Dr. Jeffrey Joseph McMillan Sr.

Dr. Jeffrey Joseph McMillan Sr. passed away peacefully in his home in Anderson, South Carolina on Good Friday, April 3rd, 2026 at the age of sixty-five.

Jeffrey McMillan was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was the fifth child of the late Edward deLaune McMillan and Ruth (né Falcon) McMillan. He graduated from Belaire High School, where he played on the varsity baseball team. A lifelong learner who spent his childhood and young adulthood in Louisiana before later embracing South Carolina as his home state, Dr. Jeffrey McMillan was proud to have earned both his undergraduate and M.B.A. degrees from Louisiana State University. In 1985, he met the love of his life, Kerri DiCarlo, at a Mardi Gras parade. He only had a business card for her bank, so he called every day over the next week to catch up with her again, and six months later they were engaged. They married that same year at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Together, they moved to South Carolina to pursue advanced degrees (for Jeffrey, this meant earning the title of Dr. McMillan with a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of South Carolina) before ultimately becoming colleagues together in the Clemson College of Business for the remainder of his career.

Dr. Jeffrey McMillan taught at Clemson University for thirty-five years, thoughtfully educating both undergraduate and graduate students, including his own children, while continuing to conduct research and publish in his field. He passionately served Clemson student organizations as an advisor, and he served the full Clemson community by working together with others across the University on academic and institutional committees. Professor McMillan had a deep love of Clemson for everyone he worked with: both his students and his colleagues. It was a point of pride for him that two of his children, Madeleine and Grant, have also become professors in their own fields. Known for giving advice to anyone in need of it and always being ready to welcome others to the Clemson community, Professor McMillan will be long remembered both for how generously he respected others with his time and attention, and also for how he truly loved to talk to those around him.

Away from work, Jeffrey, better known as PaPa, was devoted to his family, and his favorite teams, sharing his love of sports with his wife, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Together, they frequently attended Clemson University and other regional team sporting events, including many football, soccer, and basketball games and countless tennis matches—rain, shine, or thunderstorm. Coach McMillan taught all three of his children how to throw a baseball and loved being involved in their little league teams every year. Once, he even tore his rotator cuff demonstrating how to dive for a fly ball; however this injury did not sideline him for long, and he was able to make a full recovery in time for the next season.

PaPa Jeffrey always took his family with him wherever he went. Every summer he expertly packed the car with everyone’s bags while making sure to leave enough space for the family dog, Oreo, as they traveled together to Louisiana to visit relatives. Later, they started their own tradition of visiting the Isle of Palms on the coast of South Carolina. He even made sure to shape his travel plans for his own research and conference presentations so that his family could attend with him. Together, his wife and children fondly recall trips to major cities including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and even Honolulu—PaPa Jeffrey was particularly proud that Jeffrey Jr. embraced these adventurous lessons and has traveled to 30 countries and 45 states so far. Later, as his children moved to states all across the country, PaPa Jeffrey made time to visit them in North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and even North Dakota. He loved to experience new things in the company of the family he and Kerri were blessed to grow together. He cherished time with his family greatly.

At home, he understood the importance of caring for people and things, and he was always looking for a new home project to do as he carefully maintained the family yard and home, as well as their boat on the lake so that he could be sure of supporting their active lives at any time. He loved that he was able to provide a home with a lake and a forest for his children to grow up in. PaPa Jeffrey was beloved by his family. He gladly embraced the things they each loved so he could understand them better, including learning how to play disc golf from the children he once taught how to throw a ball. Other times, he discovered new passions of his own, such as maintaining a bird feeder which he dutifully kept full so that his two grandchildren could watch their feathered guests with him. PaPa Jeffrey enjoyed tracking down the best locally-grown fruit from different farmstands throughout the countryside, active time swimming or navigating the boat with family on the lake, and testing new recipes and kitchen gadgets. Most of all, he was proud of his three children, to whom he was devoted. He was a wonderful example to those he loved, every day.

Dr. Jeffrey McMillan was a long-time active member of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Clemson, sharing his faith and commitment to God with his family and friends. He will be greatly missed by his community, and his warm memory will be forever a blessing to those who knew him.

He leaves behind his adoring wife of forty years, Kerri McMillan; his children, Jeffrey Joseph McMillan Jr. of Anderson, South Carolina, Dr. Madeleine (né McMillan) Bolick (Perry) of Greenville, South Carolina, and Dr. Grant McMillan (Shilo) of Grand Forks, North Dakota; his two grandchildren, for whom he was overjoyed to retrieve toys long stored in the attic; his sister Sheryle (né McMillan) Bonin (Patrick) and brothers Richard McMillan (Connie) and Todd McMillan; his mother-in-law Grace (né Kelty) DiCarlo; his brother-in-law Don “P” DiCarlo (Connie) and his sister-in-law Tracy McMillan; the family dog, DoubleStuff; and many other loving family, and friends, who will dearly miss him. In addition to his own parents, he is preceded into Heaven by his brothers Edward McMillan Jr. and Kirk McMillan as well as his father-in-law Salvadore DiCarlo, along with other friends and family with whom we believe Jeffrey is now avidly catching a game or cooking up a cajun meal.

A Funeral Mass starting at 11am will be held on Friday, April 10th, 2026 at St. Andrew Catholic Church (209 Sloan St, Clemson, SC 29631), with a celebration of life luncheon to follow from 12pm - 2pm. Everyone who knew, respected, and loved Dr. Jeffrey McMillan is welcome to attend, visit with the family, and share in his memory. A private burial will be held at Memory Gardens in Clemson, South Carolina, across the way from the first home to which he and his wife brought their three children directly after their births.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to support Clemson students through the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business General Scholarship Endowment fund, or to St. Andrew Catholic Church’s Emergency Fund to support those in need.

Visit RobinsonFuneralHomes.com or Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home & Cremations, Central-Clemson Commons.