Photo from Michael’s Celebration of Life on February 26, 2025 in Fes, Morocco.

This time last year (February 26, 2025), was Michael’s Celebration of Life in Fes, Morocco.  In remembrance of that evening, I’m posting a few photos taken that night.

I am so saddened to hear of Mike’s passing...
Mike I've known since my years in London, we were both into art and our years in London, we used to meet in art galleries, that goes back over 30 years... We've always kept in touch. I loved his company, he had his own sense of humour and he was very intelligent and an excellent artist. When I left London, he came to see me in France every two years. He loved France. In France, he liked to come by bike and he liked to go to flea markets. He collected old postcards smoking blue Gauloises with a glass of pastis. Then he bought his house in Fez and I came to visit him in Fez, Morocco. I could see he wasn't well, and then he was bitten by a cat in Fez. I sensed that his health was deteriorating. I stayed behind to look after him because he couldn't move around. I left a few things with him in Fez because I thought I'd come back to see him very soon. He had stopped reading my Whatapp messages and I finally found this link. I'm very sad that I won't be able to see him any more. Peace be with him and my sincere condolences to you all. I am so saddened by this news, we will all miss him terribly.
We had many good souvenirs and great times together. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Isabelle xx

It should be no surprise that the very first time that I met Michael, he was putting the finishing touches to a piece of complicated graffiti on a wall in the Visual Arts Department at UofO.  He had targeted every floor of the department with an ongoing story about the life adventures of a parsnip. This satiric fanasty made complete sense. That was just the beginning of his highly witty and energetic output.

Came across this photo recently and absolutely love it, and wanted to share it. Mike amidst his creativity.

Sincere condolences to Mike’s family.
We’re going to miss him.  
First heard of “Mike from Vancouver” while poking around the Fes Medina many years ago.  Looked him up upon returning to Vancouver and instantly made a friend.  (We lived mere blocks apart.)   He would later toss us the keys to his home in Fes - and insist that we consider ourselves members of the expat Fassi community.  We treasured his wit, nerdy erudition, and polyglot pretensions.  His  “down and out” tales of Paris, Bordeaux, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Maroc were Chatwinesque in their eccentricity and finely observed detail; it was always a delight when Mike swung by for an update.  

Russell Baker and David Eichorn

I am so saddened to hear of Mike’s passing. We worked together in the film industry for many years. He was a very talented graphic artist and a really nice man. Always smiling and a pure pleasure to work with.  He’ll be missed.

Mike and I met in 2005 when he was passing through Paris. A mutual friend had put us in touch, thinking we would really get along. And we did! He was funny and adventurous and great at telling stories. I have wonderful memories of walking around the city with him,hearing about Vancouver and Morocco, drinking some wine and sitting along the Canal Saint-Martin until the wee hours. I am so sad to learn of his passing. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Mike was one of the good ones, talented, infectiously positive, kind, eccentric, and energetic. He will be missed by many in his film family.

I last spoke with Mike in 2021 while working on a film in Morocco. He had been living part time in Fez  and was so excited to share his favourite "Mike Lilly" spots, a coffee shop and artist hive in the middle of the 11C medina, the best family run Moroccan restaurant, hidden gates, antique shops. He was an explorer, it showed in his work and life. We had previously worked together years before and found ourselves  simpatico in the this philosophy of life. His quirky approach to work, creativity and his sociable nature were refreshment to the chores of the day. Condolences to the family, love to friends....

Although we hadn’t worked together for a while, the times we shared were always memorable! You never lacked an opinion, but it was always in the spirit of making things better! One thing that always astonished me was your unbelievable ability to produce images for just about anything imaginable. Quirky? Yes! Brilliant? Yes! In love with your work? Absolutely! Your adoptive family of image geeks will miss you terribly!
Travel well my friend.

I first met Mike Lilley around 2002 on a little independent short film. We were all young and scrappy, grabbing whatever jobs we could to make our way in an industry we were passionate about. I'll never forget his run down little mini-van filled with a mish-mash of random  gallons of house paint. Or his ingenuity, painting skills and upbeat attitude at turning an old underground warehouse space into a believable Chinese bakery with what little resources we had. I remember his very British early 2000's music mix and leaping at any chance to do his Ali G impression. His was a character that stood out on all counts. Life moved on and I left BC soon after , but I found myself back in the game out here in 2015. Sure enough, once my name started showing up in Art Dept missives, somehow, Mike remembered me, sharing an in-joke from all those years before. I kept hoping I'd run into him on a show somewhere, and now I regret I'll never get that chance. Godspeed Micheal Lilley. I'll never forget you. -Ryan

I worked with Mike in film and we connected on another level.  The deep belly laughs that were had in the office were amazing, I think it made everyone around us jealous that we could be having such a fun time!  My position ended up getting terminated, and it was the only time I worked with him, but it is such a positive memory.  He will always be a positive memory to me.

Sad to hear of Michael's passing, I enjoyed his company the several times I had the opportunity to work with him. Clever and creative artist.

I only worked with Mike briefly, but we sat beside each other every day and I remember him always making me laugh. He was very knowledgable and kind. I wish I had more to say, but he will definitely be missed.

My sincere condolences to the Lilley family! I had the opportunity to work with this creative guy on a few occasions. He was very talented and was captivated by art expression in all ways. I also know of his passion for Morocco. Mine is Mexico so we shared stories and photos. 
Rest in peace Mike Lilley! 
you will be remembered 
Doris D.

Oh, Mike...

You bought a rare, lighthearted whimsy to the art department and  whenever worked together I knew I'd spend the day laughing. I have so many funny memories from our collaborations on 'Hot Tub Time Machine', like when you were designing our eighties arcade game, "Tricky Maneuver". You'd just look over from your desk and yell: "Look out! Look out! Look out!" and we'd laugh until it was inappropriate. ;)

I also respected your quest for the perfect lemon tart recipe and wish I had your secret now, but I will continue to search in your honour.  

I'm holding you in my heart, and know that you're resting easy, enjoying that perfectly sweet tart with a light, flaky crust. 

I'll miss you.  -Wersh

This is such sad news. Mike, you were an incredibly talented artist, with a style and attention to detail second to none,  and I'm proud to have had you as a good friend for the past 20+ years.  I'm at a complete loss for words - you will be missed.

So long Mike. A fellow artist slogging away in the trenches of show biz, Mikes irreverent take on the dark coincidences and malapropisms of life made funny many an otherwise boring day on task. He shared his love of print and obscure photographers and was a great one to nerd out on really really obscure minutiae. I loved his stories and really who else would pick out a hidey hole in Fez of all places to escape the madness. A very special human, rest in peace.

Mike, you were a complete original with a fantastic dry sense of humour, one that is rarer than hen's teeth.

Rest in Peace, my friend. Your life had positive effect on mine.

Sincere condolences to Mike's family and all who loved him! Mike and I were friends since the 1990s. Whenever we saw each other in more recent years, we just jumped into conversations like no time had passed. I always enjoyed his stories and the way his brain worked... and that sense of humor. I know how much he'll be missed. Rest easy, my friend.

I`m so sorry and sad to learn of Mike's passing. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. I'll always think fondly of him and the good times we shared.

I’m so sorry to hear this news. Mike has been a friend for many years. Our paths crossed many times over the years, in Ottawa, Toronto, London (England), and Vancouver. Mike was a talented artist and had a wonderful sense of humour. My deepest condolences to Mike’s family. Rest well my friend.

I am heartbroken by this news.  Mike was a dear, dear friend to me since our university days in Ottawa.  A sweet man and a brilliant artist.  Rest in peace, Mike.  My most sincere condolences to the family.

Rest well Mike. Working together, your good humour, wit and creativity was always a source of energy in both good times and the trying ones.

We will miss you Mike. I had enjoyed our 20 year friendship, you were a very talented individual, with a great sense of humour. your friend, Jeremy

OBITUARIO

Michael Lilley

11 abril, 1965 – 29 enero, 2024

Glenhaven Memorial Chapel

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