Michael L. Land

LAND, Michael L., 54, of Richland, Mich., died Sunday, July 5, 2009, of injuries sustained in a private airplane incident in which he was the pilot in command. Michael was with his son, Andrew, in the plane, who also sustained fatal injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, is investigating. Michael was born in Zanesville, Ohio, June 24, 1955, to June and Allan Land, both deceased. He was graduated from Zanesville High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Hope College in Holland, Mich., in 1977. Michael was named president and general manager of Phadia, U.S., a medical diagnostic company based in Sweden, in 1996 after six years with the company in a senior sales/marketing position, after an illustrious sales career with various iterations of American Hospital Supply/Baxter where he was their top international sales person seven years in a row. His success with Phadia was marked with exceptional performance recognition of the highest honor. Michael is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, to whom he was married in Huntington, W.Va., May 24th, 1981, and his son, Zachary, 19, a sophomore at Oberlin College in Ohio, who is studying for a double degree in Liberal Arts and the Conservatory; his study focuses neuroscience and jazz trombone. Michael' s primary interest was in being involved with his family; his other passions included golf, jazz and aviationall of which he participated with the zest, commitment and intensity to which he applied himself in business. Michael was very proud of his airplane acquiring it approximately two years ago. He had been a pilot for nearly a decade, was instrument rated and his proficiency was current. Michael was a member of the Otsego Jazz Ensemble, The Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra and Quintessential Bones. He was an accomplished musician specializing in jazz trombone, and loved performing before live audiences many of which were for charity functions. Listening to him play, one would recognize his joy of music. He also loved antique roadsters and had begun a collection of foreign sports cars. He is survived, other than by his wife and son, by his brother, Eric, a former television industry executive and retired chief operating officer of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his wife, Cindy, both of Tampa; and his loving sister, Myra Gibson and her husband, Jack, an actuary and managing principal with Towers Perrin of Watchung, N.J.; and 17 nieces and nephews who loved Michael with all their hearts. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home, Zanesville, Ohio. Calling hours there are 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by burial at Beth Abraham Cemetery in Zanesville. In addition, a memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday in Kalamazoo, Mich., at the Kellogg Biological Station. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crohn' s & Colitis Foundation of America, 386 Park Ave. S., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016, 1-800-932-2423, email to info@ccfa.org or see website at www.ccfa.org or to Air Charity Network, National Headquarters, 4620 Haygood Road, Suite 1, Viriginia Beach, VA 23455, 1-800-549-9980, email to execdir@aircharity network.org, or see website www.aircharitynetwork.org or to Oberlin Jazz Studies Program, Associate Deans Office, Bibbins Hall 123, 77 W. College St., Oberlin OH 44074-1588. To send a note of condolence to the family see website at www.bolindierkesfuneral home.com