Michael Henry Didier

Michael (Mike) Henry Didier junior died peacefully on December 23rd after nearly 20-years fending off cancer. As he often said, his long journey facing mortality gave him the opportunity to reflect on his life and the impact he had on those around him. He had much to be proud of.

Mike was born in 1940 in Evanston, Illinois, to Michael and Mary Didier, and was the youngest of eight children. He graduated from Marquette University with a degree in civil engineering and often spoke with pride of his early work with the Army Corps of Engineers, building dams in the western United States. He made the jump to the private sector with years as a successful VP for Construction and Development at a growing building materials company before returning to the public sector where he found professional joy helping the University of West Virginia as well as the Grand Rapids Public Schools with numerous construction and renovation projects.

The work Mike was most proud of, however, had to do with his faith and his family. Mike was a quiet and compassionate Catholic who lived his life with remarkable integrity. For over 60 years he was a devoted husband to his wife, Marguerite Didier. He sometimes wondered if he had done enough to care for her in her final days, but those who witnessed this struggle knew that he gave everything, guided by faith and love. He was also a dedicated and loving father to his four boys, Paul, Brian, Allan, and Karl Didier. His greatest legacy is that he showed them and those around him how to live a life shaped by the virtues of honesty and decency.

Mike is survived by his four boys, five grandchildren, his beloved dog Benny, and his 2 sisters, Doris and Eleanor.