Michael Richard Slepekis

mike was a true friend and all around great individual. he loved photography. we shared many experiences together on various road trips. we often exchanged opinions and advice with one another. he was a devoted family man and doted over his grandchildren. he will be greatly missed as i went over to his house almost daily. he was my best friend!!

Mike was one of my four brothers. He was younger than I, but not my "baby brother" .(That distinction goes to Jer). It is challenging to select just a few memories of Mike when there are so many. Nonetheless, here are some that are special to me: -- When we were quite young, Mike and I were square dancing partners; he even wore a western shirt, tie, cowboy hat and boots. --Mike patiently taught me how to use a 35mm Nikon camera. I still have the three ring binders he prepared, full of meticulous and detailed notes on f-stops and lighting. --Mike visited me several times in CT. One time he truly enjoyed photographing me and my dance community at a weekend dance competition. Everyone loved his pictures. --The last time I saw Mike it was in July of 2023 at the rehab facility he was in. When we were not laughing and otherwise joking around, Mike shared his expertise in woodburning with me, the novice woodburner. When I returned to CA, a UPS box of assorted wood plaques was there so I could continue my woodburning practice. Mike was looking forward to going home and resuming his physical therapy on an outpatient basis. His determination was truly admirable. Mike was a thoughtful man. He often asked about my two children, Alex and Angela. I will truly miss the teasing, fun and loving relationship we had. REST IN PEACE, little bro.

There's a story told about a boy walking on the ocean beach right after the high tide went out. Remaining on the beach are thousands of starfish. The boy knows if the starfish don't get back into the water they will die. So, as he walks along, he carefully picks up a starfish and gently places it back in the water. He repeats this process over and over. A man sees the boy doing this and comes up to him and says what are you doing? The boy explains he is returning the starfish into the ocean, so they don't die. The man laughs and tells him, you're not going to make a difference, there are thousands, and you can't get to them all. The boy bent down, picked up another starfish and placed it in the ocean ..... and then looked up at the man and said, "it made a difference for that one!" That story is a reflection of who Mike was. He did the unnoticed things that made a difference for many people. There was no effort or idea or gesture too small for Mike to do to help someone else. He would help people in quiet ways and he enjoyed seeing or hearing their enjoyment when they received his gift to them. Many times that gift was the gift of time to listen and talk or just be present with one of his buddies. Spending time with Mike was like putting on your favorite pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt and just plopping down in his living room to watch a game on TV, join him in searching for the next best youtube video on how to do pryrography or swapping baseball stories and discussing who was the better pitcher - Sandy Koufax or Bob Gibson! To quote Mike, "Don't be messing with the best pitcher who ever threw a baseball ..... it was Sandy Koufax, hands down!" Mike paid attention to what would help others and he would do whatever he could to provide that help. He paid attention to what others said and he remembered what they enjoyed doing or reading or watching. And then he would take the time and energy necessary to give them help or provide a platform or order materials or provide a website that would relate to what they had shared with him. He loved and talked about his family all of the time. He especially was proud of his three beautiful granddaughters .... Julia - Claire - Anny! He was always designing projects for them and preparing instructions for them to tackle new skills. He always had stories about his siblings and he would light up when he knew Leah and Lindsay were coming to visit. He was a GREAT friend! He was a caring, loving dad! And he respected and loved all four of his siblings. I count myself fortunate to be one of Mike's friends and to be able to spend so much time with him over the past 4 years. God blessed Mike with determination, fortitude and perseverance. He was a competitor and wonderful teammate to the very end. He finished his race strong.

My sincere condolences to Mike's daughters and also the rest of his family. Mike was a good friend, especially to my son Mike. He is now pain free-- in eternal peace. Peace and love to all. Shirley Gulvik