Michael Bruce Thames

Michael Bruce "Mike" Thames, a believer in Jesus Christ the Son of God, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2025. Mike was born 18 July 1945 in St. Luke's Hospital, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida with the Class of 1963. He attended Gordon Military College in Barnesville, Georgia and in 1965 earned an Associate Arts Degree from North Florida Junior College in Madison, Florida. On 31 December 1966 he married Rebecca Jane "Becky" Edwards in Canton, Cherokee County, Georgia. It began a marriage that lasted 58-plus years. (Mike loved life and he loved Becky.) In 1968 Mike graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens, Clark County, Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism-Advertising and Public Relations. After graduation they moved to Atlanta, where Mike was involved in the public relations for the opening of Georgia Power's Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant near Baxley, Appling County, Georgia. He then became Editor of Southern Business and Realty in Atlanta, covering business, real estate and the political news of the day. Later Mike accepted a job as Managing Editor of The Financial News and Daily Record, Jacksonville, Florida's legal newspaper, and the couple moved to Jacksonville. Before establishing his own business, Mike explored opportunities as an insurance agent with Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company, as a sports writer at the Florida Times Union newspaper, and as editor of The Westside Story, a local community newspaper. In 1981 he opened Thames Creative Communications, a boutique for creative marketing and public relations, where he produced award winning ads, brochures, and print materials for businesses like Gulf Life Insurance, Jacksonville Board of Realtors, Revlon, The Colomer USA Group, Parker Electronics (a Carrier affiliated company), and Crowley Maritime Corporation. The Jacksonville Advertising Federation recognized Mike's creative work with "Addy" Awards for outstanding copywriting for the Jacksonville Board of Realtors and a British Graphic Design Company. In 2000 Mike moved his marketing business to Atlanta and after retiring briefly worked as an agent for AFLAC. In 2010 he founded "Encouraging Words", providing a weekly uplifting word to subscribers. While in Jacksonville Mike was an active member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, a charismatic church where he was a lay reader/minister and participant in healing ministry. His church work continued in Georgia at Church of the Messiah, where he encouraged church growth through marketing efforts. He loved sharing Jesus with others. An avid reader, Mike enjoyed working with the "Give A Kid A Chance" back to school program in Cherokee County, working out at the gym, watching auto racing (especially NASCAR) and rooting for his Georgia Bulldogs. Mike is survived by his beloved wife, Rebecca Jane "Becky" Edwards Thames; his sister Julie Elizabeth Thames Howell (Tony) of Jacksonville, Florida; four nieces Kelly Rebecca Bell of Canton, Kathryn Brooke Bell Edelen (Jeremiah) of Canton; Dana Elizabeth Luhn Hylton of Jacksonville; Casey Marie Caulkins of Jacksonville; nephew Lane Maverick Caulkins of Jacksonville; and several great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by this parents George Walter Thames III and Jane Elizabeth Bazler Thames. Mike's Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, September 22, 2025 in the Chapel of Darby Funeral Home, with Reverend Fred Goodwin officiating. Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM followed by a 2:00 PM Service and Interment at Cherokee Memorial Park in Canton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mike's memory to the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) https://nrlc.org or to Samaritan's Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/donate-online