Athaniel Washington Badger Jr.

Obituary
Athaniel Washington Badger Jr, 70, son of the late Athaniel Washington Badger, Sr. and Geraldyne Glover Badger, was born on January 10, 1950 in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He transitioned from this earthly realm on February 25, 2020 at MUSC in Charleston, South Carolina. 
Athaniel attended private and public schools in Orangeburg. He matriculated at Christ the King Catholic School and continued on at Wilkinson High School where he graduated in 1967 serving as the drum major of the Wilkinson High School Marching Wolverines. He earned a B.A. in History from Norfolk State University in 1971. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1972.  In 1974, he earned a Master's in Education from South Carolina State College (now University).  
It was at Wilkinson High where he met Linda Jean Smiley. After she decided to take a break from the relationship during his first year in college to date other people, he claimed “she couldn’t resist me, so she came back.”  They dated for 8 years, before they married on December 25, 1971. To this union, four children were born.
Affectionately, known as “Badge” or “Coach”, Athaniel was a teacher, coach, and an assistant principal in Orangeburg Public Schools District Five for 29 years. He was a funny, stern, but fair teacher and administrator. As a coach of O-Ws football teams and girls’ basketball teams, he went above and beyond his coaching duties and responsibilities to mentor and take care of those young women and men under his tutelage when their personal and emotional needs superseded the fundamentals of the game. Coach was a father figure to many. He always wanted you to be the best version of yourself you could be. He just cared.
Athaniel was a true and faithful servant of Trinity United Methodist church serving in various capacities including: member of the Voices of Faith Choir and Male Chorus, Certified Lay Speaker, Finance Committee, and the official Industrial Engineer Superintendent aka “the custodian”. He also was a member of SC District 6 Volleyball Association, SC District 7 Basketball Officials. He was a loyal member of Edisto Lodge #39 PHA and a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc.  
Athaniel was a lot to many, but was everything to his wife and children. Never did it feel like any time or attention was taken away from protecting, providing, and caring for his family. He cherished his wife, three girls, and son with all he had within him. 
Athaniel lived his BEST life and he would charge you to do the same. His famous saying is “You can’t take it with you when you go, so you might as well enjoy it while you’re here.” 
He was preceded in death by his brother Lawrence “Larry” Badger.
He leaves to cherish and carry on his legacy his beautiful wife of 48 years, Linda, his mother, Geraldyne Glover Badger of Greenville, Ohio, four children: Ivy Foley (Terrence) of Fort Worth, Tx, Leslie Badger of Atlanta, Ga., Anjanette Ridley (Joel) of Nashville, Tn., and Marc Smiley (Talora) of Fort Worth Tx., His grandchildren, Hailey Holmes, Jason Badger, Israel Rogers (Ra-Ra, his twin and sidekick), Terrence Foley, Jr. (T.J.), Sophia Smiley, Layla Smiley, Kyle Foley, and Bradley Ridley (B.J.),  three brothers and 2 sisters: Michael Badger, Marchita Badger Phifer , William Badger, Anthony Badger, and Candy Badger Chadwick all of Greenville, Ohio, many nieces, nephews, cousins, close friends, adopted children: Joseph Major, Dora Waymer, Patty Moss-Lingard, Kenita Howard, Ashlee’ Bellamy and Hassan Frye all from the Orangeburg community, and three grandpups Bruno, Mars and Lucy Pepper.
 

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