Terrell (Terry) Duane Weech went to be with our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, July 16, 2012 after a courageous and fierce fight against cancer.
Terry, the son of the Reverend Bert Weech & Carol White Weech, both deceased, was born on December 3, 1959 in Fort Myers, Fl and raised in Jacksonville, Florida.
After graduating from Andrew Jackson Sr. High School, he continued schooling for marine repair and underwater construction, and conducted extensive research into Florida History. He enjoyed digging into the Florida State Archives in Tallahassee and the library at the University of Florida at Gainesville.
He followed his lifelong passion for golf, aviation, and underwater diving.
He was a private pilot, researcher, archaeologist, commercial (hardhat) diver, boat captain, inventor, explorer & treasure hunter. The two things that Terry could not be talked out of, were God and golf. Terry had a deep abiding personal relationship with Jesus Christ which sustained him throughout his life and assured him of his place in heaven. As a golfer, he played in many tournaments throughout the United States.
Terry also enjoyed island hopping throughout the Bahama Islands in his single engine Cessna airplane & was quite the adventurer with USA travels to California, New York, Arizona, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska and the Florida Keys.
During shipwreck research at the Library of London, England, he was surprised to discover some of his own family root history, when he spotted a map showing "Weech Road." He took a taxi there and had his picture taken next to the road sign.
Terry recovered numerous artifacts while diving, including a rare Lima Star coin.
Pictures of him helping to hoist a 1,000 pound ship anchor from the 17th Century Spanish Vessel the San Miguel de Archangel, can be seen in the August 2000 edition of the marine magazine 'Soundings.'
He is also featured on the front page of the October 14, 1998 edition of the Jupiter Courier newspaper, helping to steady the anchor.
Two anchors and five cannons were recovered from that Jupiter wreck site.
He once met Author Clive Cussler and helped on a 'prep crew' commissioned by Cussler for a shipwreck search. He also had numerous conversations about Florida shipwreck history with friends Dave Foster, Alan Gardner and renowned treasure hunter and Author Robert Marx.
His adventures included extensive exploration with his brother Kevin, throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean.
His life's work as a commercial diver included numerous marine related projects contracted by the State of Florida. Co-workers enjoyed his non-stop sense of humor and some nicknamed him "McGyver" because of his ingenuity on the job. He once put his impromptu problem solving skills to use during a unique situation for The Royal Bahamas Police Force.
During his younger years, he was a Supervisor for one division of the Circulation Department of The Florida Times Union and hit the Longest Drive in the 1988 Employee Golf Tournament.
He was known as "Too Tall: Pride of the Northside" & captured the "Tough Guy" title during the "Night of the Toughest" Boxing Championship in 1980.
Terry also appeared as an 'Extra' on the set for the movie "Intimate Strangers" starring Stacy Keach and Terri Garr.
Most recently Terry was a volunteer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, assigned to the Aviation Unit, which he greatly enjoyed.
Terry is survived by his sister Marla Weech of Orlando, FL, his brother Kevin Weech of Jacksonville, Fl, his twin sister Twila Weech Wezensky & brother-in-law Tony Wezensky who reside in Omaha, NE. He is also survived by his nephew David Jester, David's fiancé' Ashley Hedrick, & great niece Ciera Jester of Woodstock, VA. as well as many cherished aunts, uncles, cousins & friends.
Funeral services will take place on Saturday July 21, 2012 at 4:00 pm at Highlands United Methodist Church, 1955 Broward Road with the Reverend Ken Barney officiating. Interment will follow at Green Pine Cemetery, Yulee, FL.
For those who prefer, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in honor of Terry Weech, to Community Hospice of NE Florida or Mayo Clinic Florida.