Michael Radcliffe

Michael Thomas Radcliffe, loving father of three and grandfather of seven, passed away May 29, 2021 at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.  He is survived by his life partner, Beth Jarvis; his ex-wife Shelley Radcliffe  and their children, Paul Radcliffe (Dottie, San Francisco), Matt Radcliffe (Amy, Dublin) and Carrie Arrington (Jud, Bexley); his seven grandchildren, Lian and Nico Radcliffe, Finn and Samuel Radcliffe, and Joseph, Catherine and Chesney Arrington. He is also survived by his two sisters, Sharon Polley (George, Cincinnati) and Maureen George (Jim, Cincinnati) as well as his nieces and nephews. At the young age of 19 Michael lost his father, Paul Radcliffe and later in life his mother, Ruth Radcliffe and sister, Katherine Cave (husband, Gill).

Michael was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a child he was an Eagle Scout and active in drama and debate club.  He graduated from Bishop Watterson High School and went on to earn a B.A. at the University of Chicago (graduating Phi Beta Kappa) and a J.D. from Harvard Law School (graduating cum laude).  He was a partner and chairman of the tax department at Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur before founding DEC, Inc., a real estate investment firm.

Michael had a passion for sports and was a lifelong Buckeye.  He was an endowment member of the Schottenstein Center where he held courtside seats for buckeye basketball games.  He attended every Ohio State football National Championship game.  He helped to bring the Crew to Columbus and for many years was a minority owner.  He enjoyed hosting his family and friends at the Memorial Golf Tournament in Muirfield where he built his home and lived for 40 years.   

He was a champion for women.  At Porter Wright he hired the first female associate attorney at the firm.  He served as board member and later President of the Board of Trustees at Columbus School for Girls.  He founded the area’s first all female club soccer program, the Ohio Premier, which lives on today as a coed soccer club for all ages. 

He was a patron of the arts and served as President of the Ohio Arts Council and as a board member at the Columbus Museum of Art.

Michael was thoughtful, studious and had a great sense of humor.  He had a unique ability to make you laugh if you were feeling down.  He was incredibly selfless and generous and quick to donate to charities or help out an individual in need.  He was a cat lover and his home was a sanctuary to dozens of cats over the years, including Rocky and Sunny who were his constant companions in his final days along with Beth’s dog, Ira.  He loved playing loud music, pushing himself daily on the stairmaster and debating politics. He traveled extensively and in his later years his favorite destinations were the Bahamas and Las Vegas, where he often played in the World Series of Poker.    

There will be a gathering of friends at JERRY SPEARS FUNERAL HOME of HILLIARD, 5471 Frazell Rd., Sunday, June 13, 2021 from 2-4 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Mike’s name to the Capital Area Humane Society. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.