01.15.03
In Memory of Mike Simmons
Mike Simmons was a mentor to me during my college years. From 1991 to 1996 I attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington and worked at the school’s computer center. I started work there as a computer consultant, answering questions, helping students. Mike saw potential in me and taught me how to be a computer professional, how to set up, repair and operate the computers at the center. Mike eventually took me on as the school’s second Technical Consultant and eventually gave me my first leadership position as team lead for a group of Technical Consultants. Looking back at those early years, when I searched for what I was meant to and could do, I realize that his trust and confidence in me instilled a confidence and trust in myself that meant more than any technical training in my career.
Mike was diagnosed with brain cancer shortly after I graduated and left Olympia. The decision to stop treatment was made last month. He is not expected to live past this week. I am deeply saddened to know that I will not have a chance to see Mike again. I trust he knows the significant impact he made in my life and in the lives of my fellow students.
Sara said,
January 15, 2003 at 10:42 pm
have you told him so? it sounds like there might still be time to do that, and my guess is that it would be sweet for him to hear it again now. even if he’s not entirely present to his surroundings because of pain the folks around him could read an email to him and on some level he’ll hear it. kind of overwhelming to communicate with someone who’se dying, but powerful.
Leopoldo said,
January 15, 2003 at 10:51 pm
Unfortunately Mike is no longer coherent enough to take visitors or telephone calls. I sent a copy of this post to his comrades at Evergreen, I am sure the message will be delivered if possible.
Leopoldo said,
January 16, 2003 at 3:26 pm
This just came in from my contacts at Evergreen:
Mike Simmons
This morning, Evergreen lost a cherished friend, dedicated employee and incomparable spirit. Mike Simmons died peacefully after a four-year battle with brain cancer. Many of his closest friends from the college were able to say good-bye to him before he succumbed.
Mike joined Evergreen in 1985 as a student consultant in Academic Computing. Two years later, he helped launch the Computing Labs and, according to his colleagues, pretty much ran the technical aspects of that operation. Mike worked for Evergreen as an info tech systems specialist until this summer, when his illness grew stronger. Honesty, integrity and a deep work ethic defined Mike, and are the qualities his colleagues treasured about him.
Stories of Mike?s devotion to helping students are legion. Even late on a Friday night, heading out the door for a beer with friends, Mike would stop to fix whatever problems a student might have. His mechanical skills were legendary, too. Mike could fix almost anything and would trek out to the parking lots to tinker with a co-worker?s balky car, having it running in no time.
Mike?s main passion, aside from his family, was his motorcycle. He would take long trips at a minute?s notice and then regale his friends with fascinating tales of his travels and adventures.
Mike is survived by his beloved wife, Karen, three stepchildren and six grandchildren.
Services are planned for the Longhouse; details are forthcoming.
Office of College Relations
January 16, 2002
Scott said,
January 16, 2003 at 3:34 pm
Thank you for your kind words of Mike. I’ve worked with him for two years, and I am very sad that this had to happen to such a good man. I trust he is at peace now.
Linda Mae said,
January 16, 2003 at 3:41 pm
Hi Leo:
I was one of those many students that relied on you to help pull me out of self-created computer disasters in the computer center. I want YOU to know that you were always an inspiration to me, and your presence here is missed. I have meanwhile graduated, and now I’m on staff. It makes my heart lighter to know that my co-worker Mike was a such a strong mentor to you. Everything is connected.
Leopoldo said,
January 16, 2003 at 4:29 pm
Thank you Linda. Yes, you are quite right. Mike inspired me to do my best to help others and to inspire that same delight in other people in our position. I would like to think that someone inspired Mike to be as devoted and caring as he was and that those whose lives he touched will pass that inspiration on.
Leopoldo said,
January 23, 2003 at 11:12 am
In the land of not-well defined job descriptions that was the TESC Computer Center Mike would sign his emails with
“Chop Wood, Carry Water”
Leopoldo said,
January 23, 2003 at 4:57 pm
This just came in from my contact at Evergreen:
—
At the request of Mike’s wife and family, Mike’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 25th at 5:00 pm in the Longhouse. The service will be followed by a potluck, also in the Longhouse. We hope you’ll be able to join us.
The family is also requesting that in lieu of flowers, you consider a contribution to Western Washington Oncology. Their contact number is 754-3934.
If you are interested, there are several ways you can participate in the memorial:
* Kelli Flynn is organizing the potluck. Beverages and table service will be provided. Please contact Kelli (x5891) if you have questions or are willing to help out.
* John McGee is gathering written remembrances about Mike, and will compile them into a gift to Mike’s wife, Karen. Please forward to John (x6108) any stories about Mike or messages to Mike’s family.
* Michele Elhardt is organizing a presence at the service by Evergreen bikers. Please contact Michele (x6310) if you wish to be a part of that presence.
* Susan Bustetter is creating a collage of images of Mike, as well as of “Mike-isms.” If you have any pictures of Mike you could contribute, or fond remembrances of classic bits of Mike wisdom, please send them to Susan (x6626). If you want your pictures back, Susan can scan them for the collage and return them to you.
All of C&C would like to thank the campus community for their kind expressions of support and sorrow. Mike was special, and one of a kind. It’s heartwarming to discover just how many people knew that.
Anna Kircher, Director
Computing and Communications
The Evergreen State College
2700 Evergreen Parkway NW
Olympia, WA 98505
360-867-6238
kirchera@evergreen.edu
Bobby Hunter said,
January 24, 2003 at 9:07 am
I too worked at the Computer Center for several years (1995-1999) and have many great memories of Mike, some of which probably are appropriate to post! One of the great things I remember about MIke is that not only was he extremely knowledgeable, he was always willing to share that knowledge with anyone who asked. I don’t know how many times I came to Mike with some problem, and he would always make time to help out. Instead of just fixing the problem, he would show me ways to either fix the problem myself, or get around it enough so it would work until a Tech Con could get to it. And he never made you feel dumb when he was teaching you something. Mike was a great man, and a great teacher. I owe my current job to him, and the rest of the computer center staff. Without their trust, I never would have learned the computer skills that helped me get to where I am today. And thanks to you Leo, for all the great words about Mike. I’m sure he knew how you felt about him.
Libbe Jones said,
January 28, 2003 at 7:10 am
I remember when I first started working at the computer center as a student consultant job my freshman year. It was the middle of the year and I was terrified. I had bright orange and red hair and even though Evergreen was a progressive place, I felt a little unprofessional. When I met Mike, it was like being back in Tacoma where I grew up. My dad owned a biker bar until I was six years old and I spent more time there than at home in those formative years. Mike looked like the safest, most approachable human being in the whole building and it is specifically because of him that I had the confidence to continue moving through this uncharted territory of the technical world.
It immediately showed that Mike was down to earth and uncomplicated. I have no doubt he was complex, but it seemed obvious that he had made a clear decision in his life to choose a profession that made him content and free to pursue his other hobbies. He made an effort to simplify his life and it showed. We all knew that with Mike’s computer and general technical smarts, he could have made a killing at a corporate job. You could tell by looking at him that it just wasn’t what he wanted. I admire that decision so much now that I have made it out of college into the corporate world. I see people making such large sacrifices in their lives that their happiness and livelihood has taken what seems to be a permanent back burner. I never even saw that for a second in Mike. It takes such a strong personality and clear sense of self to reject the temptation of money and status that often comes with unfulfilling work.
Mike seemed not only happy in his job, but happy in his life. We all knew Mike loved motorcycles. It made him smile almost as much as when he saved yet another floppy disk with an entire quarter’s work on it for a distraught student. I remember after he got back from his big motorcycle trip when he got married. He had a smile ear to ear for a month. He showed us all pictures every time we saw him. It amazes me still to this day that Mike had one of the most stressful jobs at the computer center, but it never showed. I can’t visualize him without a smile on his face.
Mike just seemed to “get it”. I don’t mean to be hokey about it, but he seemed to have his situation pretty well figured out. He had a job that he liked, a great bike, a great lady, and his priorities well defined. He seemed to have the happiness of a person who had a lot of options and made the conscious choice to do something truly fulfilling. He even let me make fun of his mullet. I thought for sure he would get mad at me when some snide, typical 20-year-old comment came out of my mouth one day about his hair. He just smiled and said something sarcastic back to me. I envy that amazing attitude. I hope to be more like Mike one day. I think about how crazy and stressful my life can get and then I take a deep breath and think about Mike Simmons. I see that you really can choose your path in life and how you choose to live it.
God, and he was so smart! I know everyone will be talking about that, but seriously, he was. He was the least pretentious computer whiz I’ve met to this day. Hell, even I get pretentious from time to time. You could look at his face and you could almost hear the cogs and wheels turning in there coming up with a truly brilliant idea about how to fix a machine or how to modify our software to make it run better for the students. I watched him work with the technical consultants and I wished I had been brave enough to apply for the position. He just had this ability to instill confidence in people. I saw fellow consultant grow before my very eyes under his tutelage. Every time he would help me out he would show me how to do something myself. In a field dominated by men I never once felt like he treated the women there differently. It is truly because if Mike Simmons that I am working in the tech field right now. I am a middle school computer teacher and I do a lot of upkeep on the machines. Almost every bit of disk recovery I have learned was from him. I just recovered a damaged floppy disk for an administrator the other day. She thought I was a genius. It was all Mike.
Although I am deeply saddened by Mike’s passing, it makes me smile to think of all the people’s lives he has touched. I interacted with him far less than some of my coworkers, yet there are countless things he taught me that I will never forget. In teaching and guiding so many up and coming students and some true computer whizzes, Mike has ensured a longevity of spirit that I can only dream to attain. I truly feel like a better person for being able to know and work with Mike if only for a brief period.
Mike said,
December 12, 2003 at 8:28 pm
i was just googling for my student page and stumbled across this eulogy. I’m sorry. Julia, i too have battled with cancer. i’m currently in remission. I’m 45 and back in school as a computer Science and Engineering undergrad. Dying for so long has taught me to value the spirit and to try to contribute in ways similar to those you describe Mike as having. Thank you for putting into words what we all need to remain aware of. The most current lesson that i have learned is to resist the temptation to struggle with life, that when my intent is there, the universe will provide better than I can. Bless you and yours,
mike simmons