Mikhael KOLLANDER Obituary

KOLLANDER, Mikhael Born June 13, 1941 in New York City, passed away peacefully in his Garden Grove home on November 21, 2009 from gastric cancer. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by the love of his family. He lived a vibrant life, pursuing his many passions. He possessed an insatiable curious nature. He was a building contractor for the past 30 years. After being Honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 1960, he also enjoyed a 20 year career as a professional musician. He was an avid cartoonist, artist, illustrator, inventor, writer, composer, song writer and linguist. He played multiple musical instruments. He was a lover of science, mechanics, technology, astronomy and introspection. He earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate.
A conversation with Mikhael would often happen in one of the twenty some odd languages he spoke, including the language of puns. He had a love for words and used them with his brazen sense of humor. He was a fierce lover of humanity in all its forms, a teacher of meditation and a great Spiritualist. He lived his life authentically and with honesty. Mikhael was a loving father to Matthew, Gabriel, Christine and Michael, and a devoted husband to Janice. There will be a private celebration of his life for family and close friends, according to his wishes. Flowers / donations should be made to your favorite charity. Family assisted by Heritage Memorial Services (714) 842-2400

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Published by Los Angeles Times on Nov. 29, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Mikhael KOLLANDER

2 Entries

Jeff Reiter

December 10, 2009

…just like this…we would pick up right where we left off…he didn’t have to say who it was on the phone…after even ten years, just his voice and the beginning of a joke was enough to give him away…and my voice and a few words was enough for him…several years ago he mentioned that he was looking forward to another visit in Miami and I was counting on that, never imagining this possibility…Mike encouraged my guitar playing and I was planning to email him recordings of my efforts, but somehow never did…it took several days after Harvey’s email for me to fully realize he’s gone, that I will never see him again…I’ve been shedding real tears…I really miss him…we were great friends beginning during our PS 187 days, where he played trumpet in the school orchestra and I played guitar…then, when he picked it up (being musically gifted) he very obviously far out shined anything I could do…He was a month older, but our Bar Mitzvahs occurred on the same day, June 12, 1954, in different synagogues…I remember phoning him after many years, chanting, “Rawnee v’semchee” (the opening lines of our Haftorah) as my greeting and we’d be back and he’d tell me a joke…I recall a marvelous cartoon my mother commissioned him to do of me in the shower eating a burger while lifting weights and strumming the guitar, as part of the program for my high school graduation. Camp Waltell (the name I usually forget – just popped into my head – I think it was he who coined the term for it as, “The Armpit of the Poconos”), was a great period of closer bonding since we went to different high schools, although we many times shared working out at the 63rd Street YMCA with gymnastics and weight training…during the summer of 1964, after my first few months teaching (following my four month, ten day stint in the active army), after visiting his folks and dentist, he got me to go back to LA with him (teaching me how to drive shift along the way) where I saw how he lived as a struggling folksinger…I think it was a weekend around 1980 that Mike visited us in Miami (as Charo’s musical director – she was the opening act for Myron Cohen)…his memorable visit stuck in even my failing memory…I treasure my copy of his book manuscript he sent me many years ago…I value the photo of Mike, Janice, and the boys with our daughter, Erin, when they went to see her in her role as one of the dancers in “Phantom of the Opera”…He was the best…I’ll miss and think of him always…as John Chrysostom, a 4th century theologian once said,
“Those we love and lose are no longer where they were before. They are now wherever we are.”

Jeremy Gordon

December 1, 2009

My condolences to all the Kollanders, and to all those who were lucky enough to know Mikhael. He was a very special, very talented man, who I shall miss.

Jeremy J Gordon

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