Michael Joseph “Mike” Camacho, 62, passed away on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston from complications related to his courageous nine month battle with Esophageal cancer. Mike was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on February 28, 1954 to Joseph G. Camacho, Jr. and the late Patricia M. (Carey) Camacho. He is survived by his father and his brother James Camacho of Fairhaven, Massachusetts and his common law wife Joan Klock of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He was the nephew of Louise Camacho of New Bedford, Vasco and Jean Camacho of Charleston, South Carolina and Lee Camacho of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. His beloved cousins include Elizabeth Napier of Freetown, Massachusetts, Dr. Susan Camacho Hollman of Marion, Massachusetts, Mary Lou Izmirian of Denver, Colorado, Karen Peebles of League City, Texas, Jennifer Eitel of Moore, South Carolina and his Godchild Stephen Camacho of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is also survived by stepchildren Nancy, Jennifer, Jason and Jamie.
He was predeceased by his wife Leslie Camacho in 2001 and his uncle Dr. Manuel Camacho.
Mike was educated at the Knowlton Elementary School in New Bedford until the family moved to Fairhaven in 1963 whereupon he went to Anthony Elementary School, Hastings Junior High School and Fairhaven High School where he graduated in 1972. He attended Providence College and was a disabled Vietnam Era veteran enlisting in the United States Army in 1973 serving until 1976. He was an expert marksman and a sniper during his tenure in the Army becoming a sniper instructor prior to his honorable discharge. He then moved to Connecticut whereupon he worked in the engraving industry from 1977 to 1984. He then was hired by the United States Postal Service in Hartford, Connecticut and he later moved to Concord, New Hampshire in 1985 where he worked in the Manchester Post Office until 2003.
Mike took up golf in 1977 and by 2000 he was a scratch golfer ranked as one of the 30 best amateur golfers in New Hampshire. He resigned from the United States Postal Service in 2003 to pursue a career in professional golf where he played mini-tour events in New England and Florida. He participated in the European Senior Professional Golf Association Tour School in Palmeiras, Portugal in the Fall of 2003. He was certified by the Maltby Clubmaking Academy in Newark, Ohio where he learned the craft of golf club repair. He later moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2006 and worked for the Grand Dunes Golf Resort, Golf Dimensions Outlet and for the last five years as a club repair specialist for Golfsmith in Myrtle Beach. He was also employed by Medieval Times dinner theatre in Myrtle Beach for the last five years as an actor playing the part of the king and as a stage hand for the production of their shows.
In his younger years Mike enjoyed model rocketry, fishing, motorcycles, music especially Southern Rock and Roll and particularly the Allman Brothers Band along with his love of all sports. He excelled in all the sports he participated in; baseball, basketball, football and golf in his adult years. He was a two time local champion of the Ford Motor Company’s Punt, Pass and Kick competition in 1966 and 1967 whereupon he competed at Fenway Park during halftime of Boston Patriots games. He earned eight varsity letters in all three sports in high school, was selected as a 1971 Capeway Conference All Star in basketball when Fairhaven was co-champion of the conference and he was a Perfection Player of the Week during that season. He played on the Fairhaven state championship finals baseball team in 1971 and he was a Capeway Conference All Star and Standard Times All Star that year. He earned statewide Small School All Scholastic honors in baseball during both 1971 and 1972. He was inducted into the Fairhaven High School Hall of Fame in 2008. He was also a member of the Fairhaven High School Key Club. He was very proud of being a 1972 graduate of Fairhaven High School and loved being part of that class with his many friends both inside and outside of sports; you all know who you are!
Mike will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He exhibited enormous courage in his fight against cancer and his family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Veterans Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina, both in Charleston, for their exquisite care during his treatment along with the staff at Coastal Cancer Center and Carolina Regional Cancer Center, both in Myrtle Beach, during his chemotherapy and radiation treatments prior to surgery.
His funeral arrangements will be private. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Help King Mike Go Fund Me page.
Rest in Peace, Mike.