Clifford McGaughey

Clifford Holmes McGaughey Jr., 85, of Snows Mill Road, Monroe, died at home on June 30, 2026.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church, 999 Bethel Church Road, Monroe, Ga., with reception to follow in the church fellowship hall.

He was born March 28, 1941, the son of Clifford Holmes McGaughey Sr. and Elizabeth Barnes McGaughey, in Atlanta. He grew up in College Park, attending public school until convincing his parents to enroll him in Georgia Military Academy, where he graduated in 1958 with honors.

From GMA, he enrolled in the University of Georgia with the plan to play football and become a veterinarian. He managed to make the Bulldogs' JV squad, but that was the pinnacle of his football career. His height may have kept him from making the varsity squad, but his love of football and the University of Georgia never stopped growing. He graduated with a degree in biology and then enrolled at Emory University to complete his premed requirements before beginning his unfinished doctorate degree. During that time, he said he learned everything a person could want to know about fruit flies and that he hated sheep.

He became a businessman, taking over his father's sporting goods business, Reeder & McGaughey, in the 1970s. He rarely met a strangerand enjoyed the relationships built among college, high school and recreation department coaches and athletic directors across the state. When he sold the company in the 1990s, he had a Rolodex most sports fans in the Southeast would covet. 

His love of knowledge also never waned. Although he never became a vet, he attained multiple postgraduate degrees from UGA, Georgia State University and, much later in life, Piedmont College.

He returned to school to earn a teaching certificate and master's degree in education and, in 1997 at age 56, began his second career as a high school teacher. He taught at Georgia Military College, Gatewood Academy, Greene County High School and Monroe-Area Comprehensive High School, where he finished his full-time teaching career. 

In retirement, he enjoyed spending time with the love of his life to whom he was married for 57 years and his grandchildren. He never voluntarily missed a Georgia Bulldogs football game on TV — even re-broadcasts — and savored the same views across the pastures his great-grandfather and father did.

He was predeceased by his both of his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Smith McGaughey, of the home; a sister, Ruth Albertine "Tina" Tate; two sons, Clifford Holmes McGaughey III and his wife, Susanne, and John Christopher McGaughey; grandchildren Josiah and wife Ciera, Kaitlin, Caleb, Shannon, Daniel and Jonas McGaughey and Erin Ashberry and husband Clay; great-grandson Juddson; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give special thanks to the nurses and therapists with St. Mary's Home Health, specifically Kimberli and Lori, and later St. Mary's Hospice for their care as he battled — and won — several health problems during the last five years. Without them, he would not have been able to enjoy watching and re-watching UGA win a couple of National Championships.

As he would say, "Go Dawgs! Sic 'em."

Lord & Stephens Funeral Home in Watkinsville is handling arrangements.