Michael D. Roberts

Mike and I were instant friends when we were too young to even understand friendship. Maybe around 8 or so. He became my first serious boyfriend. And although that didn't develop beyond puppy love, we remained friends beyond college. My father gave him his first serious job as the brochure and manual printer at Hotstream Heater. He evolved into writing as well as printing the material...and the rest is history. I'm so proud to have known Mike and am so sorry to hear of his loss.

When I returned home to Cleveland in 1990, Mike helped me get a foot in the door for several journalism jobs and then a transition to public relations. I loved chatting with him about journalism and writing. Meeting him at Nighttown was a treat. He also helped with an introduction to Cleveland Magazine, where I earned a slot as a senior editor. Mike was a first-rate reporter and raconteur who was willing to help anyone who enjoyed the printed word. He also wrote the perfect column. It was in...

Mike Roberts & I were never enemies but we certainly were never playing the same tune. Roberts apparently thought he could one-up me by running a one-line monthly ad in his Cleveland magazine that said simply: Roldo lies. It was done, signed by MDR - Michael D Roberts. What could I do about that. Well, one day when I picked up my printed job at the bottom of the box was a blank sheet of paper - an Eaton Corp. letterhead. I knew that Roberts was sympathetic to our corporate leaders, as I was...

On my first day at Cleveland magazine Mike handed me a copy of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and said, "Write like this." The following day I told him there was no way I could match Tom Wolfe. I scoffed at him when he told me my first magazine piece would take three months to write. He was right. Writing for a magazine was far more involved than the columns and news stories I had turned out as a newspaper reporter. MDR told us we needed to dress professionally--suit jackets, long-sleeves...

Dear Roberts and Weitzel families, I am so sorry for your troubles. Mike and Pat were longtime friends of my late husband, Buster Mooney and me. Lots of memories here; we had great fun together. From McGinty´s patio in Rocky River to Meaney´s backyard in Westlake over to my dining room table in Cleveland Hts., we laughed and shared stories, and of course argued about the politics of the day (mostly Mike and me!). I still think of the story about his "red belt" in Viet Nam...brought me to...