George Hairston, Jr.

George Hairston, Jr., 76, of Spartanburg, SC, died on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, of complications of kidney disease.  He was born in 1945 in Harriman, Tennessee to George, Sr., and Anne Scales Hairston (Sims), where his father was a civil engineer helping expand Oak Ridge National Laboratory.  His family soon returned to Cascade, Virginia, close to the families of both his parents.  George attended public schools nearby in what is now Eden, North Carolina, until finishing high school at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he earned the nickname “Univac” for his mathematical prowess.  He graduated from the University of Virginia as an Echols Honors Scholar with a BS chemistry, and was then awarded a NASA fellowship for graduate study in chemistry at Rutgers University, where he conducted early research into the formation of boron chains.  George’s career spanned product and process development for a number of chemical companies, specializing in the development of chemicals for industrial use and textile treatments until his retirement from Blackman Uhler in Spartanburg.

George was a faithful member of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Spartanburg for 26 years, where he served as an usher, chalice bearer, acolyte, on the Outreach Committee of the Vestry, and with his wife Patty, coffee hour host.  George also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and Spartanburg Shares.  He enjoyed travel in the US and abroad with Patty, being outdoors, and in his younger days, bicycle trips and tennis.

George was lovingly devoted to his wife Patricia Shaljian Hairston, who survives him, along with his sister, Mary Anne Davis of New Haven, CT, and his brother Peter (Melissa) Hairston and nephews Robert and Laken, all of St Paul MN, and many cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 PM EST Sunday, November 7, 2021, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 400 Dupre Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307, conducted by The Rev. Deborah Apoldo, with a reception following in the parish hall. The committal/inurnment will be held at the family cemetery in Cascade, Virginia at a later date.

The family please requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 400 Dupre Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307; or to Spartanburg Shares, 137 South Dean Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303.

Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel