Michael Robert Mcmahon

Michael “Mike” Robert McMahon, age 70, of Harrisburg, passed away at his home in Harrisburg on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 13, 2023, at Spirit of Peace United Church of Christ in Sioux Falls. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM on Thursday, January 12 at Spirit of Peace.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry or the Harrisburg Community Fire Department. The City of Harrisburg has established a memorial for a plaque and tree planting in remembrance of Mike. Contributions may be sent to the City of Harrisburg, 301 E Willow St, Harrisburg, SD 57032.

On August 17, 1952, Mike was born at the Rapid City Army Air Base to Bob and Carol McMahon. Over the years, Mike was a devoted brother to his younger brother and five younger sisters. His proudest moment growing up was in his senior year of high school, when his mother went into labor with his youngest sister, Karen. Bob was not able to get home for the birth, so Mike went right into action, driving his mother and Karen to the hospital.

Despite the excitement, Mike graduated from Tri Valley High School in 1970. He went straight from high school to serve in the Marines, in the 9 ^th Corps, 2 ^nd Radio Battalion, until 1973. He was stationed in North Carolina, California, and Cuba. After being honorably discharged, he continued to serve as reservist for the Air Force until 1976. He moved to Brookings to study at South Dakota State University while he worked for Chicago Northwestern Railroad. On the day of his 22 ^nd birthday, Mike met Lois Graves, the love of his life. They were married in the Brookings courthouse on a sunny day three months later: December 2, 1974. Mike and Lois remained together for the rest of his life, and raised two wonderful children and several amusing cats.

Mike and Lois started a small business, a credit bureau, and took this business on the road to Rapid City in October 1985. From here, Mike began a career working different community and drainage planning jobs, starting with the Rapid City government. In the following two decades, he also served the communities of Custer and Box Elder.  During this time, he also organized rural water subscribers in the southern Black Hills and he worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with campaigns assisting citizens who had endured tornadoes in Pine Ridge and Spencer and flooding around Aberdeen.

Mike returned to school and completed his bachelor’s degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in May of 1992, and while enrolled in master’s studies wrote a book on stormwater management.  He also took vocational classes in woodworking at Western Dakota Tech, and applied this skill to the construction of fine cabinets and fixtures for the bathroom.

In 2012, Mike assumed his ultimate position as the planning and zoning administrator for the city of Harrisburg.  He cared deeply for his co-workers at the City of Harrisburg, with whom he worked tirelessly to build a loving and equitable community that is home to many thousands of new residents.

Mike was preceded in passing by his parents, Bob and Carol; his parents-in-law; his brother-in-law David Graves; sisters: Barb McMahon and Karen Mathieu; and many more loving aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife, Lois McMahon; children: Robert McMahon and Angela (Andrew Meyer) McMahon; Angela and Andrew’s cats, Waffles and Ashe; brother, Greg McMahon; sisters: Linda (Steve Towery) McMahon, Lori (Morris) Wegehaupt, Mary Jo McMahon; aunts: Darlene McMahon and Wanda Young; sister-in-laws: Mylene (Michael) Salter and Marcia Graves; brother-in-law Lester Mathieu, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.