I visited Mike on April 26, 2002 at his store; a convenience store, gas station, RV campsite and boat ramp service. His store is on the Ft. Morgan road, Hwy. 180 West.
After graduation, Mike went to Auburn for a while, then left. He joined the Marines and started at Camp Geiger, NC. He then went to Ft. Benning for parachute training and made about 70 jumps during his seven years. He was in Force Recon, and included training in Coronada, CA for Escape and Evasion, and Amphib Recon School. He then went to Key West, where he attended the Navy Underwater school.
After leaving the Marines, he remained in the Marine Reserves for four more years. He returned to Auburn and graduated in 1969 with an Education major. I will skip a long story, but Mike became a principal at White House Forks, AL before graduating from Auburn. He was there in 1968 and 1969.
Returning to Foley, he worked some with Lou Childre, then when his dad became sick in 1971, Mike returned to the beach to work with his mom. That ended with hurricane Fredrick in 1979.
He had a restaurant for several years. Then in 1986 he decided to go to Africa. He returned to the US and went to Alaska and worked one summer on a fishing boat. He headed back to Alabama after one storm with 60mph winds and 25ft waves.
Mike had a Produce store and rental property until 2000, then bought the present business.
Mike has been married twice, 64-76 and 76-81. By the first marriage, he has two daughters: Cayne, and works at the University of New Orleans, and Christy, married to Dallas Richmond of Fairhope.
By his second marriage, Mike has a daughter, Sophia, married to Doug DeMent. Mike has one grandchild and one on the way.
Mike made tandem parachute jumps (like Pres. Bush) on his 50th and 55th birthdays!
the 1999 class reunion