“What we have once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us." Helen Keller
It is with great sadness that we, the members of the board of directors for Friends of Jocassee, acknowledge the death of our current board president, Nathan Pinner, on Tuesday, February 28th. Nathan became an enthusiastic member of the Friends of Jocassee in October 2019 and was elected president in November 2021. He has served the organization with great passion and invested a great deal of time and effort in helping FOJ attain its goals and meet its objectives. His energy, vision, and passion for Lake Jocassee, the Jocassee Gorges, and Devils Fork State Park will be greatly missed. Nathan had lived in other parts of the world in his lifetime but felt that Lake Jocassee is one of the most unique places on earth. He contributed tirelessly to the protection and preservation of the area through his dedication to the Friends of Jocassee. We extend our deep sympathy to Nathan's wife, Katelyn, and their daughters, Brenna, and Emery. We mourn the passing of one of our fellow earth keepers. Go rest high up on that mountain, dear friend. Condolences may be mailed to 6 Apex Ct. Greenville, SC 29617
Friends of Jocassee has placed a memorial bench in remembrance of Nathan’s contributions to our organization. This dedication took place at our BellFest event on March 16, 2024.
Everyone has been affected by the pandemic, some more than others. Last week, Friends of Jocassee lost Debbie Richardson Fletcher, one of our earliest supporters, to Covid. Because of her love for all things Jocassee, both past and present, she was the guest speaker at our first Annual Meeting. Through the years she supported our efforts, but especially at “BellFest” at the authors table with her books written about Jocassee. Whippoorwill Farewell: Jocassee Remembered is such a tribute to the past. Debbie will always be ‘remembered’ as one who loved this area as much as we do.
A donation to Friends of Jocassee to honor Debbie’s memory will support the ongoing efforts of our mission statement to “Preserve, Promote and Protect” the Jocassee Gorges.