Remembering Con Eargle

Remembering

Con Eargle

June 27, 1943 – August 6, 2021

Everybody who knew Con Eargle liked him.  And just about everybody in the industry knew Con.

As co-owner and instructor for the SC Manufactured Housing Academy (SCMHA,) he taught over 5000 people who were working toward getting a license as a retail dealer or salesperson. 

Each professional who entered the industry from 2005 through 2020 spent a day with Con and Bruce Kelly learning about the laws and regulations that governed the industry.

 The two originally opened SCMHA as a school for management and sales training.  Recognizing the quality of their course, the state made the school an official part of the licensing process, with information for retailers on topics ranging from sales tax, to the handling of fund to transportation requirements.

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Everybody who knew Con Eargle liked him.  And just about everybody in the industry knew Con.

As co-owner and instructor for the SC Manufactured Housing Academy (SCMHA), he taught over 5000 people who were working toward getting a license as a retail dealer or salesperson. 

Each professional who entered the industry from 2005 through 2020 spent a day with Con and Bruce Kelly learning about the laws and regulations that governed the industry.

The two originally opened SCMHA as a school for sales training and test preparation.  Recognizing the quality of their course, the state made the school an official part of the licensing process, with information for retailers on topics ranging from sales tax, to the handling of fund to transportation requirements.

The class was fun.  Con and Bruce threw in a lot of humor and developed a Johnny Carson / Ed McMahon type of patter.

Con Eargle 2 (33) - Copy

Everybody who knew Con Eargle liked him.  And just about everybody in the industry knew Con.

As co-owner and instructor for the SC Manufactured Housing Academy (SCMHA), he taught over 5000 people who were working toward getting a license as a retail dealer or salesperson. 

Each professional who entered the industry from 2005 through 2020 spent a day with Con and Bruce Kelly learning about the laws and regulations that governed the industry.

The two originally opened SCMHA as a school for sales training and test preparation.  Recognizing the quality of their course, the state made the school an official part of the licensing process, with information for retailers on topics ranging from sales tax, to the handling of fund to transportation requirements.

The class was fun.  Con and Bruce threw in a lot of humor and developed a Johnny Carson / Ed McMahon type of patter.

A Deep Impact on the Industry

The class also had a deep impact on the industry.  Con and Bruce put an emphasis on ethics and proper business practices.  An entire generation of manufactured housing professionals were exposed to the right way to do business.

Con had had his share of health problems in recent years but he stayed as active as he could.  He had gone for a walk when he fell and hit his head.  He never regained consciousness and died a few hours later.

Mr. Eargle’s father was a train engineer but the family lived in very modest circumstances.   His father died when the children were very young.

Con served in the Air Force from 1961 to 1965. He was an electronics warfare officer on B-52s and took part in Operation Rolling Thunder during the early years of Vietnam. His service is an important part of his life. He will be interred with military honors.

He worked as a producer for WIS-TV and won a Peabody, the national award for quality television programming. He was a wine expert and could conduct a very informative beverage tasting session.

Mr. Eargle was pre-deceased by his wife Christine. His son Jeff lives in Columbia and is on the faculty at USC.

Con was introduced to the MH industry while working for a company that was a major lender for Clayton Homes.  He and Bruce Kelly first worked together at the Mascot Homes retail center in West Columbia. They both served as Midlands Chapter Officers.   They had a total of over 50 years of retail experience when they partnered to open the SC Manufactured Home Academy. They had plenty of interesting stories to tell about earlier days in the industry. 

“I’m blind and Bruce can’t hear, so together we added up to one instructor.”

Con appreciated people who had a good sense of humor and had an endearing way of repeating the punchline when he liked someone’s quip.

The two enjoyed teaching the class but around 2019 they recognized it was time to retire.  Con put it this way, “I’m blind and Bruce can’t hear, so together we added up to one instructor.”

Con and his partner were keen to find a successor who would preserve the quality and emphasis on ethics that was central to the course.  They found that person in Joanne Polston who took over the class in 2020 when they retired.  The two took pains to give Joanne all the material and assistance she needed to launch a good program. They co-taught the class with her as she learned the ropes. 

After Con and Bruce retired I started joining them and Bruce’s wife Mary for lunch.  I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to enjoy Con’s humor and good-natured kindness right up until the end of his successful and productive life.

Arrangements

Mr. Eargle will be interred with military honors at Fort Jackson in Columbia. The service will probably be held in September. MHISC will post details when a date is set.