Michael Allen Bogan

A year has passed, memories of you fill my heart with joy. Forever remembered, forever missed.

In the mid 1990s for about 4 years, I was blessed to work with Mike, Cindy, Ernie and other field crew on the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge. We camped between March and October, mist netting for bats, running small mammal traps in the mornings, and collecting other herp specimens for the UNM Museum of Southwestern Biology. In addition to learning the very meticulous techniques of preparing specimens by day, we had such treasured days and nights camping in the San Andres Mountains. Mike and Cindy become part of our lives during those years, introduced my husband to carne adovada (which he is forever grateful), and never left our hearts. Mike's generosity and kindness as a mentor and friend is a most precious gift. Thank you, Mike.

Mike set many of us on the joyous paths we now walk. William James wrote that "Wisdom is learning what to overlook", which to me crystalizes what made Mike so special and influential. Upon our first meeting and for months after, Mike´s wisdom let him overlook my weird exterior to see the qualities of a latent scientist (unfocused enthusiasm and hyper-diverse interests) bubbling within. The me that wandered into Mike´s office at UNM back in the early 1990´s didn´t know whether I would spend my future as a starving artist, bored clerical worker, equipment maintenance technician, alt-country singer, cave explorer, or professional bat excluder-I´d tried them all on a bit but knew that my special interest in bats led the pack. Mike overlooked how much that kid sitting in his office didn´t match the typical criteria for a promising young scientist, and it wasn´t just the early me. Mike had a remarkable talent for finding misfits like me and taking a chance by giving us a first big chance. Never when I started volunteering for Mike chasing bats around Paha Sapa did I imagine that his continued trust, kindness, and wisdom would lead to my first paying science job. And I never dared to imagine 25+ years as a research scientist following in Mike´s footsteps in an organization where his fell into those of earlier great scientists, in an unbroken path spanning back more than a century. Thank you, Mike, for everything you gave me, and us. It was a joy working with you and being your friend.

I first met Mike when I was a PhD student at the University of New Mexico. He was a constant presence in the museum where my office was located and I quickly learned that he was the go to person for any question about mammals. How I marveled at his extensive library of mammalogy books all perfectly arranged by topic and placed forward on the shelves so that they all lined up perfectly. That is when I started my own library, though mine is not as perfect as his was. I loved the occasions of going out in the field with him as there was always something new to learn. He became my post-doc mentor and I am grateful for the support he gave me. He had a warm and friendly demeanor and I will miss him. My condolences to Cindy and the rest of his family.

I met mike while doing a postdoc at UNM. Mike was a great friend, a wonderful source of knowledge, an amazing personality... in short, a wonderful person. I remember fondly those times, some of the best of my life. I could always count on him for advice; not only on my bat projects, but on anything. He drove me to and from a bat research conference in AZ once (with Ernie Valdez and Paul Cryan) in a federal vehicle (Ford Expedition). Probably illegal relative to government regs, but he only cared about helping people. Thank you for everything, Mike. Thank you for everything, Cindy (I still have the lovely serving plate you gave me when I left UNM). Descanse en paz.

Mike was such kind and warm person, and like others, always supportive of the work I do and a pleasure to work with on projects we had together. My condolences to the whole family.

Mike was a very important mentor to me early on in my career. While working on a master's in Flagstaff over 30 years ago, I was sent to Natural Bridges National Monument to meet this "Bat Guy" who would teach me all I needed to know about catching bats. That trip was a quintessential memory for me. I felt extremely lucky to have had those times with Mike in the field and in many projects after that. I will miss him.

Mike marked my life early on, when I was an undergraduate student. I was lucky I shared a ride with Mike, Don Wilson, Al Gardner, and Brian Robbins from Washington, D.C., across New York state to Ithaca for the North American Symposium on Bat Research. We hit it off right away and discussed everything from mammals to Mexico to Willie Nelson music. He came often to Mexico and we went to the field many times. His affable, always kind character, his deep knowledge, and his generosity will remain with me forever. Rest in peace, Mike, you will not be forgotten

Mike Bogan was my mentor and great friend. He was instrumental in changing my life to becoming a mammalogist that specialized on bats versus a different career path that I may not have enjoyed. Since this photo, taken over 30 years ago at Natural Bridges Monument in southeastern Utah, I have dedicated my life to all things bats, especially in the southwestern United States. In addition to focusing on bats, Mike has helped many students find direction in their futures related to bats and mammals by serving as a graduate advisor, undergraduate mentor, and employer of student contractors. I try to carry on his legacy by sharing the same passion for bats, especially Myotis, and help advise the next generation of bat people through the same mentorship and friendship that Mike gave me. I am forever grateful for all that he shared with me, especially his kindness, knowledge, and laughter. I will miss you my friend!

Mike next to his cherished 240Z in Vienna, Virginia. He loved that car.

My 'Grandpa with the Long Beard.' The man whose smile and kind blue eyes reflected the pure goodness of his heart. He took me on unforgettable adventures in nature, science, and history. The 'Batman' himself showed me the beauty of bats through his eyes, and they will always hold a special place in my heart. His unwavering positivity, sense of humor, and infectious smile could light up any day, even in the roughest of times. Grandpa was the rock of our family, instilling in us a deep love for our roots. A true cowboy at heart, he always greeted us with a warm 'Howdy'. Here's to the memories, the lessons, and the love. You were truly the Greatest Grandpa to me and those I love the most and I am forever grateful for that.