Michael Lloyd Honeycutt

Michael Lloyd Honeycutt was born April 26, 1958 in Washington, D.C. to Lloyd Columbus Honeycutt and Margie Marie Turner Honeycutt.      Lloyd lived in Kinston and Wilmington, NC and played football for New Hanover High School. He joined the 82nd Airborne and met Michael’s mom Margie while on R&R from the army base at Fort Bragg. Margie was from Mount Olive and was staying with family in Wilmington and working as a waitress at the Dixie Café on Front Street. Lloyd’s military career took them to Washington D.C. where Michael and his sister Michele were born. The family then moved to Okinawa Japan in approximately 1965 where Lloyd worked as a civil engineer.

Michael was age 7 to 14 while living in Okinawa. He began playing drums professionally at age 11 for the Officers’ Club on base. He always had a keen ear for music and rhythm. He also played in bands all through school and played jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, country rock and even beach music. The family later moved back to the states and settled in Jacksonville, N.C. where Lloyd worked at camp Lejeune. Michael attended White Oak high school in Jacksonville where he played in the school’s band.

While Michael was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (that took him to Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming) sadly, his mother passed away. He came home for the funeral and then returned afterwards to continue serving his mission.

After his mission, he attended a church dance where he met Sandra Dail Buck. Sandra loved to dance, and they hit it off immediately. Michael and Sandra shared a love of music, a love for Christ and his gospel, and a love for each other. They were engaged after 2 weeks of dating, and they were married in 3 months. They settled in Kinston and had 3 children, Stephanie Marie Honeycutt, Kimberly Michele Honeycutt, and Brandon Michael Honeycutt.

Michael was a truck driver by trade working for UPS and driving double trailers to Raleigh and Greensboro at night, but on the weekends, he continued to play in local bands due to his strong passion for music. Some weekends, he would even load $3,000 worth of equipment in a $1,000 vehicle, and drive several hundred miles so that he could make it to scheduled performances where he probably made $50.

In 1987, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and he and Sandra went back to school with 3 children and a mortgage. He earned a BSBA from ECU and worked for a short period of time for the Social Security Administration. His disability ended his career early, but he continued to work several businesses from home.

Michael loved the beach and in 2002, his family made a tough decision to move to Wilmington NC where they had always wanted to live. Michael continued to struggle with M.S. but never lost his quirky and hilarious sense of humor and positive attitude. He always had a wonderful smile on his face and his eyes would light up when he talked about his family, no matter his health situation. We have heard stories from others who visited him that when they left, they felt happy and uplifted by him.

Michael’s body has been crippled by disease for many years, but he passed away peacefully at home on January 5, 2024.

Michael was preceded in death by his father Lloyd Columbus Honeycutt and his mother Margie Marie Turner Honeycutt. He leaves behind his wife Sandra Buck Honeycutt, his children Stephanie Marie Peyton and husband Jared Peyton, Kimberly Michele Honeycutt, Brandon Michael Honeycutt and wife Hannah DeHart, and his granddaughters Madison Nicole Murphy and Skylar Noel Murphy. He also leaves behind his sister Michele Marie Norush, his niece Magen Hoang and husband Bill Hoang and their son Dylan, his nephew Quade Norush and wife Melinda Norush. He also leaves numerous “favorite” cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

Michael will be missed dearly. He was an inspiration to friends and family and the best husband and father one could ever hope for. He would always say: “I love you all the universes and beyond, for time and all eternity, and forever and ever and always.” Michael, we love you!

His viewing will be held on Friday 1/12/24 at 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 514 S College Rd Wilmington, NC 28403.

His funeral will be held on Friday 1/12/24 at 12 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 514 S College Rd Wilmington, NC 28403.

After the funeral, we will drive to the burial site at Oleander Memorial Gardens at 306 Bradley Dr, Wilmington, NC 28409 for the dedication and blessing on the grave.