John D. "Micky" Carmichael

John Douglas “Micky” Carmichael, 94, passed peacefully in his sleep, Sunday, February 23, 2020.

He leaves his son, Pat and wife Felice; son Tom and wife Margie; son Bill and (wife Barbara deceased) and daughter Carol Ann Carmichael, grandsons Chase, Sean and wife Sara, and Jacob, granddaughters Sabryna Clewett and husband Shanon, Christina Parker and husband Greg, Catherine Carmichael and Alf, and Emily Carmichael, and great-grandchildren Shayne, Stevie, Sammie, Beau, Alexus, Preston, Croix, Jordan, Maddie, Heidi, Bonnie, Avery and Skylar, nephew Jimmy Elliott and wife Pattie and their children and niece Susan Underwood and husband Bill and their children.

He was preceded in death by his ex-spouse and mother of his children, Marilyn Murray Carmichael in 1994, his brother Pat Carmichael in 2013, sister Ann Elliott in 2019 and her husband Jim in 2008, and daughter-in-law Barbara in 2016.

Born in Austin, Minnesota August 19, 1925, where his father, William Earl Carmichael, worked for Hormel and mother Tirzah Pauline Smith was a homemaker. He had an older brother Pat Carmichael and a younger sister Ann Elliott. He spent his early years in Austin, Minnesota before moving to Houston, Texas where his father was transferred with Hormel to open their first office in Houston, Texas. He attended Lanier Junior High and Lamar High School. At Lamar, he was in ROTC and was elected as a cheerleader by the student body his senior year. He graduated midterm (Dec. ‘42) to enroll at U of H to be apart of The v12 Navy College Training Program. He attended Southwestern Louisiana University for two semesters. He became impatient and made an application to enter the Naval Air Corp Cadet training program. His flight training was in Pensacola, Florida and three months before he received his wings, the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan ending the war. He was given the option to complete his training and be commissioned in two years or released to inactive duty subject to recall. He took the later. He then enrolled at UT Austin. Pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Graduating May of 1946. With a business degree, he went back to Houston and worked for American General for 25 years and was their top life insurance salesman. During that time he married in 1953 and had his 4 children. After his divorce in 1970, he continued to be in his children’s lives.

He was full of life and everyone who met him loved him. He had a dynamic personality that drew people to him. He loved social gatherings. Being involved in the Heather and Thistle Society in Houston for many, many years. He served as the 29th Chieftain 1981-1982. The highlight of the year was the Robert Burns Supper. He loved everything, Scotland! Learning to play the bagpipes he was able to play them on the Carmichael ancestral lands. The Carmichael Estate was a very special place. He so enjoyed going to the clan gatherings. He passed that love on to his children.

Serving as Executive Governor of Who's Who International for many years, he organized events and travel destinations for the members. He enjoyed traveling and see new places around the world. Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Paris, France, Switzerland, Rome, Italy, Sicily, Turkey, India (Taj Mahal), Holland, Russia, Moscow, Sweden, Norway Romania, The Holy Land, Japan, China, Burma, Australia, New Zealand (loved the koala bears) Africa, Kenya, Cairo, Egypt, Tripoli, Libya, Iceland, Chili, Argentina, many islands in the Caribbean, most of the lower 48 of the United States and Alaska!

He had a passion for the arts with season subscriptions to Theatre Under the Stars and the Houston Symphony. And he loved the Houston Zoo. You could call him a sports fanatic. He loved UT Football (Hook’m Horns), Houston Texans and the Astros. He would follow them very closely throughout the year.

Micky loved the Piney Woods of East Texas, just north of Houston. Camping with his children even purchased 10 acres of land in Cold Springs. His boys and their friends helped build a cabin that brought Micky much happiness. He loved bringing his grandchildren there to shoot guns and build bond fires.

For many years he would rent cabins at Camp Warneke in New Braunfels for his children and their friends could enjoy riding the rapids and floating down the river. He continued it long enough for his grandchildren to enjoy this family time together. Then after that season was done he would rent a beach house to get everyone together. He did enjoy his family. One year even taking everyone on a cruise. Totaling 24 family members at that time.

Over the past year if you were to ask him how he was he would say, “Ond day at a time and grateful”. Micky was grateful for the life he had been given, living it to the fullest. He had excepted Christ into his heart at a Billy Graham Crusade in 1952. He was a member of the Episcopal Church for most of his life. During the last part of his life, he was a member of the Unity Church of Christianity. He had been ready to go to haven for the past year. He had no unfinished business and was at peace about his life. His attitude of acceptance and the way he could make your day even to his final week made his passing bittersweet. Saddened that he is gone from this world but rejoicing that he is no longer suffering.

Special thanks to his Caregivers: BJ, Carol, Emma, and Debbie. Thank you for being by his side for the past year.

And to the Houston Hospice Team, thank you.

A gift in memory of John D. “Micky” Carmichael can be made at the following link.

http://houstonhospice.org/donate.aspx

A private memorial service will be held at Forest Park Lawndale in Houston, Texas for family members.