James Luke Myers

James Luke Myers of Crawfordville, FL passed away on Sunday, February 5th, 2023 at the age of 75. After battling a sudden illness, Luke passed peacefully surrounded by his wife Gayle, sons, and grandchildren. Luke was born in Doylestown, PA on June 9th, 1947 to father Charles Myers and Mother Mary Godshall Myers. He was the 5th Child with three brothers and three sisters. In 1954, the Myers family moved to Blountstown, FL and became a staple of the farming community and leaders in the local Mennonite church. Luke excelled in all of his academic pursuits, becoming valedictorian of Blountstown High School in the class of 1965. Through scholarships and his own hard work, he was able to obtain his Bachelor's Degree from Florida State University, as well as two Master's Degrees from FSU and one from the University of Florida. Make no mistake, he was a Seminole for life. After a brief stint teaching high school science in Labelle, Florida, Luke decided to give his life to the Christian ministry through mission work in Africa. Working with the Mennonite Central Committee, Luke lived in Nigeria, Africa for three years teaching science and biology at Wesley high school in Oturkpo. On his time off, Luke enjoyed cruising the sandy roads of Nigeria on his Honda 175 motorcycle and taking in the culture. He moved to Botswana for the next four years. Using his agricultural degree, he became an essential part of the Nethouse project. This project helped establish single-family farms by installing a pump and netting system to protect the produce from the sun. Luke incorporated many aspects of African culture later in his life, such as his trademark leather neck-wallet and delicious delicacies such as ground nut stew with sticky potatoes. His many stories will live on for all who were fortunate enough to hear them. His profound storytelling left us looking over our shoulders for stampedes of elephants and prides of hungry lions. Upon returning from Africa, Luke returned to college at FSU and earned his Masters degree to become a licensed mental health counselor. He mentored families and at-risk youth at Fairview Middle School for two years, followed by 25 years with Disc Village. He became a leader in his field and a mentor for many colleagues, young and old alike. Luke was a man of great faith, as a dedicated member of Berean Christian Fellowship for most of his life. He spent much of his spare time helping church members with house projects, counseling, farm share, teaching classes, and so much more. At Berean, he met Gayle and the two became very close. In 1994, Luke proposed and they were married that same year. He moved to Crawfordville, FL, and became a father to Gayle's nine children. He very quickly ignited a sense of adventure and love for life in his children. He instilled a love for God and the Earth. The profound impact he made in their lives trickled down to his grandchildren, whom he loved with all of his being. He found so much peace and joy in them which lasted through his final days. Luke's love for Photography and the outdoors often brought him to his favorite place, the Lighthouse at the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge. The legacy of Luke will live on forever. His stories will be told over and over, his infectious laugh will live in those who knew him for a long time. His genuine love for God is a living testimony to an unparalleled degree. The world is a better place because of him, the ripple he created will forever change the lives of countless individuals directly and indirectly for generations to come. He was truly one of a kind. Jared Padgett of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)

Tributes

James Luke Myers

June 9, 1947 - February 5, 2023