Michael Lymand Creech

Mike was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida to William and Patricia (Shamblin) Creech on March 19, 1962. He passed away at his cottage home in Palm City, Florida on February 27, 2018. He is survived by his son, Michael L. Creech, II, his grandsons, Michael III and Raymond Creech, his brother, Richard T. Creech and his wife Jill, and his previous wife, Sandy Little. He was a sixth generation Floridian with roots extending all over south Florida.

Mike grew up in Stuart, Florida and was an avid snook fisherman and a surfer in his youth, frequently fishing the St. Lucie Inlet and visiting the “ole” Tiger Shores surfing grounds. And he was and probably still is a relentless “thrill seeker”. Most people talk about thrills and excitement, Mike “lived it”! As a youth growing up on the wild and scenic South Fork of the St. Lucie River, Mike took the wild to heart, resembling Burt Reynolds (Gator McClusky) in the 1976 movie “Gator”… driving the “Creech Boys” 17’ Mako, at the age of 14, as fast as he could hollering…”They call me Gator!” Many residents of the area would routinely call his parents and the “law” to report his adolescent behavior…throwing large wakes and slamming into docks, all the while not having permission to take the boat out during school days (aka “skipping school”). His mom used to spy on him atop the old Palm City Bridge in an effort to quell his enthusiasm. This relentless passion for “the edge of excitement” was not held to just fast boating. He was known to race “go-carts” down at the “old Palm Beach Speedway”, race motorcycles at “hare-scrambles” races west of town, and was known to wreck, roll, or crash a few cars in his pursuit of the next adventure, including crashing through a few fences to elude certain local Deputies, most of the time they would just wait in the family driveway for his return, or call his older brother, Rick, to come get him and what was left of his mode of transportation.

Although willing to preserve his status as a fighter at almost any cost, he had the heart of gold, always available to give you, literally, the shirt off his back if you asked for it. He was known to be a kind soul and generous to a fault with whatever he had. He was a lover of animals, always having probably the most homely looking dogs throughout his life. He loved his son and grandsons with a passion not to be matched. Mike would always attempt to persuade his progenies to seek the same thrill quest as him by giving them the gift of a battery operated “jacked up” truck or simulated race car and saying, “floor it!”,...laughing hysterically the whole time. He was a loving and caring father.

Though small in stature, but strong and fast, he was said to have had incredible balance and athletic ability, having parlayed these talents into being a running/defensive back and quarterback in youth and high school football, receiving many accolades while at Fork Union Military School. Just about anything that required balance he could accomplish; wheel walking a motorcycle, unicycle, surfing, skateboard jumping and flipping…before the ever popular tricks of today (ahead of his time), and walking on his hands.

He attended Fork Union Military School (Virginia) and Martin County High School, subsequently settling in on a career in Land Surveying, serving in many capacities from Party Chief to Technician. He was employed by Creech and Associates during his early years of employment and, subsequently, Creech Engineers until his retirement as a result of an ongoing disability in the late 2008. He was most fond of his tenure at Fork Union. As a cadet he excelled in the disciplined environment, receiving various promotions in rank, along with the usual demerits (punishment) for the usual “thrill moment”, and made honor roll routinely. As a surveyor, he participated in surveying many areas of Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties including the Martin Power Plant in Indiantown, Okeechobee Correctional Institution, Lowes Home Improvement Stores, and Green River Parkway. He was a second generation surveyor and grew up utilizing and being proficient with many state of the art surveying instruments.

In his later years, he was content with sitting at his cottage and viewing the acreage of the “Creech” estate while having a beer and, of course, the ever present cigarette. He continued to enjoy simple things, his family, the comfort and friendship of John, his roommate and caretaker, and his dog.

Michael will be buried with his mother and father at Fernhill Cemetery in Stuart, Florida.