Tractorbynet Lost a Member and Many of Us Lost a Good Friend

[bindian]

This is a great picture of Mikim, TexasDon, Jinman, Mikim's grandson, and yours truly.

Now I ask you, is that Mikim a hansome happy young man in this photo?

You bet he was. You see Mike, Don, and Jim were what I called the TBN's three musketeers. They had a special relationship and to be honest, I was a little, well, more than a little envious of it. And the reason Mike was so happy was because he was doing something for Jim.

Jim passed away six or seven weeks after this photo. Mike will be buried one year later, to the day.

My heart is heavy because of my loss. But my loss is nothing compared to my friend Don's. He's the last of TBN's three musketeers.

When I hear someone say something about the internet and the phony friendships etc I have to smile. You see some of my best experiences involved some of those internet friends, people like Jim, Mike, and Don. We built a bridge, a carport, a couple of neat gates and we installed an elevator. All of it because we could and it was fun.

Life is short. And some make it a lot more interesting because they love and do for all the right reasons, gonna miss you Mike Kennedy.

Harvey,
That photo was taken the day I met all Y'all. But Mike reached out to me way back when I was asking about cedar fence posts. Out of the blue he stated here on TBN.............I have some left over and your welcome to them! I really enjoyed that day (short as it was) getting to know Y'all and help build Mike's gate.
hugs, Brandi

 

[polo1665]

Sounds like a fine man and a great friend. My condolences to all of Mike's friends and aquaintances, and of course his family.

 

[gsganzer]

This is sad news indeed. Prayers for the family. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help his adopted grandson. I'd throw some money in a hat for a scholarship fund in honor of Mikim.

 

[Larro Darro]

Let me know if there's anything we can do to help his adopted grandson. I'd throw some money in a hat for a scholarship fund in honor of Mikim.

Great idea. I'd pitch in a little too.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Harvey, you are the 4th musketeer.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

This is sad news indeed. Prayers for the family. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help his adopted grandson. I'd throw some money in a hat for a scholarship fund in honor of Mikim.

Me too. Sounds like this kid has had a rough go of it. Parents then surrogate parent. I can't even imagine.

 

[s219]

This is sad news indeed. Prayers for the family. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help his adopted grandson. I'd throw some money in a hat for a scholarship fund in honor of Mikim.

Great idea.

 

[murphy1244]

I'm in!

 

[AaronS]

RIP Mike and prayers to his family.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Ganzer is the greatest! We're in. Now, all we have to do is figure out how to do it.

I wonder if one of the local tbn'rs can discuss such a fund with a bank in Bastrop or immediate area. What I think would be ideal would be an account in Mike Kennedy's name for Trevor's education that we can contribute to via the internet, credit card etc.

I can't think of a better or more meaningful idea to celebrate Mike's too short presence amongst us.

 

[MossRoad]

Ganzer is the greatest! We're in. Now, all we have to do is figure out how to do it.

I wonder if one of the local tbn'rs can discuss such a fund with a bank in Bastrop or immediate area. What I think would be ideal would be an account in Mike Kennedy's name for Trevor's education that we can contribute to via the internet, credit card etc.

I can't think of a better or more meaningful idea to celebrate Mike's too short presence amongst us.

Maybe ask Mrs. Mikim if they have a 529 college fund set up for the boy yet? That's what I'd do. She could then administer it for him. You guys are the best! :thumbsup:

 

[wroughtn_harv]

My reaction at times like this is to celebrate the life just lost. So I've been going through some photos on the IPad.

Mike had never met the unibit. I'm sure Bernice will at least find a couple of them in the tools. He fell in love with it. In the photo with Brandi he is using one of mine. Mike also fell in love with the DeWalt worm drive saw and Bernice made sure the kiddos got him one. One of my favorite character flaws Mike had was his love of tools. We were like two kids with comic book collections when it came to us sharing info on tools.

Another photo is of Don and Mike working on drilling holes to place the angle iron track for the new gate. If I came up with a chore to do they would jump on it like two labs and a new ball. Some sights give you great pleasure. Watching the two of them go to work on something always made me smile from the inside out.

Then there's the photo of the group working there that day. Brandi, Kyle, Don, Mike, and me in Mike's kitchen. This was about the time when I volunteered to help Jim with the lift project. Of course there was no way that was going to happen without Mike and Don. So if you go to Jim's lift project and wonder how stuff like happens, blame them.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Ganzer is the greatest! We're in. Now, all we have to do is figure out how to do it.

I wonder if one of the local tbn'rs can discuss such a fund with a bank in Bastrop or immediate area. What I think would be ideal would be an account in Mike Kennedy's name for Trevor's education that we can contribute to via the internet, credit card etc.

I can't think of a better or more meaningful idea to celebrate Mike's too short presence amongst us.

This is awesome. IIRC, Trevor also recently lost his friendly big dog too.

We have a young couple at church and the wife writes Christian childrens books. Trevor brought his copy up to church to chat and get her autograph. They have become good pals.

When I took my 4 year old out to Mikims, Trevor graciously took him to his room and was teaching him video games and let him play with all of his "big boy" toys. My son thought he was in heaven. A few weeks later, when Trevor came to our church, my son saw him a half a block away and started yelling, "hey dad, there's my friend, can I go play with him?" Many 11 year olds wouldn't give a 4 year old the time of day.

 

[txdon]

Maybe ask Mrs. Mikim if they have a 529 college fund set up for the boy yet? That's what I'd do. She could then administer it for him. You guys are the best! :thumbsup:

Great Idea. He is a very good kid.
I'll contact Bernice tomorrow to see if we can figure out a way to make this happen.

My wife and I visited with Bernice today. She is holding up well, her daughter and several grandchildren were staying with her during this difficult period.

The Funeral will be next Friday July 24th 10am at All Faiths Of The Pines, 110 American Legion Road, Smithville, Texas 78957, visitation July 23, 5-8pm. Mike was in the Air Force so this will be a Military Honors funeral.

 

[Thomas]

Kinda leaves one speechless.
Special thoughts/prayers for the family.

RIP Mike. <__________________>

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Great Idea. He is a very good kid.
I'll contact Bernice tomorrow to see if we can figure out a way to make this happen.

My wife and I visited with Bernice today. She is holding up well, her daughter and several grandchildren were staying with her during this difficult period.

The Funeral will be next Friday July 24th 10am at All Faiths Of The Pines, 110 American Legion Road, Smithville, Texas 78957, visitation July 23, 5-8pm. Mike was in the Air Force so this will be a Military Honors funeral.

Thanks Don and Caren.

 

[txdon]

I just talk with Bernice, she was awe that this was brought up here. She thinks it is a very thoughtful and wonderful idea to have a scholarship fund in for Trevor in honor of Mikim. They do not have a 529 set up. She will speak with her bank about setting up a scholarship trust fund that can accept donations and I will relay the information as soon as I get it. Thanks guys, great idea!

 

[gsganzer]

I just talk with Bernice, she was awe that this was brought up here. She thinks it is a very thoughtful and wonderful idea to have a scholarship fund in for Trevor in honor of Mikim. They do not have a 529 set up. She will speak with her bank about setting up a scholarship trust fund that can accept donations and I will relay the information as soon as I get it. Thanks guys, great idea!

Don't ever tell my wife I had a good idea. It'll ruin her image of me :laughing:

I hope Bernice finds some comfort in the support she receives from her family here at TBN. We'll all give our loved ones a tighter hug today and remember how precious and fleeting our lives can sometimes be. Let us know the details for the account when it's set up.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I married a widow. One of the things she taught me is that the one left behind will find a dark place once things settle down and everyone else gets back to their lives. It is then that the comments we post here will be so important. They will go searching for confirmation that the one they lost was important to others. That's when our comments will be a salve for the soul.

Mike was a man of many talents. His corner kitchen drawer design is probably the most requested photo on my IPad. When my wife starts talking kitchen cabinets she invariably asks me to pull up a photo of it for show and tell.

 

[bindian]

My reaction at times like this is to celebrate the life just lost. So I've been going through some photos on the IPad.

Mike had never met the unibit. I'm sure Bernice will at least find a couple of them in the tools. He fell in love with it. In the photo with Brandi he is using one of mine. Mike also fell in love with the DeWalt worm drive saw and Bernice made sure the kiddos got him one. One of my favorite character flaws Mike had was his love of tools. We were like two kids with comic book collections when it came to us sharing info on tools.

Another photo is of Don and Mike working on drilling holes to place the angle iron track for the new gate. If I came up with a chore to do they would jump on it like two labs and a new ball. Some sights give you great pleasure. Watching the two of them go to work on something always made me smile from the inside out.

Then there's the photo of the group working there that day. Brandi, Kyle, Don, Mike, and me in Mike's kitchen. This was about the time when I volunteered to help Jim with the lift project. Of course there was no way that was going to happen without Mike and Don. So if you go to Jim's lift project and wonder how stuff like happens, blame them.

Thanks for the reminder Harv. Mike was like a kid in a candy store when you showed him that Unibit. It was my first time meeting all Y'all. Yet, Mike's kind manner put me at ease, while working with Y'all, like we had been friends for a long time. Oh my, my eyes are leaking again.
hugs, Brandi