Mike and I first became friends and playmates when we were 3 or 4, certainly before kindergarten. We went to the same parochai elementary school and public high school, played on the same Park Dept. and CYO basketball teams. Mike worked with me and my cousin a minimum of 5 hours a night, 5 nights a week during our junior and senior years in high school. Mike and another old friend whom I've known since kindergarten were ushers at my wedding. The latter managed to have my daughter let me know of Mike's passing while I was out of the country and unreachable by phone. I truly regret that I won't be back in the states until after the memmorial service.
Unfortunately, Mike and I lived in different states and didn't get see one another for many years but in recent years we've been getting together a couple of times a year, most recently on Christmas eve. I always enjoyed these meetings, enjoyed the humorous stories Mike told and marveled at his devotion to golf. I used to play every day before started dating my wife but only a few times since. I told Mike I went to a driving range this past summer with my youngest grandson and could'nt complete even a small bucket.
I wish to express my sincerest condolences to Lynne and Mike's sister Peggy. He will be missed.
