Maryan Caughman-May, 91, business owner was active in church
August 12, 2022
Maryan Roberts Caughman-May of Murrells Inlet died Aug. 12 at her home surrounded by her daughters and her caregiver. She was 91.
She was born Maryan Alice Roberts on March 13, 1931, in Columbia, the daughter of Walter J. Roberts and Edna Morris Roberts. She graduated from Dreher High School and attended nursing school before marrying Milburn G. Caughman Jr. in 1951. In 1956, with their three little girls, they moved to Garden City Beach, where Maryan helped establish and operate Garden City Grocery, the Mermaid Shop and Garden City Gift and Tackle Shop. She and Mr. Caughman ran the Garden City Pier for several years. She also operated the Garden City Post Office inside her gift shop for several years.
During this time, Mr. Caughman owned and operated sports fishing boats out of Garden City and Murrells Inlet, and made seasonal trips to South Florida and the Bahamas to fish, with Maryan often accompanying him as first mate. A happy memory for the family was boating down the Intracoastal Waterway from Garden City to Fort Pierce, Fla., on the Albacore II.
Maryan was active in Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir – often as a soloist – and helped launch the Belin Barbecue and Christmas Bazaar. She was the first chairwoman of the administrative board.
In the late 1960s, Maryan began working one day a week in Brookgreen Gardens, where she welcomed visitors from all over the world, sharing information about its history, garden layout, sculpture collection, sculptors and the entire creative process. She often said it was her favorite job.
She excelled at crafts such as ceramics and flower arranging, and later became certified in interior design. She sewed beautifully, from stylish outfits for herself to school clothes, cheerleader uniforms, prom and bridesmaid dresses, even a wedding gown. She also crafted home decor items. Maryan also had quite a green thumb, creating lovely Southern landscapes wherever she lived.
When Mr. Caughman joined Jeff Hunt Machinery Co. as a private boat captain, the couple moved back to Columbia. Maryan began work at The Frame Shop, where she mastered picture framing and became a specialist in stretching, mounting and framing needlework.
In the mid-1970s, the Caughmans bought out one of the Frame Shop locations and opened Frames by Maryan near Irmo. Maryan established business relationships with many well-known artists while building a loyal clientele across the state. She became active and sang in the choir at Ashland Methodist Church, and in her spare time enjoyed gardening and antiquing.
After Mr. Caughman’s death, Maryan continued running the frame shop before finally deciding to retire and move back to the beach.
She built a home in Murrells Inlet and returned to Belin, where she met Ed May. To the delight of her family and his, they married in 2006. Together, they enjoyed church activities, dining out with friends, family get-togethers, gardening, travel and watching Braves baseball, Duke basketball, the Gamecocks, along with golf, tennis and other sports.
Mr. May died in July.
Maryan was remembered as a true beauty inside and out. She loved to laugh and make others laugh, and awoke every morning with a smile on her face and in her heart. She was passionate about God, her church, her family, reading, history, wildlife art and birding.
She is survived by her daughters Sheron Pope (Johnny), Debbie Carter (Paul) and Holley Aufdemorte (Lewis); her step-sons, Eddie May (Dora) and Kevin May; her granddaughters, Jennifer Berzinskas (Billie), Caroline Aufdemorte and Shannon Stinnett (Joey); her grandson, Shane Pope (Holt); her step-grandsons, Cody May (Hanna) and Garrett May; her step-granddaughter, Alex May; her great-grandchildren, Dakota and Daniel Berzinskas, Madison and Hannah Pope and Grant and Paisley Stinnett; her step-great-grandsons, Riley, Tyler and Conor May; a special cousin, Gale Westfall; her caregivers, Rita Lowery and Ashley Lowery; many other cousins, nephews and nieces; and Annabel, her and Ed’s Westie.
Her brother, Dr. Walter J. Roberts, and her sister, Jacqueline R. Smith, died before her, as did another great-grandson, Samuel “Stone” Pope.
A celebration of her life will be held at noon on Friday at Burroughs Funeral Home with interment following in Belin Memorial UMC Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to Epworth Children’s Home, P.O. Box 50466, Columbia, SC 29250 (epworthchildrenshome.org) or to Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, 4182 Business 17, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.
