Mike Torian

Michael L. Torian was a big-hearted man with a commanding presence. With his common sense and take-charge attitude, he could control any situation and earn the respect of his fellow employees. He was the boss around the house at the same time that he lavished his family with love and attention. Smart, loyal, generous and fun-loving, Michael was robust in his relationships and vigorous in his pursuit of happiness for those he loved.

Michael’s story began during a period of optimism in American history, when the worldwide community was recovering from WWII. Growth in U.S. industry and jobs gave workers the opportunity to build homes and start families that launched the baby boom era. Michael was born August 14, 1948 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the eldest child of James and Geraldine (Kimble) Torian. His father was a meat salesman and his mother became a secretary, after remaining home for several years to take care of their children.

Michael enjoyed a childhood filled with typical 50s fun. He played baseball and Monopoly, swapped baseball cards and shot marbles with his friends. He was big brother to Ann, who was three years his junior, and Janet, who was ten years younger. Michael might have balked at Ann wanting to tag-along with him, but he also liked daring her with adventure (or misadventure) and always had her back. Janet especially benefited from her brother’s age when he became a licensed driver. He often drove her to Pretty Lake on weekends to swim, water ski and just hang out with him.

In high school, Michael personified “cool” in his walk, talk, attitude and aura. His attire of tight jeans and pressed shirts that Ann ironed, earned him the “Best Threads” vote by his peers. He liked to pull apart cars and motorcycles, and he hung out in pool halls with the bad boys, though he wasn’t one of them. In truth, Michael was a smart guy who became and remained an avid reader of action books, historical fiction, and the novels of Lee Childs, Michael Conley, Dean Koonts and John Grisham.

One fellow student who took particular notice of this cool guy was Terry Sullivan. She was first introduced to him by her friend, but then Michael perused her and the two of them dated on and off throughout their high school years. Any romance that developed was interrupted by events overseas in Vietnam. Michael was drafted into the U.S. Army, just two years after graduating from Comstock High School in 1966. But instead of going to the heart of the conflict, he convinced authorities that he could type (never mind that his skills were limited to the one finger hunt-and-peck method) and ended up in Thailand for one year before serving stateside for another. From the beginning to the end of Michael’s tour of duty, that clean cut soldier emerged from the Army with long hair and a beard, the new cool for the 1970s.

Despite the distance during the war years, Michael and Terry became closer and their relationship grew. They were married November 20, 1971 at St. Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo, the first couple to be wed after the church was designed as a cathedral in 1971. They went to the east coast for their honeymoon, but Terry was glad to get home to Kalamazoo. She was homesick and eager to get settled in their new life as husband and wife.

When the young couple decided to start a family, Michael was working full time and attending Western Michigan University in town to earn his BA in accounting. Over the years, he worked at Checker Motors as a painter on the assembly line (10 years), was purchasing manager for Richard Allen (7 years), and then became general manager at Medtronic-DLP (now Atek Medical) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As long has his health permitted, Michael worked hard and played even harder.

With the birth of his two boys, Mike and Matt, Michael was in his element as sportsman, gear head and fun guy. He never missed a football or wrestling match that involved his sons, working the concession stand as a booster of the sports program. In the early years, the family traveled to Cedar Point annually, once to Disney, and later they took bigger trips to Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. Michael kept his cars immaculately clean and was especially proud of his dark green 96’ Mustang. He was all about fishing, traveling to sites in Mexico and the Caribbean to Pretty Lake and Lake Michigan, where he kept a 27’ Tierra Fishing Boat. When his mother-in-law bought a cottage on Pretty Lake, Michael had even more time for snowmobiling, water skiing, boating and fishing. He had always been the kind of guy who needed to be on water or sand—a real summertime boy!

As a result of his activities with his sons, Michael couldn’t help but be active with his grandchildren. He stayed young by embracing technology and becoming a Facebook-er. He stayed current when his sons’ listened to Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers, all the while enjoying concerts such as The Who, Carlos Santana, The Rolling Stones, and his all time favorite, Bob Dylan.

Michael always kept up his appearance in style and health. He was a smart dresser, calorie-conscious, finicky eater and fitness buff. He loved his evening workouts and looked for ways to improve his health, especially when he was diagnosed with cancer. He read-up on his disease so he could better attack it—trying everything he could to get well—and he never gave up on his positive attitude toward life.

Michael was the kind of guy who romped with the family dog, loved his birthday and any other excuse for a party, and always had to open just one Christmas gift early. He good-naturedly teased his family, even as they cared for him in recent weeks. The attention and touch of his loved ones was a gift that Michael warmly received as an expression of the love they had been given by him.

Michael found his faith six months prior to his passing, during a cat-scan in Chicago and from then on, he didn’t have a problem sharing his faith. Fr. O’Leary from St. Ambrose Church visited Michael, and in the end, nothing was left unsaid and Michael was truly at peace.

Michael L. Torian, age 61 of Richland, Michigan, died at his home on December 8, 2009. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Terry Torian; two sons: Michael S. (Kelly) Torian and Matthew R. (Elizabeth) Torian; four grandchildren: Hailee, Polly, Ethan and Vincent; two sisters: Ann (Stephen) Pacic and Janet (Stan) Earl; his mother, Gerry Torian; and three nephews: Brian Smith, Kevin Smith and Taylor Earl. Learn more about Mike, view his Life Story film, and share in some refreshments with his family and friends on Friday from 4:00-8:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler-Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday 11:00 AM at St. Ambrose Catholic Church with full Military Honors following. Food and fellowship will be shared in the church hall. Interment Monday 11:00 AM Ft. Custer National Cemetery. Mike was preceded by his father, James Torian. Please visit Mike’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may archive a memory or photo, and sign his guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Pretty Lake Vacation Camp, Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, or the Deacons Conference.