Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Michael Watach Obituary
Watach Micheal 14 June 1951 - 02 August 2021
Michael Watach was born and died in Leeds but had a lifetime of adventure further afield.
He and his sister Maria were raised by Ukrainian immigrants among the community in Chapeltown, and Michael would later make several trips back to the motherland after his travels following Leeds United, Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine. Hitch-hiking over 30,000 miles to see Don Revie's legendary team - taking him to Ankara, Thessaloniki and Paris for the ill-fated 1975 European Cup final - even resulted in him being voted Leeds' #1 fan in a 1993 YEP competition.
After years in the merchant navy, Michael found contentment as a scaffolder in Germany and started a family before returning to Leeds and readopting the open house policy of his upbringing - there was always a sofa for any friend that needed it. He may have called it 'heartbreak hotel' but the unique freedom made it an amazing place for sons Lev and Nestor, as well as all their friends, to grow up in.
A love of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits inspired a poeticism to his everyday life, from wordplay and favourite phrases to obsessive note-taking and stories told around the campfire.
A true one-off in every phase of his life.
Michael Watach was born and died in Leeds but had a lifetime of adventure further afield.
He and his sister Maria were raised by Ukrainian immigrants among the community in Chapeltown, and Michael would later make several trips back to the motherland after his travels following Leeds United, Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine. Hitch-hiking over 30,000 miles to see Don Revie's legendary team - taking him to Ankara, Thessaloniki and Paris for the ill-fated 1975 European Cup final - even resulted in him being voted Leeds' #1 fan in a 1993 YEP competition.
After years in the merchant navy, Michael found contentment as a scaffolder in Germany and started a family before returning to Leeds and readopting the open house policy of his upbringing - there was always a sofa for any friend that needed it. He may have called it 'heartbreak hotel' but the unique freedom made it an amazing place for sons Lev and Nestor, as well as all their friends, to grow up in.
A love of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits inspired a poeticism to his everyday life, from wordplay and favourite phrases to obsessive note-taking and stories told around the campfire.
A true one-off in every phase of his life.
Published by Yorkshire Evening Post on Aug. 16, 2021.
Memories and Condolences
for Michael Watach
0 Entries
Be the first to post a memory or condolences.