Rev. Dr. James S. Aull

The Rev. Dr. James “Jim” Stroud Aull of White Rock, SC passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Born in Winnsboro on March 3, 1931 to the late Ruth Bull and Luther Bachman Aull, Jr., he had just celebrated his 95th birthday.

Jim spent most of his childhood years in Greenville, SC, graduating from Greenville High in 1949. He graduated from Newberry College with a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in 1953 and maintained close connections with the college all his life. It was there that he met his future wife, Ginny, with whom he shared 67 years of marriage. He went on to earn three additional degrees: a Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, a Master of Sacred Theology from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, and a PhD from Duke University. He also studied at Wayne State University in Detroit and at Union Seminary in New York. In 1988, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from Newberry College for his ‘untiring service.’

In 1954, he was drafted and served with army counterintelligence in Korea for almost two years. After serving in the military, he entered seminary. He received a call to St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Camden, and shortly thereafter, was called to teach at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary where he taught and did administrative work for 17 years. In 1979 he was elected secretary of the SC Synod of the (then called) Lutheran Church in America. In 1988, he was elected the first bishop of the SC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and served for eight years before retiring in 1996.

In his service to the church, Jim also served as a trustee on the boards of Newberry College; the Board of Pensions, ELCA; Lutheran Homes and Lutheran Homes Foundation. Jim earned the distinguished honor of Eagle Scout and was a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary. After retiring, he volunteered with the Friends of the Irmo Branch of the Lexington County library.

Jim is survived by his wife of 67 years, Virginia “Ginny” Kloeppel Aull; son-in-law, Paul Barton; grandson, Daniel Aull Barton; and sister, Margaret (Bo) Ella “Peggy” Werts of Ninety-Six.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved children, Diane Marie (Barton); James, Jr.; and Virginia Ruth and his brother, Luther B. Aull, III.

A memorial service will be conducted by Bishop Herman Yoos (ret.) and the Rev. Megan Lineberger at Bethel Lutheran Church in White Rock on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 2 p.m. The family will receive visitors after the service.

A private burial will be held in Elmwood Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Newberry College James S. Aull, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at Newberry College, 2100 College Street, Newberry, SC, 29108.

Whitaker Funeral Home is assisting the family.

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