Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Roderick James McMahon III |
| Also known as | Rod McMahon |
| Born | October 12, 1943 |
| Died | January 20, 2021 (age 77) |
| Birthplace | Long Island City, Queens, New York |
| Parents | Vincent J. McMahon and Victoria “Vicky” Askew |
| Notable sibling | Vincent Kennedy “Vince” McMahon (younger brother) |
| Spouse | Jamice Gaygan McMahon (m. November 11, 1967) |
| Children | Rome McMahon, Troy McMahon |
| Education | Bachelor of Business Administration (Memphis State University) |
| Military service | United States Air Force; stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur — founder/co-founder, North American Metals Inc. |
| Burial | Saint Mary’s Church Cemetery, Plantersville, Grimes County, Texas |
| Public profile | Low; known primarily through family connections and obituary notices |
Biography and Early Life
Roderick James McMahon III was born into a wrestling family, but he chose a different path. Rod’s life was defined by steady decisions rather than spectacle from Long Island City to the American South. After graduating from high school in North Carolina and earning a business degree from Memphis State University, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Germany, where he met his lifelong companion.
Rod’s story reads like a mid-century American arc — education, service, marriage, and then a turn toward business. He preferred his private life to the public stage his family occupied, cultivating a steady career and a long marriage that lasted more than five decades.
Military Service and Education
Two pillars mark Rod’s early adulthood: formal business training and military service. A Bachelor of Business Administration provided practical tools; the Air Force provided discipline, travel, and an encounter that altered his personal trajectory. Stationed overseas at Ramstein Air Base, Rod met Jamice Gaygan, a meeting that led to marriage in 1967 and a shared life that later included entrepreneurship.
The combination of military discipline and business education informed his approach to leadership: long-term thinking, mentorship, and an emphasis on reliability over flash.
Business Career: Building a Metals Company
Rod and Jamice launched Houston-based North American Metals Inc. in 1987 to distribute metals and unique alloys for custom forging and steel distribution. The firm became a family venture—private, realistic, and productive—after his service.
Rod ran the company like he was: stable, mentorship-driven, and community-minded. He avoided publicity and assessed the company’s success by longevity, client connections, and dependability. Rod’s and the firm’s financial data were never disclosed, reflecting his private life.
Family, Relationships, and Personal Life
Family was central. Rod and Jamice raised two sons—Rome and Troy—rooting them in Texas and in a private family life that contrasted with the public persona of their uncle. The marriage endured; their partnership spanned business and family for more than five decades.
Rod has a significant multigenerational family history. The family moved to New York in the 19th century from Ireland, and his grandfather Jess McMahon was a pioneer promoter who started a wrestling dynasty. Rod’s father Vincent J. McMahon built that legacy into a global entertainment corporation, and his younger brother Vince McMahon took it global. Rod prioritised family, community service, and mentorship despite his popularity.
He was remembered as generous, private, and approachable—someone who preferred small acts of kindness to public gestures. Hobbies such as shooting sports and a fondness for dogs and community causes rounded out a life focused on steady contribution.
Public Image, Death, and Legacy
Rod’s passing in January 2021 at age 77 was noted largely in family obituaries and specialist outlets rather than in mass-media fanfare. Tributes emphasized his quiet generosity, long marriage, and a business legacy that endured beyond his lifetime. His burial in Texas placed him back among the family and community he had chosen.
A family-owned business, children and grandchildren who share his beliefs, and a reputation for mentorship and solid leadership are his legacy. Rod represents quiet success in a dynasty known for theatrics.
Timeline of Key Dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1844–1922 | Ancestor Roderick McMahon immigrates and establishes family in New York. |
| 1882–1954 | Grandfather Jess McMahon helps pioneer professional wrestling promotion. |
| 1914–1984 | Father Vincent J. McMahon expands wrestling business into a national enterprise. |
| Oct 12, 1943 | Roderick James McMahon III born in Long Island City, NY. |
| ~1961 | Graduates Havelock High School, North Carolina. |
| 1960s | Attends Memphis State University; earns business degree. |
| 1960s | Serves in U.S. Air Force; stationed at Ramstein AFB, Germany. |
| Nov 11, 1967 | Marries Jamice Gaygan. |
| 1970s–1980s | Raises family in Texas; builds career in steel/metal distribution. |
| 1987 | Co-founds North American Metals Inc. in Houston, Texas. |
| Jan 20, 2021 | Dies in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas; interred in Plantersville, Texas. |
Character and Community Impact
Rod’s life illustrates a quiet kind of leadership. He chose the workshop over the stage and the boardroom over the spotlight. Those who knew him remember steady counsel and an open door—a form of leadership that builds loyalty and preserves dignity. He supported local causes and veterans, lived his values through actions rather than announcements, and left behind a small but solid constellation of family and colleagues who continue his work.
FAQ
Who was Roderick James McMahon III?
Roderick James McMahon III, known as Rod, was a businessman and U.S. Air Force veteran who founded North American Metals Inc. and preferred a private life despite his family’s public profile.
When and where was he born?
He was born on October 12, 1943, in Long Island City, New York.
What did he do professionally?
He co-founded and ran a metals distribution and special alloys company in Houston, which focused on steel distribution and custom forging.
Was he related to Vince McMahon?
Yes; Rod was the older brother of Vincent Kennedy “Vince” McMahon, the prominent wrestling executive.
Who was his spouse and who are his children?
He married Jamice Gaygan on November 11, 1967, and they had two sons, Rome and Troy McMahon.
How did he die and when?
He died of natural causes on January 20, 2021, at the age of 77.
Where is he buried?
He was buried at Saint Mary’s Church Cemetery in Plantersville, Grimes County, Texas.
What is his lasting legacy?
His legacy is one of private entrepreneurship, steady mentorship, family devotion, and the quiet construction of institutions that outlived him.
