Even for those who had never met him, Charles Mincey was a familiar face at the Beaches.
Known as “Sleepy,” Mincey could often be seen pedaling his bicycle from one end of the Beaches to the other. When he wasn’t riding, he was likely on the sidelines at Wingate Park or Fletcher High School, cheering on the young athletes.
Mincey died last week in Jacksonville Beach. He was 70.
Now, a community that came to know him through youth sports, neighborhood kindness and countless bicycle rides is coming together to help give him a final farewell.
Rodney and Joyce McIntyre of Jacksonville Beach launched an online fundraiser to cover the cost of Mincey’s final arrangements, including a celebration of life that will be open to the community. Donations can be made through the Charles 'Sleepy' Mincey Support Fund.
“He deserves a good funeral and for people to be able to say something good about him and let him go to God in a nice way,” said Rodney McIntyre, who took Mincey under his wing when he was still in elementary school.
“There are so many people in this community that love Sleepy. They call him the ‘Bicycle Man.’ Every time you see him, he’s on a bicycle.”
His routine was familiar.
“The same routine every day,” McIntyre said. “Fletcher every day, waiting for the football game.”
Over the years, Sleepy became a beloved fixture at Beaches sporting events, following young athletes from the Jax Beach Jaguars Pop Warner field to Fletcher Middle School and Fletcher High School.
He chatted with fans along the sidelines, encouraged players and helped keep the energy high at hometown games. The Fletcher lacrosse team even included him in its pregame activities.
Fletcher Coach Ciatrick Fason said Friday’s home game against the Bartram Trail Bears will be known as “Sleepy Night.” His chair will be placed on the sidelines in his memory.
“He has not only been one of Fletcher's biggest supporters, but he followed me since I was a baby til now. He would always tell people stories about my family and myself. The last day I saw him he was telling players how good my dad was at baseball and stories about my middle school games,” said Fason.
“Sleepy was one who remembered everything players did in games, so it's only right we remember Sleepy for all he had done for us. You always tell the boys to win for Coach C, but now we are going to win for you, Sleepy.”
Kimberly Keys said she looked forward to seeing Sleepy at Fletcher Senators games. Even after her son graduated and went on to play college football, she said he always made a point to check in on him.
“The last time I talked with Sleepy, he asked about my son’s first college game. He was just as excited as we were,” she said. “It will not be the same at football and basketball games as we will not be able to see his smile. Every time I attend a game, there will never be a moment I don’t think of him.”
Keys said a group of Fletcher parents plan to wear memorial shirts to the Friday, September 11th home game against the Bartram Trail Bears as a tribute to the man who always showed up for their kids.
The Jax Beach Jaguars also remembered that dedication in a post Sunday after word of Mincey’s death spread through the community.
“Sleepy never missed a football game. He was a huge part of our Jax Beach Jaguars family,” the organization said. “He never missed a home game and did a lot to keep our field great.”
His support followed the players as they moved on to middle and high school.
“His love for our athletes didn’t stop at Pop Warner,” the Jaguars said. “He would follow them on to Fletcher Middle and Fletcher High School where he would cheer them on, always showing his continued support.”
Amy Kordula shared a tender photo of Mincey comforting her grandson on the sidelines of a Jax Beach Jaguars game.
“He lived through the kids and oh so loved them,” Kordula said. “My grandson was upset and had a bad play. He was always there for them.”
Mincey played softball and football and swam competitively as a child. His nickname came from some of his softball teammates.
“Every time he’d hold his head down, he looked like he was going to sleep,” McIntyre said.
The nickname stuck.
Mincey’s mother and stepfather lived in Atlantic Beach, but he spent much of his time at the McIntyre home. His stepfather died two weeks ago, and his mother is under hospice care, McIntyre said. Mincey also had a brother who died at age 3 and a sister who also died young.
“I met Sleepy when he was in third grade and he was in my Cub Scout troop. When he was about 12, he joined the Boy Scouts and I have had him ever since,” McIntyre said.
“He always told people I’m his oldest brother. He traveled with me to Tennessee, Atlanta, Savannah, anywhere I went, he was in the truck.”
“And I feed him,” said McIntyre’s wife, Joyce, who is hosting the fundraiser. “It’s hard. I want him to have a decent celebration.”
The McIntyres weren’t the only family to look after him.
Jenna Bush said her family gave Mincey an old minivan, which he used as a home base for several years.
“He was such a special part of our lives and I know many others,” Bush said.
Mincey swept Bush’s porch, hauled her garbage cans to the street and encouraged her three children to listen to their mother when he overheard her fussing at them.
“We lived on Fourth Avenue South and I didn’t even know when our trash days were when we lived there,” Bush said.
When Mincey strayed from his usual routine for a few days, Bush and her children would pile into the family car and go looking for him.
Most of the time, they found him right where they expected: at a Fletcher baseball or basketball game.
Mincey also was a regular at Compassion Nights, a program established through a partnership between the Beaches Homeless Coalition and area churches. The gatherings provide members of the homeless community a meal, fellowship and a safe place to sleep.
Ellen Glasser, co-founder of the Beaches Homeless Coalition, said the organization plans to contribute $500 to Mincey’s fundraiser through its emergency fund, which helps offset unexpected expenses.
“He was loved,” Glasser said. “And he will be missed.”
