Michael Alan Yubeta

Michael Alan Yubeta entered this world on August 14, 1973, with the love of his parents and a song in his heart. From the beginning of his life he loved being sung to and quickly began singing his own songs as he grew up. Olivia Newton John was his inspiration and he would belt out her songs when he heard her singing in the van on the eight track tapes.

We quickly learned that his gifting was music. At Christmas he would sing “Feliz Navidad” to us and pluck away at his toy guitar. During his early years you would always find Michael carrying his “boom box” everywhere he went and singing to his cassette tapes which mainly consisted of the “Kids Praise” with Psalty the Singing Song Book.

On Mother’s Day in May of 1982 Michael had his first debut and sang to his mom in front of a packed church. He sang “In His Time”. And surely God does make all things beautiful in His time.

Michael attended Lineweaver Elementary School during his grade school years and loved taking his camera to school the last day of school to take pictures of his friends and teachers. Thus grew his love for shooting pictures and making his own movies.

His Middle School years were spent at Booth-Fickett Elementary School where he excelled and even was awarded a school letter for his participation in soccer as he was team manager and assisted in meeting the needs of the soccer team.

Michael then graduated to high school. He attended Santa Rita High School and was a reporter for the school’s newspaper, The Talon. He loved his media class and made his first of many videos. It was here that his love for taking pictures and making home videos grew. He graduated in May of 1991.

Michael then began a career as a Customer Service Agent at several different places. Some of these were the Sears Call Center, Computer Outfitters, Intuit, Convergys, and Citibank. Michael loved talking to people and gained much satisfaction in being able to help them with their needs. He received numerous awards from his supervisors for his excellence in meeting the needs of his customers and making sure they felt important and cared for. He loved to talk and this was an asset for him in the customer service business.

Michael loved the sport of hockey. He was first introduced to the sport by attending Arizona Ice Cat Games. His love for the sport grew and his favorite NHL team was the Edmonton Oilers. Michael wore his Edmonton Oilers jersey religiously, even during the middle of the summer. Michael and his brother, Jeremy would spend hours playing hockey in the backyard. They celebrated goals, great saves and raised the Stanley Cup countless times in their backyard rink. When the game was over and it was time for them to come inside, Michael and Jeremy would be covered from head to foot in dirt.

Michael expanded his game beyond the back rink to the courts of Santa Rita, Palo Verde, Sunnyside and Catalina High Schools, where he played roller hockey with his brother and friends into the night. Hockey wasn't just a game to Michael, it was "the love."

Michael was also a Pittsburg Penguins fan.

He loved hard rock music and his favorite band was Stryper. Recently the lead singer for Stryper, Michael Sweet, sent Michael a video message encouraging him and telling him the band was praying for him.

In August of 2003 Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent surgery to remove it. Thankfully it turned out to be benign. However, five years later in December of 2008 the tumor returned and was diagnosed as a Glioblastoma, Stage IV, aggressive and fast growing. Over the next 5years and 9 months he underwent several radiation and chemo treatments and three more craniotomies. He was a trooper and during this whole time remained in his own apartment with family and friends helping him along the way. He recently received the news that the tumor was again active and moving. He fought a long hard battle and entered into the presence of the Almighty God on September 26th at 2:47 AM.

Michael is survived by: his mother and step-father, Viki and Roger Bingham; his father, George Louis Yubeta; his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew: Jeremy, Melissa and Luke Yubeta; his sister, brother-in-law and nephew: Gabriella, Danny, and Alijah Berrios; and sister, brother-in-law and nieces and nephews: Chrissie, Chad, Kendra, Kaela, David, and Caleb Hancock. He had many aunts and uncles and cousins.

We thank God for the 41 years of Michael’s life and know that truly he was a child of the Most High God and is now healed, happy, and singing in the Heavenly Choir. We rejoice in knowing that some sweet day we will see him again in Glory!

A celebration of Michael’s life will be held on October 11, 2014, at Fellowship Bible Church, 6700 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85710, at 3:30 PM. The family is requesting that donations be made to the National Brain Tumor Society in lieu of flowers.