Michael David Trollinger

Mike was born in Bethesda, Maryland in 1956. Within a few months of Mike’s birth, the family moved to Denver. Except for his college years, Mike happily spent the rest of his life here, all the while cheering for his beloved Broncos (which he loved to point out was the worst professional football team in America in the 1960s).

Mike attended Euclid Junior High School and Denver Christian High School. For two years he attended Bethel College in Minnesota. Then it was on to Colorado State University, which he thoroughly enjoyed, in good part because he got to room with his lifelong friend Jim Bryan and other members of the CSU baseball team. He graduated from Colorado State in 1980 with a degree in computer science. He went on to work for Martin Marietta, StorageTek, and Slobeat Music. But he was happiest in his volunteer work at the American Red Cross and at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where he was greatly valued and beloved.

In 2013, Mike sustained a leg injury which landed him in assisted living. He spent the last twelve years of his life in assisted living residences, ending at Sunrise at Orchard (Littleton), which he loved (and where the caregivers dearly loved him). During this time, Mike wrote and self-published four books of fiction – including 200 Tiny Tales (2016) – and was working on a fifth book when he passed. He also created and managed the website EachDayinHistory.com, which includes thousands of historical events as well as the birthdays of innumerable famous people.

Mike was born with Asperger syndrome, but was not diagnosed as such until the 1994 (he was the second adult in the state of Colorado to receive such a diagnosis). Of course, this posed special challenges for Mike – particularly when he was a child and adolescent – and yet he handled all this with remarkable grace.

If you knew Mike, you knew that sweetness was absolutely his defining character trait. You also knew that Mike loved Star Trek (not Star Wars), Reese’s (not Reese’s pieces), CSU (not CU), Broncos (not raiders), horror movies, The Twilight Zone, history, social justice, and Subway tuna fish sandwiches (with 2 chocolate chip cookies).

Mike is survived by three siblings and their spouses – William Jr. (Sue), Kathy (Dave), and Paul (Cindy), as well as nine nieces and nephews, and their children. He will be buried in the Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery, next to his parents. The memorial service will there on Friday, May 30 at 2 pm, with reception to follow.

Donations, in lieu of flowers, can be made in Mike’s name to legacyblessingslegacyhope.com - a nonprofit that provides underserved youth with opportunities to thrive.