Michael P. "Mike" Tierney

1945 - 2024

Michael P. Tierney passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Healdsburg hospital surrounded by loving family and friends.
How do we tell Mike's grand story?

That he was truly one of a kind.

That he was the rock of our family and our most beloved human being.

That he was the very best friend to his wife, Kathy and son, Matthew, and adored by his grandson, Otto.

That he was a voracious reader and a keen scholar with a doctorate from CAL.

That he was a top-rated high school English teacher at Pinole Valley High School, sharing humor and knowledge with hundreds of students.

That he was the capable president of our family winery, Taft Street, for over 40 years.

That he was an ardent Bay Area sports fan, who could be heard shouting for the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49ers for miles from his house.

That he was an accomplished athlete from the time he won the San Francisco city ping-pong championship as a preteen to the one year he ran six marathons.

That he was an intrepid traveler leading family adventure's all over the world.

Mike was all these things plus so much more.

Michael Philip Tierney, (7-5-45 to 5-25-24)was born and raised in San Francisco, to parents, Martin Joseph, and Emily Tierney, the second of five siblings, Martin (Susan), Ann (Tersh), Mimi, (RIP), and John. Mike started school in the City at Saint Emydius, followed by high school at Saint Ignatius, and next attended St. Mary's College of Moraga, where he met the love of his life, Kathy Lyons, who was attending Dominican College of San Rafael. They were married right after graduation in 1967 when they were accepted into President Kennedy's first Peace Corps group assigned to Fiji and headed for two years teaching in Fiji and later they returned and Mike taught for a year at the University of Fiji in Suva.

Kathy and Mike were married for almost 57 years and shared too many adventures all over the world to list. Their son, Matthew, was born in 1971 with the travel bug, and accompanied them to the corners of the Earth. After Fiji, Mike and Kathy settled in Oakland and began his teaching career and a path to a Masters Degree from San Francisco State University and later an EDD, Doctor of Education, from the University of California at Berkeley.

In 1982, Mike joined his two brothers, Marty and John, his brother-in-law, Arleigh Sanderson and two friends, Mike Martini and Andy Bartlett to start Taft Street Winery in the Russian River Valley, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, CA. For 40 plus years, Mike put his heart and energy into making Taft Street a success. With his title as president he filled many roles which included traveling around the US meeting with wine reps.

Mike's love language was cooking for us, from over a hundred at the winery and at the famed Tierney parties to intimate family barbecues. Everyone marveled at his skill, organization and creativity with food and always with a smile and a quip. His sense of humor was as delicious as his recipes.

His life with its big, bold, smart, humorous joie de vivre simply wore out his name. No more Mikes. Just our Mike. Our marvel. Our gift. Our blessing.

A Celebration of Mike's life will be on June 29, 2024 at 12:30pm at The Taft Street Winery in Sebastopol.

A memorial mass will be held for Michael at St. John's Catholic Church in Healdsburg on July 6, 2024 at 4:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Russian Riverkeeper, PO Box 1335, Healdsburg, Ca 95448.