Mr. Mike Thomas, 83, of Lake City, passed away peacefully at his residence on January 6, 2022. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida on January 8, 1938 to the late Henry Mitchell Thomas and Lillian Inez McClendon Thomas. He has made Lake City his home since 1968, moving here from Jacksonville. He was the Owner & Operator of Thomas Honey for over sixty years and worked as a sharecropper for several years prior to becoming a beekeeper fulltime. In his spare time, he enjoyed tending to his bees, playing solitaire on the computer, and visiting with family and friends any chance he got. He also enjoyed telling stories and a good joke or two. He was a pillar and a staple at Milton’s Country Store, often finding him there in the mornings for breakfast and back again for lunch. He is preceded in death by both of his parents; and two great-grandchildren, Lilly Thomas and Thomas Krohmer.
He is survived by his wife of over 64 years, Kitsy Thomas of Lake City; children, Rocky Thomas (Marie), Kathie Thomas, Jeff Thomas (Marcie), Kelly Rae Thomas (David Blanks) all residing in Lake City and Kristi Adams (Brett) of St. Augustine. Grandchildren, Kaycee Maxwell (Mason), Jesse Cullum (Jamie), Emily Harris (Stephen), Dusty Cullum (Kristina), Sara Steier (Michael), Kortney Stewart (Clay), Josh Thomas (Karley), Kayla Hebert (Cory), Justin Thomas (Heather), Mitchell Tomlinson (Marissa), Trevor Thomas (Rachel), Marshall Thomas, Lyndsey Herndon (Kyle), Walker Adams (Kylie), Kelyn Adams and Kara Adams. Twenty-one great grandchildren, his sister, Linda Rowe of Meritt Island, and nephew, Alan Rowe (Machele) of Orlando. A number of beekeepers and friends that Mike mentored over the years who considered him “Papa”, also survive.
A funeral service for Mr. Mike will be conducted on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 2:00 P.M. in the Gateway-Forest Lawn Memorial Chapel with Pastor Burl Harkey officiating. Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery (US HWY 441 North). The family will receive friends for a time of visitation from 5:00-7:00 P.M. on Monday evening, January 10, 2022 at the funeral home. Because beekeeping was Mr. Mike’s passion, the family is working on an opportunity for you to make a donation to educate young people in the beekeeping industry in lieu of flowers. Information regarding this option will be available at the service. Alternatively, the family asks that donations please be considered to the Oak Grove Baptist Church, 1007 NE Needmore Rd, White Springs, FL 32096.
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