Everyone called my brother "Mike". A quiet spirit that God called home early. He passed away in April of 1983 of liver cancer at the age of 35. Mike played the trombone in the Exportor Band; served 4 years in the Air Force and then graduated from Sam Houston State University. He was an expert on corvettes and loved to rebuild them. We miss him terribly and if you have any memories about him, please post them. I would love to know more about his high school years.
Mike was one of my best friends. We would hang out mostly with John Ambuhl, Doyle Robbins, Larry Machacek and Douglas Smith. I remember he had this 1953 Studebaker with an Oldsmobile V8 in it. I never saw the car move and we were constantly buying body parts when we could find one. It was a rust bucket but that never stopped him. His dad had a lot of kid in him and could come up with some stories and his mom was super nice. Mike was also very protective of his twin sisters.
He went into the AIr Force and then later I went Army then we reconnected after we both got out. We went back to Sam Houston State and spent a lot of time together.
I think his last duty station was Alaska and he had saved his money and bought a red 1963 Stingray coupe in California. He loved that car and he and I put many a mile on it looking for Corvette parts. Most of the time we went on a wild goose chase but we still had a blast sort of like that old TV show Route 66 about the two guys driving around the country in Vette.
The last time I talked to him he had a storage shed full of Corvette parts. He was careful with his money and could spot a deal from a mile away. Whenever he would get a lead on something too big to fit in the Vette we would take my 1964 Fairlane station wagon. Hey, I was a married guy with a kid.
We both took some photography courses and I had a make shift darkroom set up in the bathroom of my mobile home. We would go out and shoot some black and white film and make prints in the bathroom. Those were the days. I was dirt poor living on the GI bill as he was and he would bring a pizza or a bucket of chicken and we would make prints up into the wee hours. I am sure the wife loved that.
I remember Mike from Junior High in LJ. I remember that he was in the band and was very attentive to what he was doing......Herbert McNaspy pretty well described Mike in his focus on a project. I did not "run" with Mike but do remember saying Hey in the halls of BHS when we would pass each other. Mike, thank you for your service to our Country....it is truly appreciated. RIP Mike Later
Susan Slade (Bowers)
Everyone called my brother "Mike". A quiet spirit that God called home early. He passed away in April of 1983 of liver cancer at the age of 35. Mike played the trombone in the Exportor Band; served 4 years in the Air Force and then graduated from Sam Houston State University. He was an expert on corvettes and loved to rebuild them. We miss him terribly and if you have any memories about him, please post them. I would love to know more about his high school years.
Herbert McNaspy
Mike was one of my best friends. We would hang out mostly with John Ambuhl, Doyle Robbins, Larry Machacek and Douglas Smith. I remember he had this 1953 Studebaker with an Oldsmobile V8 in it. I never saw the car move and we were constantly buying body parts when we could find one. It was a rust bucket but that never stopped him. His dad had a lot of kid in him and could come up with some stories and his mom was super nice. Mike was also very protective of his twin sisters.
He went into the AIr Force and then later I went Army then we reconnected after we both got out. We went back to Sam Houston State and spent a lot of time together.
I think his last duty station was Alaska and he had saved his money and bought a red 1963 Stingray coupe in California. He loved that car and he and I put many a mile on it looking for Corvette parts. Most of the time we went on a wild goose chase but we still had a blast sort of like that old TV show Route 66 about the two guys driving around the country in Vette.
The last time I talked to him he had a storage shed full of Corvette parts. He was careful with his money and could spot a deal from a mile away. Whenever he would get a lead on something too big to fit in the Vette we would take my 1964 Fairlane station wagon. Hey, I was a married guy with a kid.
We both took some photography courses and I had a make shift darkroom set up in the bathroom of my mobile home. We would go out and shoot some black and white film and make prints in the bathroom. Those were the days. I was dirt poor living on the GI bill as he was and he would bring a pizza or a bucket of chicken and we would make prints up into the wee hours. I am sure the wife loved that.
I miss you buddy.
Bill Marshall
I remember Mike from Junior High in LJ. I remember that he was in the band and was very attentive to what he was doing......Herbert McNaspy pretty well described Mike in his focus on a project. I did not "run" with Mike but do remember saying Hey in the halls of BHS when we would pass each other. Mike, thank you for your service to our Country....it is truly appreciated. RIP Mike Later