March 11, 2009 Brad, I've been following this on your blog since I first heard about it. Because of my recent experience with deaths in my family I chose to listen and pray for your dad rather than interrupt the family. I am very sorry to hear about his passing and I know the sorrow you feel. Mike was a good employee and friend for the 17 years he worked for me and I miss discussing and arguing over issue we worked on here at the County. Fleet Operations owes much its present professional standing in the industry to your Dad. You can be proud of what he did here, I am honored to have know him. Please pass the condolences of the entire Fleet Operations family on to your family. I notified the Department Head for General Services. They have arranged for the Board of Supervisors meeting next Tuesday to adjourn in memory of your Dad. Several employees have expressed interest in attending any gathering you have. Please keep me informed, I will pass the information on to staff. Sincerely, Dave Head March 10, 2009 I would like to send my loving thoughts to Mike, he has been a good friend and I will keep him in my most cherished memories now and always. I also give my best to his family, I know how hard this, I have been through this with my father, sister and mother. Please let me know if I can be of any help in any way, to help you through this difficult time. Friends always, Monica Montafi __ Mike and I worked at the RR together and were roommates for about a year in 77-78. We had some great times. Ask him about the flying saucer we saw late one night and how we got in the car and followed it. ( I do believe in UFO's). His great sense of humor kept us upbeat. He is a friend and has touched alot of people. All of us are fortunate to know a good man like Mike. My thoughts and prayers to Mike and all his family. God Bless...... David Christy __ I am a coworker of Mikes, my name is Dale Wittman. I work for the County Architects office, and Mike was one of my "Customers" over the years on a number of improvement projects for him at the Fleet Garage. I have received word of Mike's condition via some other county employees, and wanted to send along my regards to Mike. Please pass along to Mike, that I wanted to thank him for all the graciousness he showed me, along with his kind words of my work efforts in the projects I had done for him over the years. Mike was always a rareity in my work, in that he showed appreciation for my work, and this always made me feel great - and I wanted to thank him for his kindness in recognizing the efforts of others, this always made me feel great. Mike, you are a true gentleman - a real honor to have known you! It seems like yesterday that I was blessed with a chance meeting shortly before Mike retired, to have had time to visit him in his office and discuss his upcoming retirement, where he shared his excitement about moving forward into the next chapter of his life… I was honored to share in his excitement and plans… and was also in awe of learning about his extensive landscaping project he had completed in his back yard - a true wonderland, in my opinion. Thank you, Dale Wittman __ To All of Mike's Kids, My name is Ginny Bauer and I have worked with Mike at the County for many years. We "partnered" on many purchases that I made (I am a Buyer) and I depended upon Mike's expertise to help me. He was brilliant when it came to knowing his stuff and I always felt comfortable asking for his assistance with anything. Mike would always greet me with a big hug AND he had the habit of picking me up and twirling me around (I'm pretty short and small in stature). This may sound like a funny way to greet a fellow employee but the County is like a big family, so I looked forward to seeing Mike when he stopped by my office or we had a meeting together. I loved the fact that I could look forward to my "spinning time" when Mike greeted me. I felt that I was privileged to work with such a smart man who took his job seriously, while making me laugh at the same time. Mike has such a great sense of humor! I want YOU to know, and MIKE to know, that I valued our work relationship and our friendship. There are few folks that find a niche in my heart but Mike is one of them. I hold ALL of you in my thoughts and prayers, and I hold Mike very close to my heart. Peace & Love to ALL, Ginny (Jones) Bauer March 9, 2009 Dear Kids, Mike always spoke about you kids with a lot of pride...it definitely shows and I am sure that brings comfort to your Dad. I just wanted to mention, that huge, bright, friendly smile that will always be the way I know your Dad. I am sure I will run into that smile again someday. Your Dad's smile is "planted" in my memory. John Schlesiger Peterson Tractor Company March 8, 2009 I want you to tell your dad that i love him as a friend & fellow Marine.
I'm cried today when i hear the news about Mike, it hit me hard.
I will write later.
SEMPER FI
Doug B. __ Dear Mike, My memory is fading over the years but I do recall our times in athletics...good thing Klinzman didn't play you more at fullback cuz I wouldn't have had a job. And at track you were unstoppable in the hurdles. If they would have let you practice more at the discus you would have gotten me again. But the neatest thing was against Roosevelt in basketball when you corked Toby Houston...that was great. But I had to go into guard him and fouled out in 1 quarter. My heart goes out to you, your family and friends... it seems you've touched many. Love you friend, Gary Milligan __ Hi my name is Mark Fletcher I'm a class mate of your dad, Please let your dad know that I'm praying for him and all of you. Please let your dad know that when he gave me a hug at the class reunion it made me feel like we had been best friends all of our life's, and I love him for that. Hang in there class mate and friend God does not get to have you yet. Love Mark __ Dear Mike and family,
You all are in my daily thoughts and prayers. I just want you to
know how much I enjoyed reconnecting with you at the reunion.... after
40 yrs. Who would have thought just a few short months later we would
be saying good bye.
I wish I had had more time to talk to you about your life. The talk we had about the war was very meaningful to me. What
I have come to understand thru the e-mails is that you have
touched a lot of lives in a positive way. That is evident by the love
and support that you are receiving during this difficult time. Your
kids are amazing. You must be very proud.
I don't know what else to say except that I send you a heart full of love and peace.
Deb (Milligan) __ Mike, Been following all the updates from your kids, they have been real good about the info. Just wanted to share with you, as I look back on our school years together, you were like a brother to me. I look back on those years and I can't think of one negative thing when I think about you. The times we had together we a blast. I just wish I would have kept in touch with you after I went in the service in 1970. The highlight of our 40 year reunion was seeing you, I'm just so thankful you came back for it. I was hoping for another reunion this June in Calif. Mike, you have been in my thoughts and prayers since I got that awful news last fall and you have fought it bravely as I knew you would. I am so grateful I got to grow up with you and be able to call you my buddy, someone I will never forget until I see you on the "other side". My best as your friend, Gary C... March 7, 2009 My Dear Entire Blanchard Family, I would like to send my deepest thoughts and prayers with you at this time. I know it has been a struggle, since I have been through this myself with my Mother and family members in the past. I have only known Mike for about 10 years, mainly through business relationship, but what a fantastic man, person, and employee he was for the County. I had nothing but the most respect for Mike in my dealings with him, and I so much enjoyed his involvement in my dealings with the County of Sonoma. I grew to know Mike more than just a customer, and he became a very good friend. There is nothing better to a Salesman, to have made such a relationship with a customer, and then to walk away, and call him a good friend as well. Mike is a very unique individual, and that is what I liked about him. He never sugar coated anything, he spoke his mind, and that was it. We were so much on the same page. Even when the County didnt purchase my product that I was trying to sell, I would never hold that against Mike, because I always knew he was being fair and honest, and the next time I would get a fair shot as well. I admired, respected and grew to very much like Mike as a Business relationship, but more as a True Friend, as our time went on. Mike was always considered a "hard nose" in our Santa Rosa Store, but you know what, those people there, didn't know how to deal with Mike, and know him like I did. That is why he always came to me after we got to know each other. I would always handle any problems he had with my company, etc. I am going to Truely miss my good friend Mike. And I hope you might have a chance to tell him, a Good Friend, Nick Ruso, from Peterson Tractor Co. will never forget everything he did and that I really admire and respect him so much. I will never forget my Friend Mike, and will always have a place in my heart for him and his family at this time. Thank you very much Nick Ruso Used Equipment Sales Peterson Tractor Co |