Winston McIver, Sr.

Attorney Winston Dowd McIver, Sr. is the fifth of six children born to the late Willie and Ester McIver. He was born, reared and attended the public schools in Cheraw, South Carolina; graduating from Long High School in 1963. Attorney McIver was Salutatorian of his high school class as well as the State President for the National Honor Society. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree, in Social Science, in 1967 from South Carolina State College. While at SCSC, he participated in numerous activities and was a member of the Sigma Rho Sigma Scholastic Honors Social Studies Fraternity. After graduation, Atty. McIver moved to Horry County, South Carolina where he taught Social Studies at Whittemore Elementary and Aynor High. While attending law school, Winston earned the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court Earl Warren Fellowship and the Ford Foundation Grant to study law. He was deeply involved in extracurricular activities during law school and received a Merit Award from NCCU for his outstanding community service to the High School Legal Education Program in the Greater Durham Community. In 1975 Atty. McIver earned a Juris Doctor Degree from North Carolina Central University’s School of Law, Durham, North Carolina. Winston has been practicing law for 51 years. Atty. McIver began practicing law in South Carolina in 1975, and established the law office of McIver & Graham, P.A. in Conway, South Carolina in 1981. Prior to going into private practice, Atty. McIver worked for Neighborhood Legal Services in Charleston,South Carolina for a year and a half. He then worked with Cleveland Stevens to write a grant that financed the opening of legal aid offices in Horry County, Georgetown County, and Marion County. Attorney McIver also served as Municipal Court Judge for the city of Atlantic Beach for two administrations which included Mayor Cleveland Stevens administration and Mayor Joe Montgomery’s administration. His affiliations have included: The South Carolina Bar, Horry County Bar, United States District Court of South Carolina, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, American Bar Association, South Carolina Black Lawyers Association, and the Civil Litigation Section of the South Carolina Bar. Early in his career, Atty. McIver gave back to his community by speaking to local churches and organizations about general legal information regarding Wills, heirs property, landlord tenant law, and other general legal issues that impact the community. Attorney McIver provided mentoring and internship opportunities to the youth in Horry County, by allowing high school and college students to intern at McIver & Graham, P.A. He has sponsored and contributed to various organizations for the growth of the community. For the past eleven (11) years, he has helped his wife provide educational enrichment opportunities for the youth in the community. This included, but was not limited to, financing educational field trips and serving as a presenter, motivator, and mentor to the camp participants. Atty. McIver has volunteered to speak about legal issues over the years at his class reunions, community events, and most recently, he appeared on the Whittemore Magazine Community Broadcast and answered legal questions from the community. Throughout his career, he has provided legal assistance to low-income families, including housing assistance, and free legal aid to many. Atty. McIver 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. He was a strong family man, who was the proud father of two children: Dr. Winston, Jr. (Atty.Angela) and Hana Sands (Anthony, Sr.); and a proud grandfather of six: Anthony Bernard, Jr. Lunden Amaya, Laila Aleah, Adrienne Hadiyah, Logan Abrya, and Andrew Elijah. He also leaves to cherish many memories, his loving brothers: Dr. William James (Edna) McIver of Albuquerque, NM; Rev. Leslie Hathaway McIver of Conway, SC; Benjamin Franklin McIver of Charlotte, NC; his loving sister-in-law, Carolyn McIver, of Cheraw, SC; one aunt Frances McIver Dickens, two special cousin/sisters, Carolyn McIver Smith and Benzener McIver Stallings and a host of devoted nieces, nephews, and extended family members. ”Brother-in-law”,“Uncle Mac”, “Grandaddy”, were affectionate names he was called by his Sisters-in-law Lillian Coakley, Eunice Coakley Guyton (Jim), Marlene Coakley Jenkins, Sharon Coakley, Claudette Coakley Watkins, Catherine Coakley Herrington, and Blondelle Coakley Gadsden, family friends, Gwendolyn Alston, Barbara Jo Blain, Ballery Skipper, Jerome Johnson, Carlyle & Geneva Dixon, Jimmy Floyd, John Mention, Aprelle Brown, special employee and friend, Sally Sarvis Garrett, who has been with Atty. McIver since age 17, and the kids of Camp Rainbow who loved “Granddaddy”.

  Donations can be sent to South Carolina State University Foundation in memory of Winston D. McIver, Sr. (Class of 1967).

The Viewing will be held Friday, March 13,2026 at Latimer's Funeral Home 2-6 pm

The Funeral will be held Saturday, March 14,2026 at Mason Temple COGIC 12 pm (NOON)

Burial will follow at

Westside  Memorial Gardens 2525 W Rd

Conway, SC 29527

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.