Michael Smith

Michael Duane Smith, Sr. was born April 29, 1958 in Spartanburg, SC to the parents of RW & Illustrious Brother Donald L. and Patricia Tucker Smith.  He grew up in the small town of Landrum, SC, graduating with honors from Landrum High School. In 1981, he graduated from the University of South Carolina – Upstate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife, Lynn Gilliam Smith; sons, Michael Duane Smith, Jr. (Monica) and Christopher James Smith (Nicole) both of Inman, SC; his parents, Donald and Patricia Smith, of Landrum, SC; a sister, Kelley Smith Cash (Kelly) of Landrum, SC; a niece, Sarah Tate (Cory) of Clemson and two nephews, Brian Cash of Greenville, SC and Andrew Cash of Clemson. He was pre-deceased by a sister, Vicki Newman.

Michael began his current career with Milliken and Company in 1980 with the Research Division of Milliken and served as Global Sales Manager with the Chemical Division.

Mike served as a Trustee of the Spartanburg District One School Board for 12 years and served as Chairman of the Board 2009 and 2010. He served as Personnel Committee Chairman and was Chairman of the local School Bond Referendum for the District leading to passage of a $67 Million Building Program without a tax increase required to build two new State of the Art High Schools.  In 2019, Brother Mike received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, from Governor Henry McMaster.

Brother Mike was raised a Master Mason in September 1979 in Landrum Lodge #278 and has served as Worshipful Master in 1987, Third Degree Lecturer and Co-Chairman of the Golf Tournament Committee for over 35 years. During his year as Worshipful Master, the Lodge began our Community Service Programs that continue today which include the Landrum High School Americanism Award and Scholarship Program, Charitable Support for Community Police, Fire and Rescue, Youth Sports Teams and Annual Worshipful Masters Special Project.  Mike and Lynn served together as Past Worthy Matron and Patron and are current members of the Inman Chapter #169 of the Order of Eastern Star.  In 1997, MW & Illustrious D. Samuel Tennyson, Sr. appointed Brother Mike as the District Deputy Grand Master of the 20th Masonic District.  He has served on the Grand Lodge Finance Committee, Masonic Education Committee, and the Committee of Fraternal Relations.  In 2004, Mike was presented the Albert Gallatin Mackey Medal by Illustrious and Most Worshipful Jack A. Marler, the highest honor that can be presented by the Grand Master in South Carolina. In 2016, Brother Mike was named as Grand Representative to Italy.

Brother Mike was elected to serve the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons in South Carolina as Junior Grand Warden on April 26, 2013 and elected to serve as Senior Grand Warden on April 24, 2015. Brother Mike was elected and served a Grand Master of Masons in SC, 2017 – 2019.  Brother Mike served the Grand Lodge as Chairman of the Appeals and Grievances Committee, Fraternal Relations Committee, and a member of the Jurisprudence Committee, Works and Ceremonies Committee and Charters and Dispensations Committee.

He was an active in numerous Appendant Bodies of Freemasonry.  He was a member of the Royal Order of Scotland, a member of Chicora Chapter #33 Royal Arch Masons, Blake Council #19 Royal and Select Masters, and Spartanburg Commandery #3 Knights Templar in Spartanburg, Palmetto York Rite College #70, Super Excellent Master of Aiken Council #23 and Samuel H. J. Womack Council #20 Knight Masons.  Mike is also a member of the Carolina Conclave of the Red Cross of Constantine. Mike was elected as a member of the South Carolina College of Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. He is a member of the Spartan Chapter #153 Allied Masonic Degrees and South Carolina Masonic Research Society.  Member of Palmetto Forest #208 Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Legion of Honor Member of Palmetto DeMolay Association, Executive Class Three Officer and Deputy of DeMolay International, Member in Perpetuity in National Order of Sojourners at Fort Jackson #184 and John Sevier Chapter #548 and Fort Jackson Camp of Heroes of ’76. Mike is a member of Hejaz Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

In 1982 Mike joined the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Valleys of Spartanburg and Greenville.  He served as Wise Master and Venerable Master in Spartanburg and also served as Class Director, Staging and Properties Director and Director of Work.  Mike was invested with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1989 and was Coroneted 33° Inspector General Honorary in 1999.  He was selected to serve on the 2001 Bicentennial Biennial KCCH Investiture Team which was held in Charleston, SC.   In 2002, the Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleincknecht, appointed Mike as Deputy of the Supreme Council in South Carolina, at the age of 44. In 2003, he was elected as the Sovereign Grand Inspector General in South Carolina by the Supreme Council in Washington, DC.   He served as Grand Master of Ceremonies for the Supreme Council, Chairman of the Ritual and Ceremonies Committee, Fraternal Relations Committee and has served on the Strategic Planning Committee. He also served as the Representative to the Supreme Council of Italy and Australia.  He was elected Lieutenant Grand Commander of the Supreme Council in 2019.  In 2003, Mike was elected Chairman of the Scottish Rite Foundation of South Carolina, Inc., which operates three Rite Care Clinics in Greenville, Columbia and Charleston.  These facilities provide treatment of childhood language disorders for preschool aged children.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 PM until 1:45 PM, Friday, November 19, 2021, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29307.  The Funeral Service will begin at 2:00 PM in the Chapel with Grand Chaplain Brother Robert Nix, officiating.  Interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Road, Spartanburg, SC 29307, with Masonic Rites conducted by the Officers and Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina and Landrum Lodge No. 278 AFM.

Please follow Covid-19 regulations with masks and social distancing.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Scottish Rite Foundation of SC, P.O. Box 30006, Charleston, SC, 29417.  Include “In memory of Michael Duane Smith” on donation.

Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel