Michael Tennyson McMahan, 81, of Taylors passed away peacefully on May 7, 2026.

Born on December 7, 1944, in Charlotte, North Carolina, he spent most of his life in Greenville, South Carolina, where he and his wife Carole started and raised their family.

Over the course of his life, he managed to fit in enough careers for several people. He served in the United States Air Force, was stationed at RAF Croughton in England where he met his wife of 60 years, Carole, and they were married in her 12th century village church in Paulerspury, England. He later became an entrepreneur long before “startup founder” was fashionable. Among his ventures was a company designing DOS-based software back when computers required actual patience and floppy disks.

Michael also worked as an insurance adjuster, traveling across the country to assist in the aftermath of major catastrophes, and never quite stopped debating claims long after retirement.

A proud Mason, Mike was a member of Pelham Masonic Lodge 423. He was also a weekly regular at Harvey’s Family Restaurant, where he enjoyed good food and familiar faces.

When he wasn’t working, Michael enjoyed the finer things in life: fishing by a lake, watching Judge Judy deliver justice in under 22 minutes, following the chaos of Cops and Live PD, leaving notes for his family to wake up to, and tackling sudoku puzzles with determined intensity. He appreciated routine and a good television lineup, and he loved his family deeply.

He was preceded in death by his father, Tennyson McMahan, and his mother, Mary Elizabeth Eller McMahan.

He is survived by his wife, Carole; his daughters, Kerri Flowers (Ray) and Ashley McMahan; his grandchildren, McMahan Faulds, Davis Faulds, C. A. Flowers, and Dale Flowers; his sister, Ramona Hinkle (Harry); as well as his little brother in all but name, Phil Thomas. He leaves behind a family who will miss his intelligence, humor, stories, and unmistakable personality.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you solve a sudoku puzzle, watch a little Judge Judy, tell those close to you that you love them, and argue confidently about something you may or may not actually know much about — in Mike’s honor.

A Service of Resurrection will be held at 2:30pm on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 200 Cannon Street in Greer, South Carolina officiated by Reverend Leslie Ferguson Horvath. Interment in the Church Rose Garden with Military Honors will follow the service and a reception in the Parish Hall will be held directly afterwards.

Memorials may be made to The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 200 Cannon Street, Greer, South Carolina 29651.