An Upstate native known for spending decades on South Carolina Public Television has died at the age of 78.
Rudy Mancke died surrounded by his family Tuesday after a battle with liver disease. Mancke was a Spartanburg native and co-hosted the TV program Nature Scene from 1978 until 2002. The show highlighted various types of plants and wildlife from around the state.
Manke was also a Resident Naturalist at the University Of South Carolina, served as Curator Of Natural History at The State Museum and was a graduate of Wofford College.