Wooten is S.C. Coroner of the Year

Charleston County Coroner Rae H. Wooten has been named 2012 Coroner of the Year by the South Carolina Coroner’s Association.

“We asked for nominations for the Coroner who is proactive in their service to their county, tireless in their training and leadership for their office and employees and exemplifies our definition of the best coroner,” said Rusty Clevenger, Coroner of Spartanburg, who serves as President Elect of the S.C. Coroner’s Association.

“We are proud of Rae and the example she sets for other coroners to emulate. I can speak personally for Coroner Wooten’s willingness to help any other coroner in the state.”

Wooten said she is humbled by the honor.

“I was totally surprised and so honored to be voted Coroner of the Year,” Wooten said. “I feel privileged to serve the citizens of Charleston County and alongside the other coroners of South Carolina.”

Wooten was appointed Charleston County Coroner in 2006 and then was elected to the position in 2008. She on the ballot in November without opposition. She hold a bachelors in nursing degree from USC and worked in various medical settings before joining the coroner's staff in 1995.

The Charleston County Coroner's Office conducts independent investigations of deaths in Charleston County, serving as a representative of the decedents and survivors. The investigation's purpose is to determine the manner of death and ensure that the circumstances surrounding it are thoroughly understood.

This isn’t the first time the association recognized Wooten. She received the Sue Townsend Award in 2010 for her commitment to the advancement of the S.C. Coroner’s Association and coroners throughout the state through her tenacity and the pursuit of excellence.