Obituary of Dr. Arland Hasty Compton

Dr. Arland Hasty Compton, Jr.,79, husband of Noreen “Nora” Mulhern Compton, died March 3, 2026, at his home.

Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Arland Hasty Compton, Sr. and Dorothy Allene Jones Compton.

Dr. Compton was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. He graduated from Edmonds high school in 1964, attended Clemson University, and received an MD degree from MUSC in 1972. He spent three years in Syracuse, NY finishing a family practice residency program associated with Upstate Medical Center. He met his future wife there and, after practicing for a year in Thomasville NC, they and their son, Michael, moved to Sumter in 1976 and entered private practice from then until April 2014. A year into his retirement he became a Physician for South Carolina Department of Corrections and was stationed in Bishopville at the Lee Correctional Facility for three years.

Dr. Compton led a life of deep service to others. He was elected to the district seventeen school board for four terms, spent thirty-seven years as the Student Health Service physician for Morris College, and was the team physician for Sumter High School Football twenty-four seasons. He spent part of a summer with the Indian Health Services at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota, went on a mission trip to Guatemala, spent eight summers as staff physician at the Summit Bechtel Reserve Boy Scout camp in West Virginia, and served for a summer with the Salkehatchie summer camp in Sumter.

Dr. Compton played for over forty years in the Sumter Community Concert Band, was a member of the Fellowship Club, and the Fortnightly Club. Despite a busy career, he still had time to introduce his three sons to Boy Scouts, take them hunting, and white-water rafting on the Nantahala and Chattooga rivers. He taught them to water ski, to safely operate a motorboat, and took them on family summer vacations. Dr. Compton, having earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth, continued in the Boy Scouts as an adult. He began as a Cub Master, progressed onwards to be a Scout Master, then moved on to serve the Pee Dee Area Council in various capacities. He was awarded the Silver Beaver for his service to the council in 1995.  After retirement Dr. Compton picked up pickle ball, enjoyed fishing the creeks of Wyboo, and joined the Shepherd Center afternoon Canasta Group. He enjoyed camping and backpacking, eventually logging 1,606 miles and spending 187 nights in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Surviving is his wife; three sons, Michael (Darcy) Compton, David (Barbara) Compton, Benjamin (Laura) Compton; a brother, Robert Compton; two sisters, Elaine Morris (George), Liz Compton and eight grandchildren, Beatrice, Annalee, Madeline, Dorothy, Felicity, Margaret, Sara, and Nicholas.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday March 8 at Trinity United Methodist Church with Rev. Angela Mashall officiating.

Burial will be in the Sumter Cemetery.

The family will receive friends following the memorial service in the church fellowship hall.

Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 226 W. Liberty Street, Sumter, SC 29150.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.