From The State.com, South Carolina

Dr. Francis A. Lord

WEST COLUMBIA — Distinguished Lecturer emeritus of University of S.C. and 2001 recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, died May 10, 2006. Dr. Lord was born in Los Angeles, California, December 8, 1911. He was educated at Mt. Hermon Preparatory School, Amherst, Mass., received his B.A. from University of Mass., his Master’s degree from Michigan State University, and his PhD from the University of Michigan having been given the Rackham Fellowship for his authoring They Fought for the Union. The American Library Association listed this book as the definitive work on that subject. He wrote 9 other books and innumerable articles on the Civil War. He was elected 12 years as governor of the Company of Military Historians, was contributing editor of the Civil War Times and wrote extensively for North South Trader as well as many other periodicals. President Eisenhower named him one of three commissioners to oversee the national activities of the centennial celebration of the Civil War. His large collection of Civil War Regimental Histories is in the rare book section of the Thomas Cooper Library at the University of S.C.

He taught at Lawrence Institute of Technology, Detroit, Mich., prior to W.W. II; at Mississippi College, Clinton, Miss., after the war, and was director of the Lancaster branch of the University of South Carolina for several years before moving to Columbia, where he retired after teaching on the main campus. He was a member of the Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C., a Rotarian and a Mason. He served in the U.S. Army 3rd Cavalry under Col. Jonathan Wainwright and Major George Patton and in W.W. II he served with O.S.S. receiving the Commendation medal from General Donovan, then in Military Intelligence, where he again received a Commendation medal from General Magruder as well as serving several years in the CIA. He retired with 30 years service as a Lt. Col.

Dr. Lord leaves his wife of 64 years, Marjorie, daughter Terry and two sons, Francis B. (deceased) and Frederick A. Lord as well as 4 grandchildren. Memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, at Northside Baptist Church, 1303 Sunset Blvd. on Rte 378, West Columbia. His body was donated to the University of South Carolina. His cenotaph will be in the family plot in Detroit, Michigan.

«Obituary posted: May 14, 2006»