Michael Joseph Barcelona

Today I am shocked to learn of Mike's passing. I knew Mike since 1995 when I started my career at UM-Ann Arbor. Mike was a caring mentor and a passionate colleague. What a lovely person, who will be deeply missed.

Lynette
It doesn´t seem possible that Michael has been gone for a year. A great friend through both hard and great times. From playing in the mud of the Grand Calumet River, late night hockey games, and many Friday afternoons at Timponies. Gail and will remember or last visit that included, appropriately lunch at Bell´s Brewery.

Our best
Rich and Gail
We are on way home from two months in Tucson. Florida was nice but the charm of the desert and warm blues skies beats the traffic and crowds down there.

I recently learned of Mike's passing. I knew him at the Illinois State Water Survey, the library where I worked having been in the same corridor as his section. He was a good colleague and I was happy to read about his full life. I do remember him saying "Use it or lose it" and it appears that indeed, he followed that advice.

I´m a former doctoral student of Professor Barcelona when he was at UMich-Ann Arbor. I´m so surprised to know that he passed away this April. He is such a passionate and caring advisor. I´ll miss you Dr. Barcelona! May God´s peace be with your family.

Guibo Xie

We mourn the loss of Michael and look forward to the celebration of his life.
(Russell, Michael, Regina (Mom), Guy and Janet

Shared many escapades in our youth. Became lifelong friends. A part of me has left and a part of Mike remains. A good man. Rest now, brother.

On behalf of all of us at the KLC, please accept our deepest condolences. Mike was a treasured tutor in the Reading Center at Goodwill, helping adult learners strengthen their literacy skills. He was a passionate volunteer and often donated books and supplies. May his legacy live on in your fond memories as it surely will in ours.

Mike has been a dear friend for over 50 years. We provided emotional support for one another over a two-year period in graduate school, and shared many good times together in Boston. He was tough on the outside but tender on the inside - a poet at heart. So in the words of the Indian poet, Rumi, I bid you good bye: "When inward tenderness finds the secret hurt, pain itself will crack the rock, and ah! Let the soul emerge." Your pain is over my friend, I know that you have emerged into a place of peace and love.

My son was a student of Michael's at WMU. He mentored him and they became friends. At graduation - Michael wanted to present my son with his diploma, and had just had major back surgery - but came and walked on the stage to present the diploma to my son, Evan. What a special man and friend to my son. Thank you to his family....and rest in peace

Mike was an excellent mentor and gentleman. I had the opportunity to work with him on several remediation projects after he taught us at MSU how to do it right. A brilliant and humble man always helped lift others and made this world a way better place. Cheers Michael!

My condolences to all of Mike's family. I invited Mike to speak to engineering peers down in Tampa. On the morning he was speaking I found Mike limping on a side walk about 2 miles from the Hotel he was speaking at and only 15 minutes before his presentation. He had hurt is ankle on a morning run and was limping back. He was really happy to see me and that I could give him a ride back to the Hotel. As usual with Mike, he opened his presentation limping in and with a story about that morning, he is a great story teller, so it was something along the lines that when you reach a certain age and you go for a morning run in a new town, remember your phone and cab fare.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike early in my career with the Michigan DNR/DEQ/etc., and our paths crossed a few more times at conferences and workshops. His enthusiasm and kind encouragement reinforced my belief in the worthiness of my field of work. Truly a special man. My sincere condolences to his family.

My best memory of Mike is when he would make rockets using the tips of matches stuffed into small cardboard tubes. Unfortunately I never got to see him launch them! RIP Michael.

My condolences to all of Mike's extended family. While I worked with Mike at the Illinois State Water Survey for many years, I hesitate to limit my acquaintance with him as solely work - he was also a friend, fellow Bears fan (and dare I say it, for a time, Illini fan). I will always remember many days of fieldwork sampling groundwater at sites across the State. His enthusiasm and intellect will be sorely missed.

I am so so sorry. I loved him as a brother. A wonderful friend. God bless Mike.