James Neighbors

James Daniel Neighbors, 85, died peacefully Saturday January 9th, 2016. A son of Agnes Neighbors Carter and Robert Matthew Neighbors, he was a fourth generation Beaufortonian, who was baptized and grew up in Carteret St. United Methodist Church. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Horticulture and Landscape Design, served as an Army officer for twenty-six years, and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He served as an advisor in Iran and he and his family had a wonderful tour of duty in Germany. After military retirement he went into banking and was a founding member and CEO of the Savings Bank, which became the Savings Bank of Beaufort County, NBSC, and presently South State Bank. Jim loved Beaufort and was a two-time president of the Historic Beaufort Foundation, worked on Verdier House and Water Festival committees, and was a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow. He worked on and promoted Beaufort Beautification, served on the Finance Committee of Carteret Church, and served two terms on Beaufort City Council, in addition to supporting Beaufort Memorial Hospital, the Beaufort Tennis Association, and the Boys and Girls Club, and was a member of the John Ribaut Society, the Thursday Club, and a life member of MOAA. Jim was an avid gardener and loved sharing his camellia and azalea garden with tour groups and he often spoke to local and Hilton Head garden clubs. Jim leaves his loving wife Peg of sixty years, daughter Susan, son Daniel, granddaughters Dani, Pagan, and Kira, sister Roberta N. Morton of Charleston, nieces Beth Rogers Maust (Kieth) of Matthews, NC,  Rebecca Rogers Taft (Robert) of Waynesville, NC, Robin Taconet (Patrick), and Caroline Russo (Mark).  Memorials may be made to Carteret St. United Methodist Church at 408 Carteret Street, Beaufort SC, 29902. The funeral service for Jim will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 14th at Carteret Street United Methodist Church. A private family burial will be held at Beaufort National Cemetery.