Michael Vegis

Michael Vegis, 60, of Charleston, and husband of Sabrina Vegis, passed away on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.

He was born on April 1, 1957 in Dallas, Texas to the late Albert and Alberta (Karp) Vegis. Mike and his mom shared an April Fool’s Day birthday. He was a proud graduate of Michigan State University and like his father, was also a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

After cramming a 4-year degree into 6 years at Michigan State University, Mike decided that a normal career path wasn’t for him. He went to Washington and got a job on Capitol Hill, spending 5 years as Legislative Assistant to former Congressman Mike Oxley (R-OH), then 5 years as Legislative Director to former Congressman Don Ritter (R-PA). He worked mostly on Energy and Commerce Committee affairs, specifically on the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance. Mike was also a campaign strategist to two of Ritter’s reelection campaigns.

Ten years is a long time on Capitol Hill and Mike had no desire to run for office, although the NRCC wanted him to do so in Michigan against former congressman Howard Wolpe (D-MI). He wanted to have some fun and get paid for it so he headed to Miami and got a job as Director of Marketing and PR for Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. For the next 8 years Mike sailed the Caribbean on Tall Ships while schmoozing with the press. He met Sabrina while “fishing off the company dock”, as she was a Windjammer passenger. He met her on St. Lucia and got to know her on St. Kitts and St. Barts.

During his time with Windjammer, Mike took his 2 week vacations in Monterey working on the AT&T Pro-Am. He worked contestant registration, hospitality, photography, even bag transportation – you name it, he did it.

Windjammer was fun but didn’t pay very well. Sabrina (before they were married) worked in Charleston and loved it. Mike used to vacation on Kiawah back in the early 80s and loved it. They wanted to move to the Lowcountry to raise their family. They have 2 great kids; one boy and one girl. Christopher was born in 1999 and Tanner was born in 2000. So, to raise them in the best city in America, he begged his way into the best job in the world at the most well run, well thought out resort in America, Kiawah Island Golf Resort

In addition to Sabrina, survivors include his son, Christopher Michael Vegis, his daughter, Tanner Elizabeth Vegis, his sister, Victoria Vegis, and his niece Catherine Alexandra Vegis .

The family will receive friends on May 12, 2017 from 5:00PM - 7:00PM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, James Island Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 11:00AM at Church of the Nativity, 1061 Folly Rd, Charleston, South Carolina, 29412. The Rite of Committal will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, James Island, South Carolina.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted to www.mcalister-smith.com.

Arrangements entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, James Island Chapel, 347 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29412, 843-614-8494.