Comments on: Memories of Mike Miller http://punaro.com/index.php/2009/08/derek/memories-of-mike-miller/ Derek and Amanda got married. Moved to the country. Had a couple of kids. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:05:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Paul G http://punaro.com/index.php/2009/08/derek/memories-of-mike-miller/comment-page-1/#comment-109682 Paul G Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:36:13 +0000 http://punaro.com/index.php/?p=1608#comment-109682 I became a CTRC member in August of last year, but I didn't get to meet Mike for the first time until the members only tour. He quickly became a good friend, and I would see him and Mark walking around the terminal together during Saturday work parties and events. He would always say hi, and he was very good at remembering names. I last spoke with him during Russell Pawlak's calling hours, and he seemed very excited with his new position at Preservation Buffalo Niagara. He joked about Catherine Schweitzer not getting any sleep, like the Energizer bunny, and talked a little about how Russell was in his final days as CTRC president. I still remember the cute little blip about the marshmallow peeps that he stuck in the CTRC message board. Losing Mike is like losing a brother. His shoes at both the CTRC and Preservation Buffalo Niagara are going to be some very tough shoes to fill. I think both organizations are going to have to do some serious soul searching there. Both will emerge stronger because of the guidence and direction Mike gave to them during his short tenure there. I became a CTRC member in August of last year, but I didn’t get to meet Mike for the first time until the members only tour. He quickly became a good friend, and I would see him and Mark walking around the terminal together during Saturday work parties and events. He would always say hi, and he was very good at remembering names. I last spoke with him during Russell Pawlak’s calling hours, and he seemed very excited with his new position at Preservation Buffalo Niagara. He joked about Catherine Schweitzer not getting any sleep, like the Energizer bunny, and talked a little about how Russell was in his final days as CTRC president. I still remember the cute little blip about the marshmallow peeps that he stuck in the CTRC message board. Losing Mike is like losing a brother. His shoes at both the CTRC and Preservation Buffalo Niagara are going to be some very tough shoes to fill. I think both organizations are going to have to do some serious soul searching there. Both will emerge stronger because of the guidence and direction Mike gave to them during his short tenure there.

]]> By: Amanda http://punaro.com/index.php/2009/08/derek/memories-of-mike-miller/comment-page-1/#comment-109412 Amanda Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:41:11 +0000 http://punaro.com/index.php/?p=1608#comment-109412 Mike was one of the few friends I can say I actually loved. With my whole heart. He was such a good person, and sacrificed himself for the betterment of others and his city. He guided me personally through many crises, and understood me like only a few can. Not only was he an avid advocate for preserving our beautiful city, he was an advocate for everyone he knew. Even when he was upset with a decision someone may have made, he never spoke badly about them, he tried to see their side of it. And if either Derek or I were upset, he would calmly tell us why it had to be the way it was, and he always helped us to understand. He called me 'Honey', as I'm sure he did for many of the young ladies in his life. He always made me feel as if I mattered. The thing with Mike, is that everyone DID matter to him. There was no pretense, or pretending. He liked everyone and everyone was family to him. He always kept to himself at M&T, and I am sad that I never got him to have lunch with me at least once. We were always walking over to Tim Horton's with a group of coffee junkies, and yes, his office door (when he had one) was ALWAYS open to me. Very rarely would he tell me he was busy and couldn't talk. I joked with him about his sweaters he always wore, and his gold star he received for doing his financial work. He always had a good natured banter with me about it, and we would laugh. He would have been thrilled to know Ariella is close to walking by herself, and was proud to have a new "niece", although his real family was never far from his heart. He would always tell me he loved me before he left from having dinner with us, and I hope he knows that I meant it when I said it in return. His family is lucky to have had him for so much longer than some of us did, but I am thankful that they shared him with the rest of us. Knowing Mike has enriched my life immensely, and he has taught me so much about the way to treat people and how to live. I have lost friends before this, tragically and quickly without warning. It never gets easier, and Mike is no exception. Mike was one of the few friends I can say I actually loved. With my whole heart. He was such a good person, and sacrificed himself for the betterment of others and his city. He guided me personally through many crises, and understood me like only a few can. Not only was he an avid advocate for preserving our beautiful city, he was an advocate for everyone he knew. Even when he was upset with a decision someone may have made, he never spoke badly about them, he tried to see their side of it. And if either Derek or I were upset, he would calmly tell us why it had to be the way it was, and he always helped us to understand.

He called me ‘Honey’, as I’m sure he did for many of the young ladies in his life. He always made me feel as if I mattered. The thing with Mike, is that everyone DID matter to him. There was no pretense, or pretending. He liked everyone and everyone was family to him. He always kept to himself at M&T, and I am sad that I never got him to have lunch with me at least once. We were always walking over to Tim Horton’s with a group of coffee junkies, and yes, his office door (when he had one) was ALWAYS open to me. Very rarely would he tell me he was busy and couldn’t talk. I joked with him about his sweaters he always wore, and his gold star he received for doing his financial work. He always had a good natured banter with me about it, and we would laugh.

He would have been thrilled to know Ariella is close to walking by herself, and was proud to have a new “niece”, although his real family was never far from his heart. He would always tell me he loved me before he left from having dinner with us, and I hope he knows that I meant it when I said it in return.

His family is lucky to have had him for so much longer than some of us did, but I am thankful that they shared him with the rest of us. Knowing Mike has enriched my life immensely, and he has taught me so much about the way to treat people and how to live. I have lost friends before this, tragically and quickly without warning. It never gets easier, and Mike is no exception.

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