Murfreesboro native and resident Mike Lorance, age 89, passed away Thursday, July 8 at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital.
Lorance was a heralded newspaper and television outdoors reporter, columnist and personality, including 35 years as outdoors columnist for The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, retiring from that position in 2015. Upon his retirement, he was honored by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee Fishing and Wildlife Commission for being “a strong proponent for TWRA initiatives and implementations.”
Lorance was the first blind professional fisherman to compete on the prestigious Bassmaster tournament circuits. He was host of the syndicated television show “Outdoors with Mike.”
His autobiography “Out of the Darkness into Light: A Blind Fisherman’s Story” told to and written by Murfreesboro’s Patricia Floyd was enshrined for inclusion at the Smithsonian Libraries in Washington, D.C.
“Mike is one of the most unique persons I have ever met,” former TWRA information and public relations officer Doug Markham said upon Lorance’s retirement. “He has been a tremendous help and asset to sportsmen not only throughout this state, but the entire country as well.”
Before going blind because of an inherited eye disease, Lorance saved eight persons — a mother and three children from drowning in Stones River, three from a house fire and a child from a storm barrel — in three near disasters.
Born April 10, 1932, in Mufreesboro, he is preceded in death by his wife of 51 years Ruby Smotherman Lorance; Pearl Shipp, mother; James Shipp, step-father; Hershel Lorance, father.
Survived by:
Daughter: Patricia Howerton and husband Tim of Murfreesboro
Sister: Georgia Morash and husband Grover of Littleton, Colo.
Grandchildren: Jason Howerton and wife Jennifer; Craig Howerton and wife Shelly; Christopher Howerton and wife Jenna; Brian McNamee; Dustin Howerton and wife Griselda; Great Grandchildren: Tanner Howerton, Declan Howerton, Paisley Howerton and Delaney Howerton
Special recognition and appreciation from the family to friend Dot Mathews for years of friendship and support and the fifth-floor nursing staff including Shernann Forbes at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, July 24 at Woodfin Funeral Chapel at 1488 Lascassas Pike in Murfreesboro with visitation from 2-5 p.m. and services officiated by Jeff Hollingshead at 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lascassas & Milton Lions Club and the Lions Club international SightFirst Program at P.O. Box 8, Lascassas, TN 37085-0008. The family requests donations of unused glasses be made to area eye care donation centers and optometrists.
Among associates who became key column components include Tim Staley, “the Ole Guide” on Center Hill Lake; Doug Markham, former director of information and public relations for the TWRA; Murfreesboro Outdoors owner Randy Bolin; the late Algae Woodard, his best fishing buddy; John Hopkins, owner of Fate Sanders Marina on Percy Priest Lake; and Smyrna businessman Mike Hollingshead, who helped support Lorance with the annual Fish for Sight benefit fishing tournament staged by the Lascassas & Milton Lions Club.
After going blind, he didn’t accept being handicapped as a handicap, instead turned his passion for fishing in particular and the outdoors in general into more than just a hobby. “It is hard for most people to believe anybody who is blind can do something like that,” Lorance said upon his retirement. “I think I was the best blind tournament fisherman in the world because I think I was the only blind tournament fisherman in the world.”
Lorance considered his columns as a conduit to getting names and faces into the newspaper and recognizing their accomplishments. “I enjoy dealing with people,” Lorance said. “I enjoyed doing the columns and putting peoples’ names in the paper because it made them feel good. It helped me to feel good because I was helping others to feel good.”
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