Michael Francis McHale

McHale, Michael Francis
HUNTINGTON BEACH - Michael Francis McHale was born August 20, 1948, to the late Frank and Marjorie (Keane) McHale, and died August 21, 2024. Mike is survived by his wife of 53 years, Kathleen (Vogel) McHale; his daughter, Erin McHale (Adrian Simoni); his son, Sean McHale (Aimee); and four grandchildren, who were the light of his life. Sadly, Mike was predeceased by his first granddaughter. He is also survived by siblings, Frank McHale (Roseanne), Ann McHale Sass (Paul), Paul McHale (Barb) and Peggy Carroll (Tim); many nieces and nephews; and many dear friends, including lifelong friends from early childhood. Mike (affectionately called Mick or Grampy by his family) was privileged to be a graduate of three outstanding educational institutions in the Northeast: Vincentian Institute, Siena College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Committed to public service, Mike had a long career with New York State government, working for the Division of Budget, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Division for Youth, and the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. During that time, he served three terms as chairman of the Council of Fiscal Administrators. After his career with New York State, Mike worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in hazard mitigation planning.
Mike proudly contributed to community service, volunteering for non-profit agencies including: Equinox (serving on the Board of Directors from 1996-2005), United Way, the NYS Wildlife Pathology Lab, Camp Opportunities, and the Village of Colonie Conservation Committee. He did development work for Siena College and was a visiting executive examiner for the RPI Lally School of Management. Many Thanksgivings, Mike could be found working at the Equinox Thanksgiving Dinner for the underserved in Albany. Because of his distinction in community service, he was selected as an Olympic Torch Runner in 1996.
Mike loved physical activity and fitness. He was an intrepid road runner and member of the Hudson-Mohawk and NY Road Runner Clubs. Among his races were 11 marathons and two triathlons. In 1987, Mike ran three marathons in three consecutive weekends. In 1988, he bested that record by running four marathons, four weekends in a row. On days that he didn't run, Mike could be found working out at Planet Fitness or in his home gym. He loved hiking in the Great Northeast, especially the Berkshires, the Adirondacks and the 'Gunks. Mike also volunteered at his children's sports activities, including St. Pius Youth Soccer and Village of Colonie Soccer.
Mike appreciated many styles of music - he was especially a fan of classical and jazz, and artists such as Gordon Lightfoot and the Beach Boys. He greatly enjoyed movies, watching news media, reading newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, and magazines such as The New Yorker and The Atlantic. His friends and family were frequently presented with clippings or emailed links to articles of interest. Mike was passionate about watching football with his family, as well as enjoying boxing. He was fastidious in any and all home maintenance tasks, earning the nickname "Maximum Mike," and took great pride in the many home improvement projects he undertook.
He had an adventurous spirit; at age 21, Mike hitchhiked across the US from New York to California. Throughout life, he enjoyed travel and had visited most of the US states, Europe and such far-flung destinations as Argentina and Australia. He and Kathy cherished their time traveling with dear friends and family. Mike enjoyed time in coastal California with his family during the last years of his life. He always looked forward to regular Sunday brunch with his wife, and they both loved frequent weekend gatherings with their children and grandchildren.
Tragically, Mike developed a devastating neurologic condition over the past several years. In spite of his increasingly difficult medical circumstances, Mike maintained a positive attitude and his characteristic fighting spirit until the very end. His loving wife, Kathy, cared for him heroically during this time as the sole caregiver, fierce advocate, and constant companion. Mike was committed to the betterment of our society and advancing medical care, and as such, wished to donate his remains for scientific research. The family is proud to share that Mike is participating in a brain donation program at the Mayo Clinic Neuropathology Program.
A Celebration of Mike's Life will be held in New York at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests charitable contributions in memory of Michael McHale be made to Brain Support Network, PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, Calif. 94026, www.brainsupportnetwork.org