My Loving, Loveable, Loyal Lion
Mike was born and raised in Michigan, and relocated to Granite City , IL in 1993, where he later caught a bad cold which turned into pneumonia that traveled to his heart. This lead to Mike being put on the transplant list. On his Mother’s birthday, July 14, 2001, he received that precious heart, and he amazed the medical staff by spending only four days in the hospital to recover. Mike never knew his donor, but always thought it might have been a woman’s heart, possibly due to his Mr. Mom qualities. He loved cooking, nurturing his 2 children and the ones he adopted along the way. One of his greatest joys was being a Grandfather. He was a softball and baseball coach for his children’s teams and Scoutmaster for their troop. He cherished and loved life, and it was clear to everyone he came in touch with. Mike had several procedures later in life and he always had a positive outlook on them, therefore I called him “Superman.”
“He cherished and loved life, and it was clear to everyone he came in touch with.”
His heart grew three sizes that day. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this was one of Mike’s favorite Christmas movies. Mike proved how large his heart was by his actions, he cared for everyone. He was the “Greatest” Father, Grandfather, Brother, Partner and Friend. Mike was a man of faith; he was never one to judge. If you were hungry, Mike would feed you; if you were hurt, Mike was there to help heal you; if you had a problem, he would be there to listen. Mike had a way of always remembering special dates. There wasn’t a special occasion that went by that Mike didn’t send a card, text message or give a call to his family and friends. Everyone always looked forward to getting a message from him. Mike was also a Navy man who served his country proudly for six years. He was always adamant about displaying the American Flag with honor.
My Loving, Lovable, Loyal Lion was my nickname for him. He was every bit of that and more. He had courage, just like the lion on the Wizard of Oz. Mike was a wonderful and loving partner and friend. There’s just not enough words to explain how wonderful it was to be loved by him. There was never a day that went by that we did not tell each other that we loved one another. Mike had his share of ups and downs, but that never slowed him down. He came into my life as a friend through Scouting, and in August of 2008 we had more than just a friendship; we had found true love. I miss his great big bear hugs and smooches, his wonderful smile, his silly faces to make me laugh, and so much more. I had eight precious years with Mike. They were “The Best Years of My Life!” On April 29, 2013, Mike followed in his mothers foot steps. He gave back by surrendering his body to science and becoming a tissue donor. He has truly been missed by all that he has touched in his life.
Cammie D. Ashline
His Loving Partner and Friend
