Mike Crockett 1935-2026
We are sad to announce that Mike Crockett has passed away.
Mike C at QO club champs, 2017
We are sad to announce that Mike Crockett has passed away. He died at home on 24th May.
Mike was a big part of QO since the late 1970s. In those early days it sounds like he was involved in every event! A frequent Planner or Controller, he was also a long-standing committee member and was at various times Treasurer, Secretary, Membership secretary, Newsletter editor and President. His enormous contribution to orienteering is well documented in other articles, see the references below, but for many of us I suspect it was his genial demeanour in what is often quite a solitary sport which most comes to mind.
Mike was the first QO member I met. As someone new to Taunton in the early 1990s, I saw a poster, turned up to an event on Lydeard Hill, and there he was. I couldn’t have wished for anyone better to introduce me to the sport. Mike was ever present at my early QO events, and was always friendly and cheerful. For many years he would hand deliver copies of the QuOnicle (the club newsletter) at events which was a good way to have a quick chat with everyone.
On Friday 19th June at 14:30 there will be a Thanksgiving Service for Mike at Street United Reform Church (BA16 0ER) followed by refreshments. This follows a 10:30 ceremony at Sedgemoor Crematorium (TA6 4SR).
Here are some tributes to Mike:
Roger & Judy write:
In addition to all of Mike’s long-term contributions to QO already mentioned, he supported JOG in a variety of ways. Although he lived in Street, he turned up regularly to help coach children and test them for their badges. Often, as President of QO, Mike would present trophies and certificates to delighted JOGgers.
He also ran planning courses for those interested and wishing to plan JOGs. This proved a very useful method of allowing future planners to “cut their teeth” and gain enough confidence to progress on to planning QOFLs etc. This long-term commitment was vital to the development, quality and regularity of the JOG section of Quantock Orienteers. Thank you Mike.
Andy and Rosie write:
Mike was a true orienteering gentleman- a very successful competitive runner and orienteer when younger and a great mentor/trainer to both Rosie and I when we first joined the club as complete orienteering newbies. He controlled, sympathetically but firmly my first ever attempt at planning up at Culmstock Beacon where torrential overnight rain flooded the many pits and depressions we had placed controls ( and pin punches!) in ahead of the following day’s event leaving many completely submerged and inaccessible. He went on to train and assess us both as controllers and was always available for guidance and advice as our orienteering activities and experiences expanded. We, and the club, saw less and less of both Mike and Margaret in the last few years but I’m sure they were both still keeping in touch with the club’s activities, successes and development in the background right up to the onset of Mike’s illness and unfortunate passing.
He was a great asset to the club for many years even when no longer able to compete himself, by turning up at events and helping out with anything that needed doing. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him. Our deepest condolences to Margaret and all their family.
Adele writes:
Very sad news. Such a lovely chap. Always so calm and helpful. Whenever I see a Romahome and a Wolfhound type dog I think of Mike. RIP Mike.
Arthur Vince writes:
I first encountered Mike when I became a QO member nearly five decades ago. He was a principal driver of QO’s operations. His method of working was to worry at a problem until it was solved to his satisfaction, which served him well in his career as a Grade 1 controller. He continued controlling, gradually stepping down to Grade C, before increasing years curtailed him.
Finally, as one of Mike’s contemporaries, Bill writes:
My first contact with Mike must have been some time in 1977, We both worked in the same building at Wookey Hole, he was the buyer and I was an engineer. I think he must have told me that he ran cross country for his unit when he was in the RAF, this must have prompted me to explain Orienteering to him, he seemed interested so we arranged a visit to the Quantocks for a practical demonstration for him and his two teenage sons. They all seemed to enjoy themselves so we decided he could do an actual event; the next suitable one was the BOK trot in the Forest of Dean. At that time the age classes were 35, 43 so we had to enter M35 which was about 10K, quite an introduction!
I have document titled 'The Lost One' which unfortunately has no date on it but was probable 1978, Mike is listed as a club member, (I am on the 1977 list).F or some reason I have a large gap in my records after the above, I jump to 14th Nov 1985 which shows Mike as the planner of a badge event at Copley. QO Newsletter 18.9.88 seems to be the first of a series that Mike produced, the 2nd as dated 4.11.88 Newsletter 7 of 16.8.89 records some results for the Scottish Six-day event, on the M50A Course Mike was 52nd, and I was 16th. The best QO result being Rachel Holmes who at the age of 6 was 6th on the W10B course.
The November 1991 newsletter 18 shows Mike 5th M55L in the Caddihoe Chase. Newsletter Feb 1992 lists Mike as 16th on M55 in the 1991 national rankings. Mike was a member of the winning QO team for the Devon Relay at Killerton on 19th July 1992. The Compass Cup final at Pwll Du on 10th Oct 1992 saw Mike winning the Green course. The November 1992 newsletter shows Mike and me having won the handicap section on the B course of the Karrimor Mountain Marathon.
Arthur Vince seems to have taken over from Mike producing the newsletter at the beginning of 1993. The April 1993 newsletter shows Mike 9th from 131 in the National M55 rankings.
Read more
Other articles on Mike: https://www.quantockorienteers.co.uk/archive/qo-awards-life-membership-to-mike-crockett
A profile of Mike written by Adrian in 2011: https://www.quantockorienteers.co.uk/archive/quote-mike-crockett
Mike's recollections of the early days of the club: https://www.quantockorienteers.co.uk/info/about/history-of-the-club
Mike featured in CompassSport magazine in Feb 2011: