Frederick Edward Sojourner passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 14, 2023. He was a son of the late Robert Edward Sojourner and the late Minnie Ehrhardt Sojourner.
Born July 14, 1938, in Augusta, GA, Mr. Sojourner grew up in southeastern Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry. In 1950, his family moved permanently to South Carolina (Charleston, SC), and he graduated from St. Andrews Parish High School in 1956. As a child and young man, he was an active member of the Lutheran Church and Boy Scouts of America. He received numerous community and church service awards while serving in the Boy Scouts, where he earned the God and Country Award, presented in 1954 by the Lutheran Committee on Scouting. In 1956, Mr. Sojourner moved from Charleston to Columbia, SC to attend the University of South Carolina (USC) where he later graduated in 1987, with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, Management.
In February 1960, as a USC student, Mr. Sojourner began his career with SC state government, working in the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Safety Responsibility and Accident Records, SC Highway Department as a part-time junior clerk. He then served as Chief Security Requirement Evaluator, Safety Responsibility and Accident Records from 1960-1961. He was promoted to Assistant Administrator of Financial Responsibility and served in this position at the SC Department of Highways and Public Transportation from 1961-1975. Then, from 1975-1984, Mr. Sojourner served as Financial Responsibility Administrator. Continuing his service in state government, he was named as DMV’s Deputy Director of Planning and served from 1984-1986. In 1986, Mr. Sojourner began serving as Assistant Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles (which became the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles), the position from which he retired in 2003 with more than 43 years of state government service.
Mr. Sojourner was a member of the American Association of Motor Vehicles Administrators (AAMVA) for over 40 years. Some of the honors received included AAMVA’s recognition in 1999, “For His Outstanding Contributions to the Customer Service Delivery Committee,” during the years 1991-1999. He was honored for his service as AAMVA Region 2 chairperson from 1992-1994 and also from 1996-1998.
In January 2001, Mr. Sojourner received his state government service pin in honor of his 40 years of service. In 2003, during his last year of state government service, AAMVA honored Mr. Sojourner for his “43 Years of Dedicated Service to Region 2 AAMVA, Including Participating In/Chairing Seven Region 2 Committees.” In September 2003, Fred Sojourner received the distinguished Order of the Palmetto from former Governor Mark Sanford, the state’s highest civilian award for services to the State of South Carolina.
Immediately following his retirement, Mr. Sojourner became an active volunteer for the Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce. In addition to assisting with many functions sponsored by the Chamber, he served as Grants Administrator from 2003-2015. In 2008, he received the award of “Volunteer of the Year” from the Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Sojourner was a member and officer of the Irmo Ruritan Club from 1992 until 2016; Town of Irmo Planning Commission 1999-2007; Sons of the American Revolution (Godfrey Dreher Chapter); SC State Employees Association; SC State Retirees Association, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity; and USC Alumni Association. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Columbia.
He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 30 years, Caroline Younginer Sojourner; his stepdaughter, Caroline McKenna (Liam) of Washington, DC; his daughter, Allison Sojourner DeYoung of Taylors, SC; his son, Paul Frederick Sojourner (Tory) of Lexington, SC; his grandchildren, Joshua DeYoung (Mary), Hunter Sojourner (Nicole), and Will Sojourner; his sister-in-law, Paulette Sojourner of Charleston, SC; nephew, David Sojourner (Chrissy) of Johns Island, SC; niece, Katherine Sojourner of Charleston, SC; his Younginer Family members; and his extended family of Department of Motor Vehicle former co-workers. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his beloved brother, Robert “Bob” Sojourner of Charleston, SC.
The family is grateful for the compassionate care he received. They wish to extend their deepest gratitude to the physicians, nurses, caregivers, and ten-diamond staff at Lexington Medical Center.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at Dunbar Funeral Home – Dutch Fork Chapel. Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Thursday, May 18, 2023 at First Baptist Church Columbia, Boyce Chapel, with burial immediately following in the Irmo Family Worship Center cemetery, 10501 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC 29063.
Memorials may be made to Sharing God’s Love, PO Box 1021, Irmo, SC 29063.
