Rev. Michael Spillane

Rev. Michael Spillane The Rev. Michael Spillane, rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park, died on April 15, 2008 from complications of a brain tumor. He was 58. A memorial service to celebrate Father Mike's life on earth was held Saturday, April 19, at Trinity church, 330 Ravenswood Ave at Laurel, followed by a festive reception in the courtyard. A memorial service was also held at the Church of the Holy Nativity in Meridian, Idaho on April 24, 2008. Father Mike's call to become the 17th rector of Trinity last year led him to return to Menlo Park where he had earned his Masters in Divinity at St. Patrick's Seminary. He became an Episcopal priest in 1992 and previously served in the Diocese of Idaho. In an essay Father Mike wrote about his spiritual journey, he talks about an influential priest he met while he was a home beat officer (Bobbie) in London, describing him as "approachable, someone with a sense of humor who liked to kick the soccer ball around." The description fit him just as well. He was also deeply spiritual, writing in the same essay: "I now realize that in some sense everything that happens in our lives, from the mundane to the spectacular, is part of one's spiritual journey. It is an autobiography that we are all writing each day about how God is present in each moment of our lives, and more importantly, how we respond to that presence." Father Mike leaves his wife, Julie, and two children, Brendan and Kim of Menlo Park, his mother, Kathleen Spillane, of New York City, and two brothers, Kieran of Louisville, Ky.; Brendan of Katonah, N.Y.; and numerous additional relatives in New York, England and Ireland. Those wishing to make a memorial in Father Mike's name can make a contribution to the Spillane Children Education Trust at any Wells Fargo Bank or by making a check out to that account name and mailing to Holy Trinity, 330 Ravenswood Ave. Menlo Park, CA 94025. Please share thoughts and memories for the Spillane family at www.idahostatesman.com/obituaries.