Michael William Jezercak

Michael William Jezercak, Ph.D. Age 65 | Passed Away December 28, 2025
Michael William Jezercak, Ph.D. in Chemistry, passed away at his home on December 28, 2025, at the age of 65. He will be remembered for his brilliance, dedication to science, and the kindness he shared with family and friends throughout his life. Mike was an enigma to almost everyone who knew him, and those that thought they knew him. He could, at once, be kind and harsh, social and antisocial, be tolerant and intolerant at the same time. He was fiercely autonomous and lived his life largely by the, as they say, "beat of his own drummer". His endless kindnesses were most often kept anonymous and private, didn't want to damage his tough facade, you know. And he loved his bunnies....
He embraced his Asperger's diagnosis (an Autism Spectrum Disorder), as a rational explanation (excuse?) for his personality. Asperger's moves individuals to extreme focus on a particular topic or hobby or activity. As a child, it was school buses, particularly the operation of the bus-door, and science in general (he was reading Physics textbooks when he was 12! Did I say he had a genius IQ? Later in his life, he developed passions for cooking (he never prepared the same meal twice for 5 years), photography, beer-making, cycling, nutrition, Harley's, and the list goes on and on. One thing for sure, he never did things half-way. It was always at least 110 % or more, or nothing. He would study and research and learn everything he could about the topic.
Michael's career was marked by his passion for chemistry and his contributions to research and education. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Oklahoma State University, in 1989, and shortly thereafter began his tenure at The University of Central Oklahoma that continued for 35 years, when he retired. Highly intelligent, he was endlessly curious by almost anything. He loved to know and understand the world to the greatest extent possible. His students described him as "hilarious" and "a tough teacher" and always told of how much they had learned in his classes. Most of his students were studying in the health/medical professions. Almost every time he or a member of his family went to the hospital or medical clinic, he would be joyfully recognized by these students working there.
Beyond his professional achievements, he was known for his generosity, sense of humor, and unwavering support for those around him. He was greatly loved and will be remembered always.
He is survived by his sister, Melody Harrington, her husband Tom, and his niece and nephew, Svetlana and Genya Harrington. He was much loved and will be missed by the loves of his life, Ellen and Becky, and Virginia and the dearest of friends, Rick, Vance, Alice, Tom., many of whom he had known since high school. To the many others, you know who you are, thank you for being a part of his life. As you know, he was fiercely loyal to his family and friends.
A Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Philip Neri Catholic Church in Midwest City on January 9, 2026, at 1:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity near and dear to his heart: Hot Dogs for the Homeless at https://hotdogsforthehomeless.com
To view Mike Jezercak Memorial please use the PDF link at the bottom of the page in the Tribute Wall section.