Clark "Peat" Crapps

Clark "Peat" Crapps, 80, passed away of natural causes on the morning of Sunday, January 25, 2026, at his home in Lake City, Columbia County, Florida. Peat was born in Shamrock, Dixie County, Florida on September 30, 1945, of parents Porter Claude Jr and Winifred Virginia Crapps. He spent his infancy in Melrose before his parents moved the family to Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida in 1951. Peat graduated with the class of 1963 at Suwannee High School. He then briefly attended the University of Florida, where he resided in the same freshman dormitory with Steve Spurrier, before being accepted at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. While at the academy, Peat participated in intramural football and ocean sailing, watched Roger Staubach play, and was a classmate of Oliver North. Peat later graduated in 1968 with a degree in naval engineering, before being deployed to serve in the Mediterranean Sea. During that deployment, he served on the frigate USS Julius A. Furer, followed by the USS Koelsch, where he was chief engineering officer. Peat was honorably discharged as a navy lieutenant in 1973.

Peat spent his post-graduate years working for his father as the president of the First National Bank of Live Oak, across from the Suwannee County Courthouse. As a loan officer at the bank, he helped local customers make capital improvements or start their businesses, including the Brown Lantern. He went on to co-own a car dealership in Lake City in collaboration with his brother, James, before acquiring three others in the area. He later worked in real estate with his brother, Daniel. His profession also included many years in tree farming and pine straw harvesting throughout north central Florida. Pine trees were a major part of his life and family legacy.

He was one of ten children, including Betsy Burch, Claude Crapps, David Crapps, Jenny Johnson, John Crapps, Dicy Hannum, James Crapps, Daniel Crapps, and George Crapps, all of whom resided in, or a short drive from Live Oak. Of Peat's own children, he is survived by David Crapps, Meredith Garrison, Prissy Fletcher, Daniel Crapps and Summer Crapps, stepdaughter Heather Wright, and two grandchildren, Noah Garrison and Chloe Garrison. He was blessed to have enjoyed three marriages with Sherry Adams, Susie Skierski (Nelson) and Laura Ruth Norris, and spent his final days with his childhood love, Bonnie Croft.

Of all the things on earth that remind us of Peat, it will be his cigars, his tractor and his hair routine. His wardrobe had a very specific and consistent style of khakis and button-up shirts, except in the summertime when the family would catch him wearing a T-shirt at the beach. He had a full head of hair even into his 80s, which was properly combed and saturated in hairspray every morning.

He had such a wonderfully jovial personality and adamantly believed that it did not cost a penny to be kind to others. Peat was not afraid to laugh at himself and went out of his way to boost the moods of those around him, even a total stranger. But honestly, Peat had never met a stranger in his life. He could start and continue a conversation with anyone about anything. He also possessed a remarkable ability to identify the best in people, and to affirm them with respect and affability. Peat loved music, especially the country & western genre, but Elvis was always his favorite. He was often found taking long walks with his dogs, and mowing his pasture on the tractor, always with a cigar in hand.

There will be a private, sunrise service for the family on Saturday, February 7th at 7:30 am in the Crapps family plot, followed by breakfast at Heritage Park and Gardens at 9:00am. All friends are welcome to join the family for breakfast and memories of Clark Peat Crapps at the house where he grew up.

Please sign the online guestbook and keep the family in your prayers.