Minor Franklin Cauthen

The funeral service for Minor Franklin Cauthen, 93, of Columbia, will be held at Shandon Baptist Church on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. The family will receive friends at 2:30 p.m. in the chapel of the church. Burial will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in Grandview Memorial Park in Rock Hill, SC with US Army Military Honors. Mr. Cauthen was born in Columbia on June 28, 1930, and departed this life on May 9, 2024. He was the son of the late Minor Columbus Cauthen and Edna McLean Cauthen. He attended Rock Hill High School and graduated from Clemson University in 1953. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer and proudly served his country as a platoon leader of combat engineers, receiving the National Defense Service Medal. Born at the outset of the Depression, he lost his own father at an early age and developed strong characteristics that would carry him through life, including self-reliance, courage, loyalty, determination, resilience, ingenuity, and strong work ethic. Minor (Buddy to his family) worked in the textile industry as a manager and eventually became the plant manager at several different facilities. With Fiber Industries, Inc., he was tasked with starting up manufacturing operations in a number of countries in South America and Central America, in addition to Mexico. Minor and his wife lived in numerous cities over the years as related to his work, including Rock Hill, SC, Shelby, NC, Salisbury, NC, Spartanburg, SC, North Augusta, SC, Johnson City, TN and Rome, GA. As an employer, he had many loyal employees who were fond of him for his leadership and generosity. Minor liked wood working and could fix about anything. Even in his later years, he loved having a good cigar on his back porch, often while watching sports on TV in the company of his son, John, who cared for him for several years. He had many special dogs throughout his life who brought him a lot of joy, including Andre, Max, Lady, Maggie, and Mitzie. He also loved to travel, dining out, football, music and the Clemson Tigers; but most of all he loved his Lord and Savior and his family. He and his wife, Alma, were active members in the Baptist Church in each city they lived in, including Shandon Baptist, with Alma singing in the choir in each location. Survivors include his sons, Mark D. Cauthen and his wife, Katie; David E. Cauthen and John F. Cauthen; and his grandson, Jake Cauthen, along with multiple nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Alma D. Cauthen; and his sisters, Gertrude Dennis of Lancaster, SC, Anne Ellis of Kingstree, SC and half-brother Marx Cauthen of Miami, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends consider a gift to Shandon Baptist Church.