
Robert McKeown (Jane) of Brevard, NC, John McKeown (Diane) of West
Columbia, SC, and Flora Heinlein of Chester, SC; and several nieces and
nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Melvin Brice McKeown Sr.
and Mary McCluney McKeown.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorials be sent to Hospice and
Community Care, PO Box 993, Rock Hill, SC 29731.
A memorial service will be held on September 17, 2022 at 11:00 am at Rose
Hill Cemetery in York.