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Mike spent his formative years as a child of the Fifties where the seeds of appreciation for life in small town America were planted. He would fondly recall the joys of growing up on Forge Street, attending Holy Name School and spending summers at the family camp on Fern Lake. He was Valedictorian of his class at Au Sable Forks High School and graduated from Champlain College, after which he went on to become Chief Financial Officer at Northwood School in Lake Placid, a career that spanned 42 years.
In 1968 he met the love of his life, Nancy Chapman, from Baltimore, MD, who'd come North on a ski trip with friends but reconsidered her skiing career after assessing the height of Whiteface Mountain. Ever an ambassador for the Adirondacks, Mike introduced her to other area wonders and convinced her to call Au Sable Forks home. They were married on June 27th, 1970, a union that endured for nearly fifty years.
Mike was a valuable member of the community, serving for over 50 years as a fireman and was named Clinton County Fireman of the Year in 1987. He was a member of the Au Sable Forks Softball Association, Holy Name Parish Council and served as a Trustee of Holy Name Church.
Mike's love of sports led him from an outstanding baseball and basketball career in High School to play and coach first base for the regionally renowned Au Sable Spirits Baseball team, as well as playing first base for Art's Village Inn and Sharkey's in local Fast Pitch tournaments.
Mike enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Adirondack woods and streams throughout his life and in retirement looked forward to his golf games and morning "Koffee Klatches" with his band of buddies.
He had a broad range of interests that included devotion to the Dodgers, Giants, the Gibson Brothers, gardening (his tomatoes were legendary), bird watching in his "Turtle Creek Wildlife Refuge" and voraciously reading mysteries and thrillers. In later years Mike also graciously allowed the periodic invasion of his domestic tranquility by Nancy's (in) famous Tuesday NBCC Card Club, whereupon the quality of his hearing appeared to exhibit a miraculous improvement.
Mike and Nancy were semi-annual visitors to Moody Beach, Maine for many years, and spent many happy days walking the beaches, renewing friendships and supporting the local economy, particularly Congdon's Donuts, Big Daddy's Ice Cream and Mike's Crab Shack.
Mike will be remembered for being a loving husband, caring brother and loyal and devoted friend. His generosity in sharing his resources, time, talent and advice with no expectation of anything in return defined his life and will be sorely missed.
He was predeceased by his parents, an aunt, Anne Mousseau, and father-in-law Jacob Chapman.
Left to mourn his loss are wife Nancy, sister Joanne (Dianne) Nugent-Ward of Watertown, NY, mother-in-law Esther Chapman and a group of close friends who considered him family.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Name Church, Au Sable Forks.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Zaumetzer Funeral Home in Au Sable Forks.
Remembrances in Mike's name may be made to the Au Sable Forks Fire Department, Box 785, Au Sable Forks, NY, 12912 or the Au Sable Forks Free Library, Box 179, Au Sable Forks, NY. 12912.