I regret to inform you of the demise of Reverend David Surrett, a devoted Scouter who was honoured with the Silver Antelope Award while serving as a volunteer in the Palmetto Council. It is my responsibility to inform you of his passing. In his capacity as Senior Pastor at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Rock Hill, Scouts lovingly referred to him as Big D. He served our communities from that position. McClellanville, Norway, Greenwood, Taylors, Hartsville, Isle of Palms, Seneca, and Newberry were among the South Carolina congregations that he served. He also served churches in other neighbouring areas.
During the course of his tenure, he supported each and every council in South Carolina, serving in a variety of responsibilities including that of OA Lodge Advisor, Council Commissioner, Conclave Service Lodge Advisor, and NST Diversity Champion. Mentorship and advice are the foundations upon which our movement is founded, with brilliant leaders passing on their expertise from one generation to the next. Personally, David was one of the most influential mentors I’ve ever had, both in terms of Scouting and spirituality. My first year working at a summer camp was 1999, and that was the year I first met him.
I was lucky enough to take his advice and hire his eldest son as a Counsellor in Training in the year 2001. Over the course of the subsequent twenty years, he became one of my best friends. In the years that I spent working as a Programme Director and Camp Director, he served as an extremely helpful sounding board.
Over the course of my first night as Camp Director at Camp Old Indian, a Scoutmaster passed away at his campsite after suffering a deadly heart attack. David made a hasty decision to come to camp on a day’s notice, despite the fact that he lived three hours away from the location.
Due to the fact that he was the kind of servant leader that he was, he counselled every staff member and camper who had been affected by the tragedy with compassion, kindness, and grace. I have never met someone who was a finer living example of the Scout Oath and Law in action than David.
He was a beacon of light and delight for everyone who knew him, and I have never known anyone who was a better example. The fact that I am a better husband, parent, Scouter, and man is all thanks to David, and many other people have benefited from knowing and loving him as well.
