Mike Venable

On December 26, Mike Venable put down his pen and put his final edition to bed.

John Michael Venable of Seale, Alabama, was born in Columbus, Georgia, January 2, 1953, to John and Ann Venable. He graduated from Hardaway High School and attended Columbus College.

Following a brief sales career at AFLAC, he had a long career in newspapers with positions in advertising at the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the Wichita Eagle and the Huntsville Times.

In 1995, he married his best friend Jill Tigner at a surprise wedding at the Old Russell County Courthouse in Seale and they purchased The Phenix Citizen newspaper. As struggling newlyweds their venture into publishing helped strengthen marital bonds and enabled them to create an enduring business partnership. They learned to balance reporting, editing and ad sales responsibilities and after seven years they successfully grew circulation and advertising and sold The Citizen.

Their next venture was the acquisition of Columbus and the Valley magazine in 2000. Mike delighted in being a cheerleader for the Chattahoochee Valley. He and Jill could be found most days and nights covering events from black-tie charity galas to rodeos, from government meetings to groundbreakings. He loved telling the stories of their neighbors and hometown. Expanding on that, the couple started Valley Parent magazine and published their magazines for 23 years until they sold them and retired in 2023.

For 28 years, Mike and Jill worked side-by-side in their loving partnership juggling the demands of a job in the media and rearing four sons. But of all the roles Mike played, grandfather was the one he desperately wanted. His fear of leaving us before he got to be called “G-Pop” was put aside with the births of Milo, Finn and Clara and he relished the part.

Doug Gillett, a young journalist that Mike and Jill mentored, penned a bio of their careers published by the new owners of Columbus and the Valley, in the July- August 2023 issue. You can access it online.

https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/ja23cvm

Mike’s business and personal life was filled with a long list of friends, associates and acquaintances drawn to him by his engaging personality and contagious passion for life, family and community. He served in numerous leadership roles, including the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, The Rotary Club of Columbus, St.Matthew’s In-the-Pines Episcopal Church, Columbus Regional Medical Foundation, Columbus Symphony, Columbus Botanical Garden, Feeding the Valley, Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Phenix City Chamber of Commerce and Phenix 2000.Before his own battle against cancer, he hit the streets of San Francisco where he ran two marathons to raise funds for the Leukemia Society. He was the 2011 American Cancer Society Crystal Ball honoree.

You can’t tell Mike’s story without mentioning his love of hobbies—a few of which were the hammered dulcimer, kayaking, running, cycling (which led to an early partnership in Ride On Bikes), drum circle, ukulele, guitar, fishing—both bass and beach—, tennis, woodworking, model airplanes and stock options trading. He would passionately buy all the accoutrements for a new hobby and after he’d collected them, he’d often lose interest. It was a running joke with his family and friends.

In May of 2009, Mike shared that he had been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. Doctors gave him about a five percent chance of living for five years.

He survived for 14.

On the day he was diagnosed, Mike began publishing a personal blog that would chronicle his extended cancer battle. Over the following years, his journal would approach 400,000 words. For perspective, the average novel is 50,000 words. At its peak over 2,500 readers would regularly visit the site for Mike’s messages of hope, humor and inspiration.

He used the blog as a shield and weapon. His posts would include the highs and lows of survival; trips to the doctor, the gritty details of chemotherapy and radiation, the triumphs of meals that stayed down and bad meds that wouldn’t. He happily shared the highs, too: successful treatment outcomes, inspired care-givers and others at the John B. Amos Cancer Center, remission, NED …and the sheer joy of daily survival. He never missed the opportunity to point out that his ability to survive far beyond his anticipated shelf life was a direct result of the deep level of care extended to him by the staff at John B. Amos Cancer Center in Columbus and especially the skill and compassion of his friend and oncologist Dr. Andrew Pippas.

For those interested in reading Mike’s blog, it is available online at MikesStory.com Mike hoped that the details of his journey would be a source of comfort and inspiration for others waging their cancer battles .He became the “go-to” guy to speak to newly-diagnosed cancer patients, encouraging them or just listening. The blog offers a forum for discussion and sharing stories of pain, hope and triumph. Please visit and share your story.

Survivors include his wife of 28 years Jill Tigner of Seale, sons Michael Venable and his wife Janice of East Point, Georgia, Adam Venable and his partner Brittany Hartman of East Point, Georgia, Christopher Riddle and his wife Kathryn of Columbus and Nicholas Riddle and his wife Elizabeth of Palmetto, Georgia; his mother Ann Venable of Columbus, grandchildren Milo Venable, Finn Venable and Clara Riddle; his brother, Eric Venable of Albany.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at the Old Russell County Courthouse on January 4, 2024 at 11 a.m. EST followed by lunch there. A private burial will be in the Seale Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, January 3, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM EST at McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mike’s memory may be made to St. Matthew’s In-the-Pines Episcopal Church, PO Box 221, Seale, 36875 and the John B. Amos Cancer Center where a memorial in his name has been established.