Jon Michael Muckleroy

Jon Michael Muckleroy of Orlando, FL passed away on January 26th, 2020. He was born on April 14, 1930 in Giddings, Texas to John Campbell “Cotton” and Dorothy Johnson Muckleroy. Shortly after his birth, they moved back to Goose Creek, Texas just outside of Houston. It is here that he had his first brush with fame when mistaken for the blond, curly-headed son of Charles Lindberg, whose kidnapping was nationwide news. They had found the famous Lindbergh baby. The mistake was quickly discovered but the story had already been reported by a local radio station causing the Muckleroy's to be the talk of the town. Years later, Muckleroy became friends with Lindbergh's other son, Jon, when they were both stationed at Coronado as young Navy Seals. When Mike’s father died in an oil well explosion, his mother moved Mike back to Giddings where they lived with his beloved grandmother, "Momma Jonce". Mike adored his mother and grandmother and credited his "two angels" with all his future successes. The Muckleroy family history would not be complete without reference to a family friend, his mother's employer and future President of the U.S., Lyndon B. Johnson. Lady bird and "Uncle Lyndon" were lifelong friends and very supportive of the family. One of Mike's favorite hobbies, swimming, led to a scholarship at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and later fueled his desire to tackle the rigorous training to become a Navy Seal. Mike won numerous swimming championships - both state and national over the years, which culminated in a trip to the Masters World meet in Brisbane, Australia at the age of 56. He won 3 individual gold, 2 silver medals and another gold for the mixed age relay in which he anchored. While at SMU majoring in Finance and Marketing, Mike found lifelong friends with his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity brothers. During Mike's early days in the Navy, he was awarded the Navy/Marine Corp Medal, the highest non-combat award, for attempting to save a Japanese sailor that was swept away in heavy seas. After graduating from Seal training Mike was assigned to Seal team UDT-11 and sent to Japan during the Korean War. His 2nd commendation came after recovering the bodies of fellow service members whose helicopter crashed into Tokyo Bay. One of his many instances with what he called "Muck's Luck", occurred when his military plane crashed into the Arctic Ocean. In 28-degree water and surrounded by icebergs, Mike and his men escaped from the overturned plane and swam to the nearby rocky beach where they were rescued by the Coast Guard. His success in the military transferred to business later in life. Muckleroy built, owned and operated a chain of 20 service stations/convenience stores in Florida, headed up the Business development Group for Florida Gas Company, was senior vice president of Saxon Oil Company and was an independent consultant to a number of small oil and gas production companies. Later he served as president of Houston Liquid Fuels and chairman and CEO of Enron Liquid fuels. Muckleroy left Enron in 1993 after a two-year battle with senior management over the questionable business practices of the parent company's upper management. Muckleroy served on several private and public boards, chaired corporate United Way campaigns, and provided leadership for many philanthropic efforts in each company he served. In 2008, he received an honorary Doctor of letters from Alma College. He married first wife, Barbara Wrobbel, in 1955 and had three children. He married his second wife, Paula Lane in 1967 and they expanded their family with her 2 children from a previous marriage and later had a son together. He enjoyed his daily card game with Paula where they would talk and laugh about current and past events. Over the years, the family enjoyed many summer trips to the beach, where he enjoyed swimming and water activities with his children. He passed along his voracious love of reading and quick wit. During his retirement in Orlando, he played golf with the "Friday Boys", traveling the world and enjoyed trips with friends, children and grandchildren on his yacht aptly named "Muck's Luck". Mike was preceded in death by his parents and stepson Robert Michael Medaris. He is survived by wife, Paula Lane Muckleroy and son, Richard Scott Muckleroy (wife Kellie). Also survived by children with Barbara Muckleroy Trigg, Jon Michael Muckleroy Jr, Laura June Foxx (husband Kevin) and Elizabeth Carol Muckleroy (previously Brown) and their children/his grandchildren, Jason Foxx (wife Lindsay), Madison Foxx Moffitt (husband Patrick); Price, Paxton and Chloe Brown; Jessie and Lizzie Muckleroy and step-daughter Leigh Ann Mcdaniel and daughters Alexandra and Katherine. Services will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park FL on February 6th at 3:00PM. In lieu of flowers donations to Advent Health Hospice Care (www.adventhealth.com/hospice-care) or Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org/) would be appreciated.

Jon Michael Muckleroy

April 14, 1930 - January 26, 2020