Charles Michael “Mike” Thacker departed this world peacefully on October 6th, 2023, at his daughter’s home in Kingston.

He was preceded in death by his brothers: John and Vaughn; sister: Phyllis; mother: Anna Maude; father: Charles, grandson Judah, and wife Karen.

He is survived by his sister: Kathy Campbell; niece: Tangie Carillo; son: Matthew and his wife Wendi and their children Camilla Kate and Emmett, and daughter Rita Curran, and her husband Jim and their son Mikey.

Mike was a lifelong member of the Kingston community having attended Roane County High and been a part of the 1973 Yellow Jacket Football State Championship team. Mike worked most of his adult life as a transmission specialist at Sexton Automotive in Harriman and was well known as a man who could fix anything with an engine. Anyone who knew Mike knew his real passion was drag racing. Mike raced hand-built roadsters and rear engine dragsters every Saturday night all across the southeast. Many rival racers he rolled up next to in the staging lanes were driving engines, transmissions, or even whole cars Mike helped build. Though he kept racing until the last year of his life, when his grandkids came around, he would occasionally be seen on a Saturday evening riding a grinning toddler around on his tractor or teaching them to drive a 4-wheeler. “Papaw” was deeply loved by his kids and grandkids alike and will be sorely missed.

In their last years, Mike and Karen supported St Jude Children’s Hospital in remembrance of their grandson Judah.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Mike’s name. Kyker Funeral Home of Kingston is serving the family.