Winston Dowd McIver, Sr.

Attorney Winston Dowd McIver, Sr. was the fifth of six children born to the late Willie and Ester McIver. Born and reared in Cheraw, South Carolina, he graduated from Long High School in 1963 as Salutatorian and State President of the National Honor Society. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science from South Carolina State College in 1967, where he was active in numerous campus organizations and a member of the Sigma Rho Sigma Scholastic Honors Social Studies Fraternity.

After teaching Social Studies at Whittemore Elementary and Aynor High School in Horry County, he attended North Carolina Central University School of Law. While in law school he received the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court Earl Warren Fellowship and the Ford Foundation Grant, and was recognized with a Merit Award for his community service to the High School Legal Education Program. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1975.

For the next 51 years, Winston practiced law in South Carolina. He began his career with Neighborhood Legal Services in Charleston, helped establish legal aid offices across three counties, and later founded the law firm of McIver & Graham, P.A. in Conway in 1981. He served as Municipal Court Judge for the City of Atlantic Beach during two administrations and maintained memberships in numerous professional organizations, including the South Carolina Bar, Horry County Bar, and American Bar Association. Deeply committed to his community, he regularly spoke to churches and civic groups on legal topics, mentored and provided internships to local youth, supported educational enrichment programs alongside his wife, and offered free legal assistance to low-income families.

Winston was preceded in death by his brothers Thomas Warren McIver and Edgar Lacoast McIver. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Marjorie A. Coakley McIver; his children, Dr. Winston McIver, Jr. (Angela) and Hana Sands (Anthony, Sr.); six grandchildren, Anthony Bernard, Jr., Lunden Amaya, Laila Aleah, Adrienne Hadiyah, Logan Abrya, and Andrew Elijah; his brothers Dr. William James (Edna) McIver, Rev. Leslie Hathaway McIver, and Benjamin Franklin McIver; sister-in-law Carolyn McIver; aunt Frances McIver Dickens; cousins Carolyn McIver Smith and Benzener McIver Stallings; and a host of devoted nieces, nephews, and extended family members who knew him affectionately as “Brother-in-law,” “Uncle Mac,” and “Grandaddy.”