Michael is survived by his loving wife, Mary (Cobb), daughter Amy (Ken) Booth of Longmont, son Andrew (Chesha) Calaci of Phoenix, and daughter Maren (Jeff) Miller of Berthoud, as well as his grandchildren, Janae, Cadence, Jonah, EmJ, Luke, Lorelei, and Juliette.
In addition to his immediate family, Michael is survived by his sisters Mary Dobyns and Linda (Don) Gregory, his brother, Tom (Carol) Calaci, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, and friends who loved him like family. Michael was preceded in death by his parents.
Michael grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida and he graduated from John I. Leonard High School in 1971. He earned his Associates Degree before relocating to Longmont, CO in August of 1974, where he immediately met the love of his life, Mary Cobb.
Mike and Mary were married on March 21, 1975 in Longmont. This is where they raised their three children and enjoyed almost 49 years of marriage together. Their love is a legacy that has touched many lives.
His first job was at McDonald’s when the Big Mac first entered the scene. Mike then worked at Pantry Pride, a short stint at the US Postal Service, King Soopers, then 17 years back at the USPS as a letter carrier before going back to school to earn certificates for his second career in IT. He worked at IBM for 16 years in security and compliance and retired at 62.
Mike faithfully attended First Christian Church (later LifeBridge Christian Church) for over 40 years. His love for Jesus and youth transferred into many aspects of his life. Mike and Mary started working with Young Life in 1985 and continued working with the youth group at LifeBridge for 35 years. The impact he made on high schoolers for the kingdom was immeasurable. As he entered into heaven, we know he heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
There were quite a few things that Mike enjoyed in life. His love for baseball started when he was a young boy, and continued throughout his life. In 2016 he attended Rockies Fantasy Camp with his son-in-law, Ken. Throughout his life, he played on many softball teams with his sons-in-law, Ken and Jeff and many friends. He put his love for youth together with softball and had many years of teams with youth students and their dads. Mike also really enjoyed hunting later in his life. This is something he shared with his son, Drew, son-in-law, Jeff, and daughter, Maren. He also loved boating and camping and shared his love for both of these with his kids and grandkids. Many who knew him have spent time with him on the boat and know how much he enjoyed that time. Mike also loved to laugh and make others laugh. His fabulous sense of humor was ever present and is something that will always be one of the first things people remember when thinking about Mike.
One of Mike’s very favorite things was golf. He was able to enjoy many, many rounds of golf in his life, especially during his retirement. He was a volunteer marshall at Sunset Golf Course in Longmont after he retired. He played in the Sunset Men’s Group, as well as many rounds with friends. His favorite tournaments were scrambles and you could find him playing in those often.
Mike leaves an incredible legacy of love. The love and devotion he had for his Savior, Jesus Christ, for his wonderful wife, Mary, for his family, especially his grandkids, and for his many friends, will live on through all who knew him. He was such an example of someone who enjoyed and laughed through life, who knew what mattered, and who made others feel seen. Until we meet again, may his legacy be in our hearts.
A service to honor Mike’s life will be held at LifeBridge Christian Church (10345 Ute Highway, Longmont, CO) on Friday, January 5, 2024 at 1pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: https://www.pearlpromise.org
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5