October 10, 2012
Michael Frank Wilson - Cincinnati, OH and Rye Beach, NH
Who was Mike Wilson?
Mike Wilson was the new kid on the street who rode a bike with no fenders and funny handlebars.
Mike Wilson was the small wiry guy with the funny smile.
Mike Wilson had a magical Mom named Lillian with a mesmerizing southern accent.
Mike Wilson lived in the two-family house at the bottom of Riddle Crest Lane.
Mike Wilson could really play the drums.
Mike Wilson played bike polo in front of Rick Tallarigo's house like he was going for gold.
Mike Wilson had all the moves on the basketball court and football field.
Mike Wilson loved grilled shish kabob and corn.
Mike Wilson, I believe, threw the mud ball behind Little Sisters of the Poor that hit Pekka Mooar in the head.
Mike Wilson introduced us to his cool friends Kenny Cairns and Doyle Spradlin.
Mike Wilson went to Hughes High School with some tough kids.
Mike Wilson lived just above the apartment complex where we went skinny dipping in the pool.
Mike Wilson was the focus of Merri Mooar's anger and wrath on our Whitewater State Park Adventure Week. I forget why, but Mrs. Mooar sure was upset.
Mike Wilson kissed a girl at Whitewater State Park, but I don't remember who it was.
Mike Wilson and Billy Gottesman were as thick as thieves.
Mike Wilson had a cool 1967 Pontiac Tempest with a two-tone paint job - maroon body with a black top.
Mike Wilson made tanning lotion from baby oil and iodine.
Mike Wilson stopped at my house walking home from college one day and gave me an Arts and Sciences course catalog. That's how I ended up majoring in geology.
Mike Wilson talked me into walking out to the very end of a tower crane that was 150 feet in the air at one of his co-op job sites at University Hospital.
Mike Wilson taught me how to slide down steel columns.
Mike Wilson was one of the star players on our UC independent flag football team.
Mike Wilson was a fantastic swimmer.
Mike Wilson and I worked together one cold winter day so he could complete an assignment in his civil engineering surveying course. I was the rod man. He was on the transit.
Mike Wilson went to NJ one summer and washed dishes at a restaurant. It was a life-changing experience for him.
Mike Wilson was a great quarterback that could pass on the run.
Mike Wilson was the adventurer who went skiing in far away Colorado and Mt. Snow in Vermont. I wish I would have gone.
Mike Wilson was fearless. He went on backpacking trips out West that I dreamed of doing. I was too busy working. What a mistake not to go with Mike.
Mike Wilson, Kenny Cairns and I went skiing in northern Ohio one Saturday. Kenny got a speeding ticket and I skied across someone's skis crashing at the bottom of the hill.
Mike Wilson wore logo t-shirts under his white dress shirt at P & G.
Mike Wilson hosted my bachelor party where I got totally wasted and played badminton against everyone at once. Why was everyone laughing at me?
Mike Wilson was in my wedding.
Mike Wilson painted provocative sayings on the side of my new orange pickup truck before Kathy and I left for our wedding night at the Golden Lamb.
Mike Wilson and I were teammates playing the card game Uno against our wives. They were angry when they discovered us cheating using my striped colored polo shirt to send signals to Mike as to what card to play next.
Mike Wilson invited Kathy and I for a week's vacation at Litchfield Beach in South Carolina.
Mike Wilson was a hard worker.
Mike Wilson came into Skyline Chili to eat on Sundays when I worked there. He calculated his tip to the penny.
Mike Wilson loved to use his hands when he talked.
Mike Wilson was a fighter.
Mike Wilson was cool.
Mike Wilson was one of the few people who called me Timmy.
Mike Wilson was my very good friend.
Mike Wilson was the brother I never had.
Mike Wilson will be missed.
Rest in Peace Mike.
Posted by Tim Carter at October 10, 2012 5:56 PM
I hate to think of how I will be when I lose my first childhood friend. We should all write these pieces about each other now, so we can enjoy them - then share with everyone when someone passes.
Posted by: John Walker at October 18, 2012 11:18 AMThanks for sharing your memories. I remember you talking about Mike before. I feel almost like I have know him for all my life too. I am sure that he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Posted by: Jim Anderson at October 18, 2012 11:32 AMIt good to have a friend you can remember such as Mike. So many people forget their friends from back in the day who meant so much at the time. Mike sounds like my kinda guy.
RIP Mike Wilson.
Thanks Tim for sharing your inspiring thoughts of your very good friend, Mike Wilson. I too have had prostate cancer and had surgery over 2 years ago. I am thankful for each day I have.
Posted by: Robert Young at October 18, 2012 11:43 AMTim,
This is an extremely cool way of honoring your buddy. The love is palpable. Thank God you had such a friend in your life.
Jim Clark
Posted by: Jim Clark at October 18, 2012 11:53 AMWhat a wonderful tribute. As I was born in 1949 I could follow the cultural references to your's and Mike's life. Mike has gone too soon what happened?
Posted by: C.T.Binder at October 18, 2012 11:58 AMI suggest to make a memo for your photo album with a reference in your album, this will regain your full memory about the events that happened when taking these pictures.
yours
Feteih
Tim, I am moved to tears by your tribute. You had a great friend. You are a great friend.
I have a friend to me who is like your friend Mike was to you. I can only imagine your loss and wish you many happy times recalling his memory. May God richly bless you and his family.
Rest in peace, Mike.
Mike sounds like a great guy, you were lucky to have each other as friends for so long. May he rest in peace and live on in the memories of his loved ones.
Posted by: Mike at October 18, 2012 9:52 PMI feel so sorry for you.i know how hard it is when someone close dies. when i was 13 years old i lost my grandmother due to lung cancer i was so sad. i could not sleep for 2 nights. i had tears in my eyes reading what you wrote about him he was a very good friend.
Posted by: john at October 18, 2012 11:14 PMTim-
This is a great pic of your friend. He sounds like someone I woulda liked, too. Most especially, "Mike Wilson was a hard worker." Heck, with that mustache, he HAD to have been full of mischief :)
I am sorry for your loss. You seem to have great memories of him-- this is the best thing you can do for a friend. Remember him.
Posted by: Mary at October 19, 2012 8:11 PMI could imagine you trying to read your "who is mike" as an eulogy in front of folks, and found myself jamming up, let alone what it might have been for you. What a special guy Mike was not only to you, but to everyone who must have known him.
Posted by: John at October 20, 2012 10:04 AMThat was beautiful, Tim. I told you earlier that I had lost a good friend at the same time. What a wonderful way to remember someone. And it helped me also to remember the good times. Again, my condolences. RIP Mike.
Posted by: Lily at October 21, 2012 5:59 PMDear Tim,
The photo displayed tells a lot about you and Mike. Mike is certainly as close as a brother to you....
May he rest in peace...
Heartfelt condolences from LH ( Sabah / Borneo, Malaysia )
Posted by: Tan LaI Huat @ Chin Lai Huat at October 21, 2012 7:53 PMEveryone should have one friend like Mike. Not everyone does. You have been blessed. I hope that the many memories you have of Mike's life make the loss more bearable. He may be gone but he will undoubtedly be with you always. Peace and Blessings.
Posted by: John Berry at October 22, 2012 11:20 AMTim,
Condolences on the loss of your friend. Your description and tribute to him are a testament to the friendship your were blessed to share. I experienced a similar loss and your blog was quite moving to me. We are blessed to have friends like Mike. God Bless.
Posted by: Ryan Robertson at October 25, 2012 1:10 PMGuys, thank you for all the kind words in regards to my father Michael Wilson. As you know, he was one of a kind...a great father he was to us kids. I loved him so damn much, it still hurts to have him gone out of my life. Please continue mentioning your memories with this great man. Thank you.
Posted by: Scott Wilson at September 9, 2013 12:51 AM