Johnston, SC – The Edgefield County School District (ECSD) and Edgefield County Board of Education families are mourning the loss of beloved school board member Erik Drylie, who passed away late Sunday, April 23, 2023.

Drylie served on the Edgefield County Board of Education after winning a special election in 2021 to fill the District 6 seat (Merriwether) previously held by school board member Chad Blackston. He won re-election in November of last year and was well respected by his colleagues for his calm demeanor, professionalism and passion for the education of children. 

“From his very first board meeting, I knew Erik would be a terrific asset to the board and our school district,” stated ECSD Superintendent Dr. Kevin O'Gorman. “He jumped in from day one with thought-provoking questions and offered a lot of well-thought out ideas on a variety of topics. Some of those can often be quite serious and I appreciated that Erik had a smile on his face through even the toughest of subjects.”

“Erik will be greatly missed as a member of our school board,” added Edgefield County Board of Education Chair, Robin Ball. “His voice of wisdom gave us a unique perspective and the compassion he always showed to students in difficult situations was greatly appreciated. He was an outstanding gentleman who loved his family and community dearly. This is a huge loss for us.”

Drylie, a Hilton Head Island native, earned an undergraduate degree from Liberty University in 2005. He then served two years as a missionary in a Guatemalan orphanage where he taught English. He attended law school at the University of Miami and graduated in 2011. He then returned to South Carolina and was sworn into the South Carolina Bar. 

His legal career began in the public defender's office, where he represented many children from disadvantaged homes here in Edgefield County. In 2018, he accepted a position at the Children's Law Center conducting training sessions and working on a federal grant aiming to improve outcomes for children dually involved with both the Department of Social Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Most recently, Drylie served as an Assistant Solicitor and prosecuted many violent crimes in Edgefield, Saluda, and McCormick Counties.

Arrangements are with Posey Funeral Directors of North Augusta. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday evening (4/28) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Services will be held Saturday (4/29) at 10:00 a.m. at Quest Church (5001 Gateway Blvd. Grovetown, GA 30813).