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Mike Harris
Obituary
Friends,
As most of you know by now, we lost a dear friend this weekend. Mike Harris passed away after the plane he was in crashed on Saturday. The details are very sketchy right now as to who was flying Mike’s plane or what happened at the time of the crash but both Mike and his passenger died in the crash.
More details are here:
http://wokv.com/localnews/2009/07/two-dead-in-st-johns-plane-cra.html
Misky is planning on taking Mike’s body back to Tennessee for burial. At this time, I do not know when they are leaving Jacksonville for Tennessee nor do I know when Misky will be back in Jacksonville. Misky said that we will plan a memorial service at Victory Lake for sometime after she returns. She told me not to cancel my trip to Dallas this week as the Victory Lake memorial will not be this week. Please make your personal plans accordingly.
Misky stressed that she expects members and friends to continue to use and enjoy the lake and property as normal as that is what Mike would have wanted. She also said that Mike would want the two tournament sponsors to go forward with the tournaments on the July 18th as Mike would have wanted that also.
Please pass this information on as there are many people that I don’t have addresses for and many friends of Mike that I do not know.
Mike will be missed by many. May his soul rest in peace.
Travis Hendrix
Pilots Identified from Deadly Plane Crash
Two men killed in Saturday's aircraft crash in northwestern St. Johns County were from Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville, according to the Sheriff's Office.
John P. Cummings, 56, of Ponte Vedra Beach, and Michael L. Harris, 59, of Jacksonville, were positively identified following autopsies by the District Medical Examiner's Office.
Federal agents with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are continuing the investigation into the cause of the general aviation crash, which authorities said happened on Saturday.
The two men were flying an experimental aircraft that took off Saturday from an airport in Putnam County as part of an aviation club function. The plane was reported overdue, and on Sunday a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission pilot located the crash site in a heavily wooded area near the 2900 block of State Road 13 North.
Michael L. "Mike" Harris
Funeral services for Michael L. "Mike" Harris, age 59 of Jacksonville, FL, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday July 17, 2009 at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Merlyn Alexander and Rev. Terry Hunley officiating. Burial will follow in Maple Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery near Beech Bluff, TN with Military Honors.
Mr. Harris died July 12, 2009 in an airplane accident in St. Johns County, FL. He had made his home in Jacksonville, FL for several years.
Mike was Born in Madison County, TN and attended Pope Elementary School and Northside High School where he played football. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, was an Explorer Scout, an Eagle Scout and earned the God and Country Award. Mike attended the World Scout Jamboree in Idaho in 1967 and attended church camp at Camp Clark Williamson, serving as lifeguard for 2 years. He was an avid water skiier in college and won many contests. Mike graduated from Tennessee Tech with a degree in Electricial Engineering. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an airman and then earned an Aeronautical Degree from Florida State University. Lt. Harris served in the U.S. Navy 8 years and in the Navy Reserve for 12 years. He was assigned 3 tours of duty in the Mediterranean on board an Aircraft Carrier. According to his previous Commander, Lt. Harris was one of the top aviators to ever be a member of Attack Squadron #45.
Mike was an airline pilot for Eastern Airlines and was with Delta Airlines for 17 years, and logged more than 18,000 hours flight time before retiring a few years ago.
Mike spoke well of everyone and had many friends, including his former Squadron Commander, Dick Porter, that said Mike had stayed in touch with him and had helped him through some down times in recent years with health problems. Mike was a very accomplished pianist and guitarist, and enjoyed playing for many groups. He was a member of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church where he was active in the youth group.
Mr. Harris was preceded in death by his grandparents, Locie and Neta Jared Buck, and Albert H. and Nola Butler Harris.
He leaves his wife of 23 years, Mrs. Misky Ann Kartz Harris of Jacksonville, FL; his parents, Leon L. and Alivene Buck Harris of Jackson, TN.
Pallbearers to serve are Glen Fesmire, George Buck, David Buck, Bill Mitchusson, Larry Butler, Ron Harris, Bob Franklin and Jodie Watson. Honorary Pallbearer is Commander Dick Porter.
Any memorials may be directed to an organization of donors choice.
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