Michael K. McGrath

Michael McGrath passed away in Beverly Hills, Michigan, on October 23, 2024. Though he was born 150 miles away in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the intervening 75 years, he also lived in Illinois and Ohio and traveled much further, to China, Germany, Austria, and beyond.
His parents, Bob and Margie, instilled in him a love of music, laughter, and family. His younger brother, Paul, was an occasional scapegoat for Mike's artistic endeavors, like when he carved his own name in a piece of furniture. Margie thought there was no way Mike would so blatantly incriminate himself and blamed Paul.
At Michigan State University, Mike put his impeccable handwriting and math skills to work studying Packaging and Material Handling Engineering. There, he met his wife, Nancy. Apparently she had a thing for All in the Family's "Meathead," because Mike was pretty much his doppelganger.
Together, they moved around the Midwest, gathering a collection of pets. Despite Mike's repeated requests, they never named one of their dogs "Old Fart." They tried out - and fell in love with - small-town life in Springfield, Ohio.
Soon after, though, Mike and Nancy moved to Chicago for his corporate job at International Harvester and had two children, Brandt and Jennifer. They returned to Michigan and had two more children, Meghan and Kyle, completing their perfect two boys and two girls scheme. Roughly ¾ of them inherited Mike's mathematical ability, but that's just an estimate because the one who did not is writing this obituary.
Mike spent 21 years at Chrysler, developing packaging for auto parts and fielding the logistics of starting new plants. This work took him all over the world for months at a time. Instead of uprooting his school-aged children, he would make frequent trips between Germany, Austria, Mexico, or China and Michigan. Often, he would bring t-shirts and giant Toblerones for the kids and a pallet of beer for himself.
A little closer to home, Lake Erie was one of his favorite places to spend time. The family spent many summers on the lake, where Mike put his grill skills to good use. It was there he perfected the often-imitated, never-duplicated "Deena Drop," where he would launch any and all kids into the air to execute flawless somersaults and splashes into the water.
Though he worked tirelessly, Mike also loved to have a good time. A consummate host, he could make a gathering of a few people into a party. He always made sure everyone had a drink in their hand and had plenty to eat. During game nights, Mike would pull out one-liners that became legendary.
In retirement, Mike took on a new hobby: cooking. He meticulously researched recipes, carefully vetting their quality. With his usual precision, he chopped all his ingredients into perfectly equal pieces. His salads were a thing of beauty. Chef Mike also prepared elaborate meals for the dog, Stella, who has never eaten canned food or kibble in her life.
During this time, he also took on one of his favorite roles of all time, Pops. This is how his grandchildren refer to him, and he fiercely loved them and their antics. Sure, he occasionally turned down his hearing aids when they got a little too rambunctious, but he loved being their silly, doting grandfather.
When his son Kyle suffered a traumatic brain injury, Mike and Nancy became full-time caretakers. Mike's unquestionable devotion to his family became even more apparent during this difficult time.
Mike was many things to many people: airport chauffeur who got you to your destination three hours early, wielder of a pocket knife that could open any package, astoundingly good Santa Claus impersonator, Looney Tunes impressionist, husband, father, grandfather, colleague, friend. No obituary could capture it all.
Mike is survived by his wife, Nancy; his children, Brandt and his wife, Molly, Jennifer and her husband, Raj, Meghan and her husband, James, and Kyle; his grandchildren, Charlotte and Riley; his brother, Paul; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and loved ones.
The family will be holding a celebration of life for Mike on November 2. Please contact them if you wish to attend.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Kessler Foundation.
As Mike would say, "Th-th-th-that's all, folks."