Michael Spoor

1948 - 2013

MICHAEL JOHN SPOOR MICHAEL JOHN SPOOR passed away on May 2, 2013 after a brief and valiant battle against melanoma. Mike was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 23, 1948 to John and Dorothy Spoor, who preceded him in death. Mike was also predeceased by his sister, Martha Feng, and aunt, Jean Shesler.
Mike attended elementary school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, high school in Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.Upon graduation he joined the United States Marine Corps and proudly served for 10 years on active duty and with the Organized Marine Corps Reserves, attaining the rank of Captain.
Upon being released from active duty with the Marines, Mike began a banking career that spanned almost four decades, beginning in Florida in the mid-1970s, before establishing himself in Houston in 1980. He is best remembered for running Banc One Corp.'s loan workout operations, Bonnet Resources and Banc One Management and Consulting Corp., which were set up during the savings and loan crisis to manage and liquidate distressed assets.
After the bailout crisis ended, Mike moved over to Banc One's commercial mortgage origination unit, Banc One Loan Origination Corp. He left Banc One during the late 1990s and subsequently held lending posts with First Union Capital Markets and later GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp., before launching M.J. Spoor & Company in 2002.
Mike formed M.J. Spoor & Company to provide commercial debt placement and business advisory services to commercial real estate developers and investors, as well as owners of commercial businesses.Mike, along with Laura Pattillo, his esteemed colleague and treasured friend, worked tirelessly to make the Company a success.
Mike earned professional degrees from the American Bankers' Association National Commercial Lending Graduate School at the University of Oklahoma and Southern Methodist University's Southwestern Graduate School of Banking.
Mike was a longtime railroad enthusiast, railroad historian and author, and nationally known model railroader. He was a member of The Burlington Route Historical Society and served on the Board of Directors and as Editor of Burlington Route Historical Society publications for many years. He also authored five books on the Burlington and was working on a sixth volume at the time of his death. Mike's Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Chicago & Aurora Divisions is regarded as one of the top model railroad layouts in the country. He was also an active participant in the nationally recognized Prototype Modelers and ProRail groups.
Mike was on Washington & Lee University's varsity tennis team for four years, represented the U.S. Marine Corps against the U.S. Army's Stan Smith (former world #1), and became very active in league tennis over the last 12 years, during which time his teams qualified for 15 state and four national championships. He was also a volunteer and Board member for the Houston Tennis Association.
In October 2012, Mike began the match of his life, against melanoma, an impossibly tough opponent, to which Mike nevertheless refused to yield. To him it was "just another hill to climb." Displaying rugged determination and the spirit of a true Marine, Mike continually defied his prognosis, fighting the cancer for months longer than predicted. OORAH!
Mike is survived by Monika, his wife of 33 years, and his son Michael, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, John and Lannie Spoor, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mike will be dearly missed by his many friends in the tennis and model railroad communities, and a whole host of friends, clients and the many people he met during his banking career.
There will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2013, at Chapelwood United Methodist Church (11140 Greenbay, Houston, Texas 77024). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Mike to Community Certified Development Corporation Scholarship Fund, Inc., (8590 Highway 6 North, Houston, TX 77095, Attention: MJ Spoor Scholarship Fund), Houston Hospice, MD Anderson Cancer Center, or Wounded Warrior Project.