WAYNESVILLE, NC – Charles Fisk Hyatt, age 85, died on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at his home. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 8, 2012 in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home. Burial was held at 11:00 a.m. at Riverside Cemetery, Dillon, South Carolina on Monday, September 10.
Mr. Hyatt is survived by his wife, Dr. Jane Douglass Manning Hyatt; a son, Charles Douglass Hyatt and his wife, Mary Margaret Shingler Hyatt of Myrtle Beach, SC; a daughter, Jane Manning Hyatt of San Francisco, CA.; and two grandsons, Charles Manning Hyatt and Hughes Shingler Hyatt of Myrtle Beach, SC; a sister-in-law, Kathryn N. Hyatt; a brother-in-law, Frank Richardson; and nieces and nephews.
Charles Hyatt was born in Asheville NC, on April 14, 1927. He was the third son of the late Harry and Emma Swanger Hyatt of Waynesville, North Carolina. He was predeceased by two brothers, Clarence Hyatt and William Darwin Hyatt, and one sister, Jean Hyatt Richardson. His family was among the first pioneer settlers of the western North Carolina area, and he always held a special devotion to his home in Waynesville.
Mr. Hyatt’s life was marked by an unwavering love of his family, remarkable civic contributions to his community, and staunch patriotic and influential leadership in the development of Patriot’s Point, the National Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC.
He received his early education in the Waynesville NC public schools and graduated from Waynesville Township High School in 1944. He was employed by N.A.C.A. Langley Field, Virginia and the Newport News Shipyard & Drydock Co. In 1945, he attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. From 1945-1950, Mr. Hyatt crossed the Atlanta Ocean, 64 times, the Pacific Ocean, 16 times, and he had sailed around the world three times. He served in the US Merchant Marines aboard the following ships as a licensed deck officer: the USAT JARRETT HUDDLESTON, a hospital ship, and the USAT GENERAL C. C. BALLOU, a troop ship. He served as a licensed deck officer on the following United States Lines cargo-passenger ships: the TITAN, the RATTLER, the USAT CARROLL VICTORY and the USAT GEORGE GOETHALS. At the age of 21, he served as second officer on the MSTS GENERAL STURGIS, a troop ship; he served as a ships officer and naval observer on the MSTS GENERAL
ALEXANDER PATCH. His service after 1948 included two years with the US fleet. From 1950-1952, he was on active duty in the US Navy and served as navigator on the USS WHITESIDE, AKA 90 during the Korean War. He retired as a Lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve.
In 1955, he earned a B.S. degree in Finance and Banking from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Beginning his career as a banker, he trained and worked at the Irving Trust Company, One Wall Street, New York, NY. He attended the graduate school of Business Administration at New York University and received a graduate degree from the Louisiana State University School of Banking. He joined First National Bank of South Carolina in 1959 as Assistant Cashier, and he served as Credit Officer, Assistant Vice-president and Vice-president. When First National Bank merged with South Carolina National Bank, Mr. Hyatt served from 1984-1990 as Loan Officer and Vice-President. In recognition of his service as a bank loan officer, he was named a life member of The Robert Morris Associates. With the merger of South Carolina National Bank and Wachovia Bank in 1990, Hyatt served as Loan Officer and Vice-President of Wachovia. He retired from Wachovia Bank in
1991. After retiring from banking, he became a Licensed Broker of the South Carolina/North Carolina Real Estate Commission and was owner of The Hyatt Group in Waynesville, North Carolina.
Charles Hyatt served SC altruistically. In 1973, he was appointed by S.C. Gov. John West to study the feasibility of a Naval Museum and to make recommendations to the SC Legislature. In 1974, Governor West appointed him the Chairman of the Patriot’s Point Development Authority. He was appointed and served as Chairman of the Authority for four Governors- West, Edwards, Riley, and Campbell for a total of 16 years. In 1988, he was elected Chairman Emeritus of the Patriot’s Point Development Authority. He was instrumental in clearing the title to the land at Patriot’s Point so that the State of South Carolina would always have a clear title. Ships in the museum include the aircraft carrier Yorktown and the submarine Clamagore. The destroyer, Laffey, the nuclear ship Savannah, and the Coast Guard cutter Inglis have been in the museum. In recognition of his dedication to Patriot’s Point and Naval history, Governor Richard Riley appointed him Honorary
Admiral of the South Carolina Navy. He was a member of USS Yorktown Association Board of Directors.
He tirelessly promoted his community by serving on numerous civic boards. He was a director of the Business Development Corporation of SC; Executive Association of Greater Columbia (EAGC); a charter member of Children’s Hospital Board at Palmetto Richland Memorial; chairman, Salvation Army Board; past president of Richland Sertoma Club; life member of Sertoma International; and president of the Columbia Philharmonic Orchestra. As chairman of the Medical Affairs Committee for the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, he was instrumental in helping to start the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He served as Ambassador for the SC State Chamber of Commerce. He was a member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Waynesville Rotary Club. He was named as an honorary member of the Latta Rotary Club. He was a member of the Columbia College Board of Visitors. He was a member of the Waynesville Historical Society; the Masonic Lodge of Waynesville NC and a
32nd Degree Mason. He served as president of the USO; president of the Association United States Army; and chairman of the National Security Seminar in 1964 and 1969.
Mr. Hyatt was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC. He loved his church and served as a Deacon. He enjoyed being a member of The Palmetto Club. Friends will remember him for his dedicated service as a patriotic American.
