Daniel Foster "Danny" Choate

Daniel Foster “Danny” Choate, age 74 of North Augusta, South Carolina, born in Augusta, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home on September 17, 2024, in the care of his loving family. Dan was the second child of John S. Choate and Margaret McClain Choate. He was raised in Augusta and attended Richmond Academy where he was a stand-out member of the football team from 1965 to 1967. In January of 1968 Dan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After completing recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina and infantry training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina, he was assigned to Marine Barracks Henderson Hall adjacent to the Pentagon. While serving as a top-secret courier between the Pentagon and the White House, he was asked to try out for the Marine Corps football team at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. At the time the Quantico team played a regular college schedule. Dan made the team, being one of only two players on the team who had never played either professional or college football before joining the Marine Corps. After being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, in 1973 Dan joined the South Carolina Highway Patrol serving as a patrol officer in Orangeburg and Aiken counties. In 1986 he moved to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (“SLED”) before retiring in 2001 as a Senior Special Agent. During those years SLED recognized Dan’s professionalism by assigning him to protect former Senator Strom Thurmond when the senator would come home to South Carolina from Washington, DC. After retiring from SLED, Dan returned to law enforcement in 2006 with the South Carolina Ethics Commission, where he served as an Investigator before finally retiring in 2016. Although Dan was a larger-than-life personality, and a physically imposing figure, he was, nevertheless, the gentlest and kindest of men. If you knew him, you would have a true and faithful friend. All who knew him will miss his homespun wit and his infectious laugh. Throughout his life, both professionally and personally, he lived the Marine motto of Semper Fidelis. Dan was preceded in death by his parents and his brother David B. Choate. He is survived by his wife of over 30 years Charlotte A. Choate, and by his son Nick DeRoller (Amanda), his beloved granddaughter Ava, of Aiken, SC, his brother Sam Choate (Martha Jean) of St. Simons Island, GA, his niece Sally Fox (John) of Atlanta, GA, and his nephew Jack Choate (Caitlin), and great nephew Red of Los Angeles, CA. The family will have a private interment. A celebration of Dan’s life will be held later. If friends are so inclined, Dan would encourage you to donate to cancer research to advance the work to find a cure for Multiple Myeloma. Finally, Dan and Charlotte would like to thank the wonderful physicians, nurses, and other caregivers at Augusta Oncology, Georgia Cancer Center, and St. Joseph’s Hospice.

Tributes

Daniel Foster "Danny" Choate

January 11, 1950 - September 17, 2024