Dr. Stephen Cooley King

Dr. Stephen Cooley King, retired Math Professor at USC-Aiken, died in Aiken, SC, on October 19, 2024, following a stroke. Steve was born on December 6, 1943, and grew up in Williamston, SC, the only child of the late Cooley Berry and Pholia Emerson King.

Steve often mentioned how grateful he was to Clemson University for the scholarships which permitted him to get bachelor’s and master’s degrees there, before earning a PhD at Yale University in 1978.

Steve taught math in the California State University system before joining the math department at the University of South Carolina at Aiken in 1979. At USC-A, Steve taught courses at all levels, naming calculus and differential equations courses as his favorites. He was also instrumental in developing lower-level courses for students who were less well prepared for college-level math. Former students remember his helpful guidance as a mentor.

Steve retired from USC-A in 2005.

In retirement, Steve enjoyed listening to his favorite music—jazz, Tex-Mex, country rock—and watching classic movies, recommending old and new discoveries to friends. He loved fine wine and great food, making trips for example to New York with a schedule of reservations at restaurants whose menus he had thoroughly researched.

Steve was an attentive son to his mother, who died in 2016 at age 101. He is survived by cousins and many friends whose lives he enriched.

A Service of Remembrance for Steve will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the First Baptist Church of Williamston, SC. Steve’s remains will lie beside those of his father and mother in the Williamston Cemetery.

Those wishing to honor Steve’s memory should know that donations to any math scholarship fund at Clemson University would be what he would have wanted.

The Historic George Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 211 Park Ave., SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803.649.6234), has charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy for the family may be left by visiting www.georgefuneralhomes.com