Photo from the obituary

The officers and members of the Jacksonville Retired Firefighter Association are saddened to report that

Retired JFRD Firefighter Edward Mickler 84 passed away on Monday, April 10, 2023.

He was hired in 1977 and left the job in 1987 with ten years of service.

Ed was born January 13,1939, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he lived his entire life. He passed away April 10 in South Ponte Vedra Beach at the age 0f 84. Ed fought many illnesses in his lifetime and won. However, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma proved to be one battle he could not win.

Ed was truly a self-made man with many careers and great successes. He served in the Florida Air National Guard. He retired from JFRD after 10 years. He recently said that of all his endeavors, he was most proud of forming his own company, Transport Refrigeration, where he was the president. He retired in 2005. Ed had many interests. He held a private pilot’s license but gave up flying when he bought his pride and joy the MS SUZANNE and fishing became his passion. He was a member of the St. Augustine Rod and Gun Club where he enjoyed skeet shooting. He loved the Florida Gators, especially when they were winning. He married young and has two children, Edward Mickler III and Cheryl Jan Mickler. He was very proud of how hard he worked to provide for them. His grandchildren are Sofia, Abi, Alan, and Max.

In 1984, he met, as he called her, the love of his life, Suzanne. From the beginning, they started a life together, traveling the Caribbean and enjoying their timeshare on St. Maarten. They finally decided to get married and had a magical wedding at the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton on New Year’s Day, 1995. Ed and Suzanne lived in Atlantic Beach for many years and relocated to South Ponte Vedra in 2002, where they enjoyed quite the social life and developed many friendships. In 2004, they discovered cruising and had many wonderful trips, the most recent to Japan and Alaska.

Ed is survived by his wife Suzanne, who took care of him as his health declined. She will love, cherish, and miss him forever. He will also be missed by special niece Karen Edenfield (husband Harry and daughter Sally Rose) and special sister-in-law, Barbara Edwards. We will celebrate Ed and all that he was at a later date.