Michael Black

Michael Owen Black (born April 28, 1972) was known to family and friends as a devoted son, a caring father and a loyal companion to those in his circle. A longtime resident of the Sweetwater–Madisonville area of eastern Tennessee, Michael made his living with Cleary Construction, Inc., and was remembered in his community for the dependability and steady work he brought to his job. His obituary lists a close relationship with his mother, Teresa Black, and names children who survived him: Jordan Black, Isiah Black, Kaiden Black, Cyron Black and Sylas Black. He is also remembered by his brother Robert (Betty) Black and extended family including nieces, nephews and many lifelong friends.

Outside of work and family life, Michael’s interests included sports — he was noted as a fan of the Florida Gators and the Dallas Cowboys — small details that reflected the everyday joys that mattered to him and to those who gathered with him for games and family events. Funeral arrangements published through Biereley-Hale Funeral Home in Madisonville described visitation and service plans and reflect that his family and community marked his life with a traditional remembrance.

Public records and memorial listings show some discrepancy about the date of his passing. A published funeral notice and obituary state that Michael “went to be with the Lord” on Thursday, June 18, 2020, while a national gun-violence memorial lists a June 22, 2020 date connected to a loss recorded in Sweetwater. Because public sources differ on that detail, those seeking official confirmation or family statements may wish to consult the funeral home or local records for the precise legal date used by family or the coroner.

Whatever the date recorded in various public places, Michael was a real person whose life mattered to many: a working man who provided for his children, a son close to his mother, and a fan who found pleasure in shared sporting loyalties. This page honors those human ties and the memory of the life he lived, acknowledging both the warmth of his relationships and the sorrow felt by those who survived him.