For several decades he was a champion for the disabled, but early this morning the life of Whitmire native Glenn Bledsoe was taken in an automobile wreck.

Bledsoe, 55, of 7681 Bush River Road, Newberry, had gone to a gathering in Clinton and was traveling on Bush River Road near the Newberry County line on his way home around 12:50 a.m., according to Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols.

When Bledsoe neared Hopewell Church Road, his 2001 Chevy pickup went off the left side of the road and veered to the right side of the road before flipping over. The truck top caved in and pinned Bledsoe in the vehicle.

Nichols added he did not know if a deer ran out in front of Bledsoe or something else caused him to swerve, but that the Whitten Center director of volunteer services died instantly.

Bledsoe’s death is devastating to many in both Newberry and Laurens counties.

Bledsoe was a graduate of Whitmire High School and well known in the Whitmire community as part of a family who serves the public in many ways. His father was the town’s police chief, and his mother the librarian. Glenn’s brother, Ike Bledsoe, served as Whitmire’s mayor and is on currently representing the area on the county school board.

Bledsoe has worked for Whitten Center for 35 years starting out in recreation and moving on to volunteer services in 1992.

Glenn Bledsoe is a person, who never met a stranger, said Newberry resident Kathleen Roberts.

No matter what he was doing, Bledsoe was known to always tqake time to stop to speak to a client and call them by name as he walked around the vast campus in Clinton.

Roberts worked with the parents’ council at Whitten Center for many years and work side-by-side with Bledsoe.

Roberts said Bledsoe was loyal, committed and had a deep love for the disabled.

She says after receiving the news this morning, that she knows he is reunited with the many disabled persons he worked with over the years, adding one of those is a child of hers who died in 1997.

“They are patting him on the back and thanking him for his love and devotion,“ Roberts said.

Roberts added that Bledsoe’s spirit and energy brought many people to Whitten Center and provided tremendous fundraising results.

“There was no finer human being. This is a terrible loss,“ she said.

Newberry County Disabilities and Special Needs Executive Director Fred Owens added he never heard Bledsoe say “no” to anyone and was a great supporter of those with special needs.

He added Bledsoe and his wife, Annette, who works for Newberry County Disabilities and Special Needs, would do anything for anyone and that Bledsoe’s death is a great loss.

“He had such energy,“ said Owens.

Whitmire native Randall Frye said he was numbed by the news, and couldn’t believe the friend he had known since childhood was gone.

“He was one of the best people in the world,“ said Frye, who also worked at Whitten Center. “All his years he touched countless lives and has done so much good. It is just unfathomable.“

Bledsoe leaves behind his wife and a teenage son.