Sidney Mickler

Sidney J. Mickler, 94, went home to be with our Lord on January 27th, 2021. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones. He is preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 57 years, Jo Phillips Mickler.

He is survived by his 5 children, Sidney A. & Debbie of St Augustine, Kenneth A. of the Seven Seas, Linda C. & Terry Medders of St Augustine, Donna M. & Keith Wilson of Alabama, and Julie A. & Mack Bhatia of Saint Johns. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Chris Johnson. He leaves behind twelve grandchildren, Sidney A. & Elizabeth Mickler, Daniel & Katie Mickler, Alden & Chad Smith, Amy & Chris Faith, Aneita & Josh Shaw, Erica Medders Vona, Abby Medders, Keith & Katherine Wilson, Hannah Wilson, Alexandra Mickler, Anand Bhatia & Maya Bhatia….If you were to ask Sid to name his great grandkids, he would have slapped his knee and said ”Alright, here we go…Emily, Tayler, Bear, Ellie, Emmie, Kori, Elizabeth, Adam, Johnna, Candace, Reese, Tristan, Maggie, William, Jaydan, Jacob, Callie, Gatlin, Corbit, Delaney, Keith, Savanna, Daniel, Sophia, Vic & Merle the dog.”

He was born in Palm Valley Florida on November 15th, 1926 to the late Sydney A. & Lucy Spreitzer Mickler. Sid was one of ten children. His Sisters, Mary Voutour, Susan Hall, Edna Fifer and brother Leland Mickler were there to greet him at heaven’s gate. He leaves behind his brother Robert “Tony “ Mickler, and sisters Vera Eckert, June Shimp, Rita McCue and Betty Baumli.

As a young boy, he helped his father build the pier at Mickler’s beach. He grew up in a time of dirt roads and no electricity. They fished and hunted to keep the family fed. They filled their souls on Christ and their hearts with love. He attended school at the two-room elementary school house on his parent’s property. From there he went to Fletcher high school. He proudly joined the Navy and fought in WWII. After returning home he joined his father working on their family-owned shrimp boat. Within a few years he began his lifelong career as an electrician. He retired from the City of Jacksonville Beach electric department after 25 years. He then joined the IBEW which gave he and Jo the opportunity to travel the United States with their family, a passion that they continued even after their final retirement.

Sid loved Jesus and his family more than anything on this earth. He was a kind, giving, caring, smart, humble, funny, inventive man with more common sense than most could fathom. He helped his church, community and anybody that needed it. He was the guy that greeted you at the front door at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church at mass (he was a founding member and helped build). He loved to sing loudly even though he would tell you he wasn’t the best at it. He was the guy that wheeled you around Baptist Beaches hospital as a volunteer for a decade. He was the guy that stopped to help you if you were broke down on the side of the road. He was the guy that stood quietly on the side of the road holding the “stop abortion “sign week after week for years hoping to save just one life. He was the guy that held the door open for everybody everywhere. He was the guy that in his 50’s, started carving beautiful birds and painting landscapes from the memories of his youth. He was the guy that had a bumper sticker made that simply said in large letters FORGIVE THEM, which meant everybody for everything. He was the guy that at every gathering asked everybody to say the Lords’ prayer. He was the guy that made over 1000 rosaries for the church that were sent to missionaries all over the world, 700 of those were made by him and his daughter Linda in the last three years. He was the guy who co-wrote a book with his daughter Julie about his incredible life, called “As I Remember it “. He was the guy that excitedly stopped at every historical marker he ever passed to read it to his children so they would know our great country’s history. He was the guy that updated the year on the hand painted sign that hung in their back window of their motor home that said “JUST MARRIED, 57 years ago” …

And if that wasn’t enough he was humbly involved with The Knights of Columbus, years as a CCD teacher, Boy Scouts, March of Dimes, Beaches Museum, Palm Valley Community Center Association, Sampson Cemetery Association, St Johns County Council on Aging, PV-PV School Carnival Committee, St Paul’s Carnival Committee, The Mickler Family Reunion Committee (which was held at the fairgrounds annually for the 300-400 attendees) along with anything else that his equally involved, beloved Jo needed help with.

To name a few of many tricks, He was the guy that had the pretend “wild animal” in the bucket that the lid popped up and the fur sprang out at you as you bent down to peek in. He also had a realistic fake cake he made just to take to functions and would “accidently” drop it to get people to laugh.

He loved fishing, gigging, cast nets and anything involving salt water. His passion was mullet; fried, boiled, or smoked, he didn’t care. He loved them.

He was the best Daddy, Papa and Big Papa ever and will be missed dearly.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you say the Lord’s prayer in his memory, or you may donate in Sid’s honor to the charity of your choice. Here are a few of our family’s favorites.

Devine Mercy House: a house Christian supporting unwed mothers and their babies in Mandarin Florida; 4118 Loretta Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32223

Caritas of Birmingham: 100 Our Lady Queen of Peace Dr. Sterrett, Alabama, 35147

Catholic Charities- 3940 Lewis Speedway #2103, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

Sampson Cemetery Association: Jennifer Ponce, 3190 Pacetti Rd., St Augustine, FL, 32092

Heal Foundation:  https://www.healautismnow.org/donate