Chapin’s Mayor, Al Koon, passed away on October 17, 2025, at Lexington Medical Center, surrounded by his family. Born and raised in Chapin, he and his wife, Susan, were classmates at Chapin High School and celebrated their fiftieth anniversary in 2023. The couple has two sons, Chris and Ryan.
A 1973 graduate of Clemson University with a degree in engineering, Koon was hired by SCE&G (which later became Dominion Energy). He earned his certification as a senior reactor operator at the Westinghouse nuclear power school and began his career at VC Summer Power Station’s Unit One. He worked there for about 38 years until he retired in 2011.
Koon became interested in the politics of his town when he retired and observed how rapidly his town was changing. After four years on the town council, he decided to run for mayor. He strongly believed that leadership and vision were vital in navigating a town like Chapin towards the future. He took office in January 2022.
Koon felt that the growth of Chapin brought a lot of advantages and additional challenges, such as population and roads. Koon challenged himself and his team to imagine what their town would look like in twenty years. In office, he led the update of all town ordinances and the rewrite of the town’s zoning code. His team moved forward to get all the town’s procedures, programs, and processes at town hall up to today’s standards. He also initiated the comprehensive growth plan, Envision Chapin.
Koon’s working professional career experience in commercial nuclear power required strong planning with strict procedures to follow, and he transferred that experience to his mayoral work. He knew the importance of growing the town in a very deliberate method. He believed that locally owned businesses are the backbone of Chapin, and his goal of growing the town while retaining its historic charm and character was essential.
Koon was a member at Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church where he served on the Church Council, the Building Committee, and as a Youth Leader. Koon enjoyed various hobbies, including gardening and woodworking, and was a dedicated Clemson fan.
Koon leaves a legacy as a family man, a person of faith, and a visionary servant leader to the Chapin community.
Memorials are suggested to the Greater Chapin Community Foundation, 2142 Boyce Street, Suite 402, Columbia, SC 29201 or to Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church, 101 E. Boundary St., Chapin, SC 29036.