Mr. Stephen MacTavish Gedney departed this life at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House in Rock Hill, S.C. Mr. Gedney was born Aug. 30, 1943, in Potsdam, N.Y., to the late Dr. Fred Gedney and Grace Gedney. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Va., and graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville, Va.
Mr. Gedney began his transportation career with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). While working with VDOT, Mr. Gedney found his passion in railroad transportation. During the 1980s, he became CEO of the Eastern Shore Railroad and discovered another passion – economic development. He served as chairman of the local Economic Development Commission and was chosen as Economic Developer of the Year for the Tidewater region by the Virginia Department of Commerce in 1989. In 1990, Mr. Gedney became president of the Lancaster and Chester Railway based in Lancaster, S.C., and served in that capacity until 2010 when he became senior vice president of the Gulf and Ohio Railways, South Carolina Division. He was a past director of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, and a member of the American Railroad Development Association and other rail organizations. He was also a member of both the South Carolina Economic Development Association and the Southern Economic Development Council. Mr. Gedney served as vice chairman of the Chester County Development Association and was a three-time chairman of the Lancaster County Economic Development Corporation, and board member of both the Charlotte Regional Partnership and the Charlotte Douglas Airport Advisory Commission. He was a recipient of the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award.
On Jan. 12, 1980, Mr. Gedney married Linda Slate Boisseau, in Richmond, Va. Surviving in addition to his wife are his daughters, Megan (Demetrios) Hodges and Sara Gedney, both of Rock Hill; his sons, Matthew Gedney, of Charlotte, N.C., and Jay Boisseau and Andy Boisseau, both of Austin, Texas; and eight grandchildren, George, Vivia, Stephen, Isabella, and Lillianna Hodges, all of Rock Hill, Nova and Penny Gedney, both of Rock Hill, and Nicole Boisseau, of Austin, Texas; his sisters, Susan (Wayne) Rogers, of Kilmarnock, Va., Janet Steinruck, of St Petersburg, Fla., Anne Gedney, of Hinton, W.V., and Sally (Donald) Peachy, of Richmond, Va.; his brother, Joshua Gedney, of Richmond, Va.; and also welcomed into Mr. Gedney’s family were Theresa Boisseau, of Austin, Texas, David Shen of Beijing, China, Robby Arshydani, of Jakarta, Indonesia, Sadia Naaz, of Hyderabad, India, and Petra Valisaari, of Helsinki, Finland.
A memorial service was held Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 501 Pine Street, Fort Mill, S.C.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Levine Cancer Institute, 10650 Park Rd. #420, Charlotte, NC, 28210; The Haven Men’s Shelter, 1435 Archive St, Rock Hill, SC 29730; St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 501 Pine Street, Fort Mill, SC 29715; or an organization of one’s choice.
Condolences may be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.
