Sheriff Douglas Bryan Pernell, Sr. was born on September 9, 1961, in Dillon to the late Preston William Pernell and the late Louise Perry Pernell. He was a 1980 graduate of Dillon High School. He was united in holy wedlock to Cynthia McAllister, the love of his life, on September 23, 1989. To this union, three children were born.
Sheriff Pernell was converted at an early age and joined Manning Baptist Church in Dillon, SC, where he served faithfully. He served on the Kitchen Ministry and Birthday Ministry and was chairman of the Trustee Board. He is a Master Mason.
Sheriff Pernell had a long-standing passion for law enforcement, as evidenced by his career. He officially began his work in enforcement in 1984 as a policeman with the Lake View Police Department. In 1985, he attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. He later joined the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff, serving under Sheriff Greg Rogers and Sheriff Harold Grice. He was selected as the first South Carolina Deputy of the Year for the work he did to dismantle a Jamaican Drug Ring in 1989. He held the positions of Lieutenant and Captain. From 2001 until 2009, he served as Chief Deputy.
During his career, he worked in various undercover capacities with federal and state law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, DEA, US Marshalls Service, ATF, and SLED. Sheriff Pernell was held in high regard and often praised for his hard work and dedication as a law enforcement officer, and he received several commendations for his excellent work.
After two unsuccessful runs for sheriff, he was successfully elected as Dillon County’s first African American Sheriff in 2020, where he was also the first African American to win a county-wide office. He worked diligently to serve everyone in Dillon County and provide exemplary law enforcement service to the county. In a short time, he accomplished a great deal in helping everyone in Dillon County. He was the “People’s Sheriff.”
Preceding him in death were his parents; son, Jamison; two brothers, Tommie Pernell and James Pernell; and one sister, Annie Pernell Hodges.
Sheriff Pernell will be remembered and forever loved by his wife of 33 years, two children, Bryan of Columbia, SC, and Kobe of the home; one grandson, Douglas Bryan Pernell, III; five sisters, Deloise Harley, Linda Bethea, Carolyn (Ronnie) Williams, and Joyce Pernell, all from Dillon, and Barbara Campbell of Fuquay-Varina, NC; three brothers, Preston (Evonne) Pernell, Jr., Roger Pernell, and Johnnie Pernell, all from Dillon; in-laws, James McAllister of Florence, Edward (Betty) Graham of Red Springs, NC, Robert Anthony (Linda) McAllister, all from Dillon, and Christopher (Elizabeth) McAllister of Timmonsville; one godson, Ternell Hough; three goddaughters, Tempestt Hough, Nikita Smutherman McGhee, and Jamya Bethea; one aunt, Sally Winslow of Rowland, NC; one uncle, William Graham of Fairmont, NC; all of his church family, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
The funeral service for Sheriff Pernell will be held on Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, SC. The public viewing will be on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 12:00 noon – 7:00 p.m. at Manning Baptist Church, Dillon. Sheriff Pernell passed away on Monday, August 7, 2023, at his residence. Bartell Funeral Home, LLC of Dillon is in charge of these arrangements. The family is receiving friends at 1100 Tynes Street, Dillon, SC 29536.