Michael Brennan Preston

On May 26, 1946 Mike was born in Peoria, Illinois to Jean B. and George J. Preston. He spent his high school years in Geneva, Switzerland, graduating from Ecole International de Genève in 1964. He received his Aerospace Engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1968. Mike later completed his Masters in the same field at Georgia Tech, and worked at Lockheed Georgia as a research scientist. While in Atlanta, Mike met his lifelong love Marie Hall Preston, whom he married in 1972.

He began his career in commercial real estate in Atlanta before moving to Tampa, where he opened Preston & Farley, Inc., which Mike and Marie cultivated together over the next forty years. During that time Mike served as President of the Tampa Board of Realtors and the District Vice President of the Florida Association of Realtors. He was known in the real estate community for his integrity, directness, and professionalism.

In 2016, Mike received a lifesaving lung transplant at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. With Marie by his side, he strove to make the best of this remarkable opportunity.

Mike was a member of Sacred Heart Church, the Tampa Yacht and Country Club and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

He lives on in the hearts of those who survive him: his beloved wife Marie Preston; children: Philip M. Preston (Emily) and Laura M. Preston; grandchildren: Parker W. Preston and Lydia A. Preston; brothers: Stephen Preston (Marina) and Robert Preston; sister: Carol Preston (Jeff Northam); brother-in-law Laurence W. Hall (Carol); sister-in-law: Marte Watson (Jimmy) and many dear nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, July 20 at 10 AM at Sacred Heart Church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Mike to the Lung Transplant Research Center at UF Health, or to a charity of your choice. Checks can be made payable to University of Florida Foundation, Inc. at PO Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604-2425 with Lung Transplant Research (Fund F008263) in the memo.