Michael Joseph Heron "Bulldog"of Prospect Park was called home August 2, 2015 after a long and courageous battle against a number of acute medical conditions. He was 64 at the time of his passing and had the opportunity to share many thoughts with friends and family.
Mike was raised in Ridley Park and graduated from St. Madeline's grammar school and Ridley Township High School. For the last 40 years he resided in Prospect Park where he was a member of St. Gabriel's Parish. After high school, Mike joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he served honorably for three years (1969 to 1972), including a tour to Vietnam on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. America. While in the Marines, he continued his education and interest in automotive mechanics by completing a series of correspondence courses. Mike attained the rank of Corporal. Upon discharge from the service, he enrolled in and graduated from the Ford-Philco Technical Institute. After working in several repair shops, he opened his own auto repair garage in Norwood in 1974. There, he maintained a dedicated clientele of customers and also performed work for many local dealerships. Mike earned a reputation for thorough and honest work but, ultimately his health forced him to retire. Mike was a quintessential Beatle's fan, enjoyed playing the guitar, loved the Phillies, and never stopped being a Marine. "Bulldog" was a life member of the Marine Corps League, the V.F.W. Post #7213, and the American Legion Post #507. Throughout his life, there was nothing more important to Mike than his family, his country, the Marines, the Phillies, and helping friends who needed a hand.
Mike is survived by his mother, Bernice M. Heron, age 92, brothers Patrick (Irene) and Timothy (Marge), sister Maureen Zubrzycki, two nephews, four nieces, best friend Joanne, uncle Edward, aunt Marie, many cousins and numerous friends. Mike was predeceased by his father Raymond C. Heron.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and Thursday morning after 9:30 am at the Cavanagh Family Funeral Home, 301 Chester Pike, Norwood followed by his Funeral Mass 11 am in the church of St. Gabriel, 233 Mohawk Ave., Norwood PA 19074. Interment services will follow at Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill.
Condolences may be sent to Cavanagh's or viewed on their website.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent in memory of Mike to St. Gabriel Church at the above address or to www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
WORDS OF REMEMBRANCE
MICHAEL J. HERON
MICHAEL JOSEPH HERON. THAT WAS HIS FULL NAME. MOST PEOPLE RARELY CALLED HIM, "MICHAEL", THOUGH. ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T THINK I EVER HEARD OUR MOTHER CALL HIM ANYTHING BUT MICHAEL. TO THE REST OF US, HE WAS EITHER "MIKE" OR "BULLDOG".
AND, HE WAS A BULLDOG. AT SEVEN YEARS OF AGE, HE BROKE HIS LEG AND SPENT EIGHT HOT WEEKS DURING JULY AND AUGUST IN AN UN-AIR CONDITIONED ROOM IN A PLASTER CAST FROM HIS HIP TO HIS ANKLE WHILE TIM AND I TEASED HIM REGULARLY. BUT, HE HELD UP UNDER THAT JUVENILE TORTURE. WHEN TIM AND I HAD A SCUFFLE AS BROTHERS SOMETIMES WILL DO, HE NEVER MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN IN. AND, IT NEVER SEEMED TO MATTER TO HIM WHAT THE ISSUE WAS OR WHICH SIDE HE TOOK. AT ABOUT THIRTEEN, HE WENT TO CARDINAL O'HARA HIGH SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY, CAME HOME AND TOLD OUR PARENTS THAT HE WANTED TO GO TO RIDLEY TOWNSHIP. AND, THAT WAS SIMPLY THE WAY IT WAS TO BE. WHEN MIKE DECIDED HE WANTED TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS, DAD OPPOSED IT AND MOM WAS CONCERNED. "BULLDOG" JOINED, GRADUATED FROM BASIC AND ADVANCED TRAINING WITH DISTINCTION AND DAD COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROUDER. THERE WASN'T MUCH "BULLDOG" COULDN'T DO ONCE HE SENT HIS MIND TO IT. AT TWENTY-FOUR AND WITH NO BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO START HIS OWN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. WITH HELP OF SOME FOLKS OVER THE NEXT FORTY YEARS, HE BUILT THAT BUSINESS INTO A SUCCESSFUL SHOP- ONE KNOWN FOR QUALITY WORK, EXCELLENT SERVICE AND FAIR PRICING. THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, HE WAS A "BULLDOG". WHETHER IT WAS BEING A GOOD MARINE, FIXING A BROKEN CAR OR MAKING A POINT IN A GOOD ARGUMENT, HE GRABBED A HOLD AND DIDN'T LET GO UNTIL HE WAS SATISFIED THAT HE HAD DONE HIS BEST.
AND THEN THERE'S "MIKE". THERE WAS A KIND, CARING SIDE TO MIKE THAT I THINK EVERY ONE OF US WAS TOUCHED BY. WHO HERE DIDN'T ASK MIKE FOR HELP OR A FAVOR FROM TIME TO TIME. IF SOMEONE ASKED FOR A DONATION TO A WORTHY CAUSE, MIKE GOT INTO HIS POCKET PRETTY QUICK AND OFTEN PRETTY DEEP. IF SOMEONE NEEDED HELP, MIKE WOULD ALWAYS DO WHATEVER HE COULD TO ASSIST. AND EVEN WHEN SOME FOLKS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIS KIND NATURE, HE WOULD STILL HELP AGAIN THE NEXT TIME THE PERSON ASKED. HE KNEW WHEN HE WAS BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BUT IF HE LIKED YOU THAT DID NOT MATTER. IF A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND NEEDED HELP, THEY GOT IT NO MATTER THE TIME OF DAY OR INCONVENIENCE TO HIM.
AS WE KNOW, MIKE'S BEEN SICK FOR A LONG TIME AND HE'S BEEN HOSPITALIZED SINCE EARLY APRIL. ON JUNE 20TH, A DOCTOR TOLD US THERE WAS NO HOPE FOR MIKE'S SURVIVAL AND THAT HIS DEATH WAS IMMINENT. HE DIDN'T KNOW MIKE. SIX WEEKS LATER, BULLDOG WAS STILL IN THERE BATTLING TO GET HIS FAIR SHARE OUT OF LIFE. TO THE END, HE KEPT FAITH IN HIS FAMILY, HIS COUNTRY AND HIS GOD.
MICHAEL MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A HERO IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE OF THE WORD BUT, HE WAS THE KINDEST, TOUGHEST AND MOST COURAGIOUS PERSON MANY OF US WILL EVER KNOW.
