Rev. O’Donald Dingle
January 15, 1927 – November 26, 2020
On Thursday, November 26, 2020, Rev. O’Donald Dingle, widower of the late Ida Lee Waiters Dingle “Honey”, heard his Master’s call at Prisma Health Tuomey.
Reverend O’Donald Dingle was born on January 15, 1927, in the Jordan Community of Manning, SC. He was a son of the late William “Bill” and Victoria Ballard Dingle. He was preceded in death by all of his siblings, Ruveine Cantey, Corren Miller, Essie Stukes Cantey, Blease Dingle, Bleasley Dingle, Emmanuel Dingle, Emperial Dingle, Ravenal Dingle, Troy Dingle, Willie Dingle and Johnny Dingle.
Reverend Dingle was educated in the public schools of Clarendon County.
Being reared in a Christian home, Rev. Dingle accepted Christ at an early age. He was baptized and joined Antioch Baptist Church. As a Member of Antioch, he was the director of the Antioch Young Adult Choir. Under his leadership, the Young Adult Choir performed at several National Folk Festivals to include Knoxville, Tennessee and White Springs, Florida. While working in this ministry, he accepted his called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Preaching and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ was important to Rev. Dingle and his life’s work. He pastored Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for forty-five years and Holly Hill Missionary Baptist Church for thirty-eight years.
Rev. Dingle was very active during the Civil Rights Movement and with Civil Rights issues. He was instrumental in the integration of many businesses and the public schools in Clarendon County. He marched alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King when Dr. King came to Kingstree in May of 1966 when he urged the crowd to “March on Ballot Boxes” and use the vote as a means to pursue social and economic justice. Rev. Dingle was one of the founding members, and at his death, the Chairman of the Clarendon County Democratic Caucus. This arm of the Clarendon County Democratic Party was formed to give those seeking an elected office a means to share their platform and take questions from an audience of especially minorities in the County. He was a lifetime member of the Manning Branch NAACP and was awarded the William L. Hamilton Humanitarian Award, a Life Member of the Springhill Masonic Lodge #188, Moderator of the Greater Friendly Union and the South Jordan Union, Moderator of the Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Association. The Clarendon County EMS Building was named in his honor, “The Reverend O’Donald Dingle EMS Building”, for his tenure serving on the Clarendon District Hospital Board. He was also an avid farmer and accomplished carpenter.
