MY MEMORIES OF MIKE:
It is hard to envision my life without Mike after 42 years together. He was my partner, my best friend, and such an important part of who I am. The thought of moving forward without him is hard to process, but I find comfort in knowing that he and Niki will always be cheering me on from the sidelines, just as they always have. I can only ask for continued moments of joy—moments when I can smile at a memory, laugh at something he would have said, and feel his presence in my heart. I will carry Mike with me every day: in the love we shared, the memories we created, and the life we built together.
I hope that Mike is once again reunited with his daughter Niki; his mother and father; Tom, Bill, Uncle Bob; and all the family members who went before him. That Mike will be able to convey to them all the love from us that are still remaining, and that they can only see the joy, the happiness, and the beautiful moments in our lives. That Mike will be able to play that one more game of golf that he didn't get to play on earth. That he will be able to play again with Tom and Bill, and there will be no golf club throwing or bickering that Dot will have to referee. Mike will be whole again and enjoy the freedom of mobility and independence he strived so hard for after his illness.
Mike was a banker, golfer, Ole Miss fan and hobby pilot and he was all of those things, but to me he was just Mike and was my husband and father to Niki and Kim. You can have a lot of different jobs, positions, passions and hobbies. All these things are essential in life, but they can't love you back. The most significant purpose in this life is to understand the importance of God, family and love and the role all of these play in this life. Sometimes it takes a journey to get there, and it's not always a straight path, but I believe Mike found that path though it wasn't always easy.
One of the first memories that were testimony to his devotion to family was when we were first married and he took Niki to "Kite Day" at school. Mike the forever competitor made sure her kite was the highest. This was so Mike to me. He wanted it to be a special day for her, and it was. It was a simple memory, but one forever burned in my brain. Another memory that says so much about Mike was when during one of Kim's cheerleading competitions many fathers came to watch and cheer on their daughters at the end of the week for the competition, but Mike was different. He went the entire week because he knew how intimidated I felt being around the cheerleader mothers. Both Kim and I will forever remember the road trips we had going to Owensboro, KY where Kim would always sing along to “Love Shack”, Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” and Bill’s Tom Petty play list. Or the time we went to NYC and we took the tour bus around the city. Niki, Kim and I wanted to get off at every stop, but Dad just wanted to stay on the bus. However, and this was hard for Mike - he did get off that bus and go to every retail dress store for the girls including Macy’s. We will always remember the Old Waverly Golf Trips where Mike and I were in one cart, and the girls were in the other driving around the course. Mike working on his golf game, me looking at the houses and drinking margaritas (no more than two) and the girls practicing driving and going up and down the hills on the golf cart path.
Mike was so proud of both our daughters, Niki and Kim. Mike was instrumental in getting Niki to pursue her desire to go to University of Kansas even when I was not such a supporter. Niki going to University of Kansas was important to her, but it’s significance really was in allowing Niki to be with someone who became a significant part of all our lives. His name was Michael. He was her friend and became an integral part of our family forever. Niki's tragic death from cancer changed the whole trajectory of our family and still impacts them today. Each of us has had to learn to find moments of joy, peace and happiness, but it hasn't always been easy for us just as it hasn’t been easy for countless others who have travelled this familiar path. However, Niki never gave up and neither will we.
Another cherished memory we shared was when Kevin invited us to a family gathering at Southwind at his Uncle Roger's home. During that special evening, he asked for our blessing to marry Kim. It was such a thoughtful, gracious, and heartfelt gesture—one that touched us deeply and will forever remain one of our most treasured memories of them.
Mike and I are so proud of Kim, Kevin, Emmett and Leo. Watching them grow, succeed and thrive has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. Kim’s favorite book when she was little was "Charlottes Web" and in it is a passage that indicates that her offspring were her greatest masterpieces in life. In our life Niki and Kim are our masterpieces. This book’s author understood the beauty of creating something beautiful and lasting in this life. Though Mike is no longer beside us, his love, his spirit, and the impact he had on our lives will remain with us always. He will forever be loved, remembered, and deeply missed.
