Condolence: Mike Powers

Mike lived on Mitchell Ave in Elmhurst just a block south of my parents.

On his 8th birthday (Nov 8th 1950) his mother died. Three months later his father brought home his new step mom. As a kid I didn't make any big deal of how Mike was usually at my house for breakfast but I was to learn later it was because his step mom wasn't making breakfast for him.

He was a natural athlete that excelled at baseball and basketball. We played baseball in my next door neighbor's back yard. Mike taught himself to switch hit and was great from either side of the plate. He played on the Little League all stars and played at Thillens Stadium in Chicago. Later in life he was a hitting coach for the high school team in Missouri and used a 16mm film of Ted Williams to teach kids how to hit like Mike's idol.

He played basketball for IC High School. Him and Coach Strasser. never got along and he claimed to have an imprint of Strasser's Notre Dame ring on his head as proof of their on going struggles from sophomore year.

Mike went to St Joseph's College for a year and then lived in Chicago working at the Ambassador East Hotel while living with crazy guys at 19 East Division. He then went on to Southern Illinois University.

Mike had a career in the hotel business. He worked in St Louis and several cities in Illinois. He was a turn around specialist in taking hotels out of bankruptcy. He was named manager of the Holiday Inn just east of O'Hare airport and had just started working there on a Monday morning when the FBI showed up wanting to question a celebrity that had checked in the night before about a murder in Los Angeles the day before, OJ Simpson.

Mike was then named the manager of the Ambassador East Hotel where he was the night clerk decades earlier.

Mike was so proud of the fact that he had lived "one day at a time" in AA for the past twenty plus years. He was on the AA speakers tour and had several tapes of the talks that he gave. He gave me several of those tapes where I found out that he "was always jealous of little Johnny that lived down the block from him as a kid since Johnny had a mother to take care of him".

I visited Mike last spring in Springfield MO. Even though our political views were drastically different we had a good talk and shared some AA experiences.

"Irish Mike" was a good guy and will be missed by many.

RIP

Johnny

Condolence: Terese and all in the Powers Family,

Sheila and I were very sad to hear the news of Mike's passing. Our condolences go to all of your family, as do our prayers.

Mike and I go back a long way – we were friends in grade school (at Hawthorne, even before IC) and friends and classmates at ICHS. And for the last few years, we usually saw each other once a year at the Shields fundraiser.

As you know, Mike had a very positive view of life and it was infective. I enjoyed being with him all the years I knew him and I know he has a big chair upstairs (wearing a gold and white White Sox cap).

Yes, Mike's passing is a sad event, but we know where he is and we can ask him to help all of us get there. He was a good example of what you needed to do to get there.

Our prayers are with you,

John Smock

Condolence: I'm so sorry for the loss of Mike. He will be missed by many. Thoughts and Prayers for you all during this difficult time.

Condolence: I loved Mike and his personality. Always made me smile. He was a great sponsor and a fine example of how to do 12th step work. Hee will be greatly missed

Condolence: Mike greatly helped me with my sobriety. I called him many times when stressed out over life. Once I called him from a liquor store parking lot, about to drink. He talked me out of it. That's a big deal for guys like us-I now celebrate several years sober. I am grateful to have known Mike, and he will never be forgotten. To his family: thank you for sharing him with others like me trying to stay sober!

Condolence: Mike greatly helped me with my sobriety. I called him many times when stressed out over life. Once I called him from a liquor store parking lot, about to drink. He talked me out of it. That's a big deal for guys like us-I now celebrate several years sober. I am grateful to have known Mike, and he will never be forgotten. To his family: thank you for sharing him with others like me trying to stay sober!

Condolence: Never had a better friend or a better example of how to live a good principled life. Mike inspired me for the last 15+ years and I am so saddened by his passing, but also grateful the God allowed me to know such a man as Irish Mike! I love you brother!

Condolence: I thank God for knowing Mike. I wish we could go to another race together. You meant a lot to me, Mike. Could you just come back for one more day, so I could say goodbye. Love you, buddy! R.I.P.

Condolence: Mike was a good man. He helped a lot of people. I remember the 4th step retreat we went on together in Rogersville. He was responsible for the kitchen and I really got to know about him washing dishes together. I will miss him on Tuesdays. Until we meet again.

Condolence: You will be missed by many but to have you apart of my life not only was special but I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for you as well as a few other men. But it's comforting to know you will be seated with God with tour Notre Dame hat on watching over us all
Thank you Irish Mike and love you