Michael Francis Golden, Sr.

We write with heartbreak and sadness that Michael Francis Golden, Sr., age 69, passed away on June 4, 2023 in his home in Charleston, SC.

Mike was born on April 29, 1954 to the late Rita and Frank Golden in Philadelphia, PA. On July 15, 1978, he married the love of his life, Eileen White. Together they shared 44 years of marriage.

Mike earned a bachelor's degree from Penn State University and an MBA from Emory University. He had a gifted mind for marketing strategy and business growth that served him well in his early roles as Vice President and President of Sales at Black & Decker and later at Stanley Works. Mike also brought his natural leadership style to his various executive positions at the Kohler Company. His greatest professional challenge and success came with the opportunity to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of Smith & Wesson. He connected with and cared for every employee in his company. He saw the value and potential in each person he met and treated all with kindness and respect. After retirement, he continued to serve as a leader and board member at Smith & Wesson and Trex Company.

Throughout the many steps in his career, Mike ensured that family always came first. His greatest joy was being a husband, a father, and eventually, a Pop Pop. He loved and supported his family unconditionally. Mike wanted nothing more than to see those around him succeed, and for him that meant doing everything he could to help. His devotion to others and outgoing nature meant that he developed deep and lasting friendships everywhere he went. A devout Catholic his entire life, Mike delighted in serving as an usher to his local church, greeting everyone with a kind word and a warm smile. He never missed an opportunity to care for his immediate loved ones or larger community. Mike spent his retirement enjoying his Daniel Island community, traveling the world with his wife, and visiting his children, grandchildren, and cherished friends. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends and remembered fondly by all who knew him.

Mike is survived by his best friend and beloved wife, Eileen Golden; his two daughters Lauren and Katie; his son and daughter–in–law, Michael and Mary Beth, and their children Charlie and Lucy; his three sisters Mary Jane Rodini, Kathy Hall, and Susan Russo; and his brother Richard Golden. 

The Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, June 9, 2023 at 1:00 pm at Saint Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, at 990 Etiwan Park St, Daniel Island, SC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Clare of Assisi building fund or the MUSC Internal Medicine Department. 

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/obituaries/mike-golden.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation Mount Pleasant, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464; 843-884-3833.