Memories of Michael Jordan
Date 3/9/2023
By Chester Schenkel
This is a small write up for Michael Jordan (I always call him Mike) upon his passing on 3/4/2023 in his residence in Bellflower California.
In 1995 we met for the first time on a job Mike has been working on for the Air Force (some type of litigation) Mike was working as a paralegal. I was hire as LAN Administrator for Acumenics toward the end of the project. I remember walking to the back of area talking with Mike and with a very close friend of Mike name Carl (to the present day Mike would talk hours with Carl over the phone because Carl is living over sea). The project ended I was on the job for only three months.
After this we kept in touch with each other. At this time he was living in Manhattan Beach next to PCH and the 105 freeway in a one bedroom apartment on the second floor, Mike, me and my son have something in common it was we all like Mustangs, Mike was driving a 1972 Mustang. I would take my son Ryan over to see Mike, we would hop into his car and have lunch together, his favorite place was the Shack and turn out it become my favorite place too. I remember my son was going to graduate from high school, Ryan was not sure of his future. I know Mike knew a colonel in the AIR Force so one day we went to see Mike and talk and Mike put us in touch with the Lt Col- Selden. So with the help of Mike Ryan enlisted into the Air Force and retire after 20 years (it was a turning point in my son life).
One day Mike bought a house in Bellflower. He put thousands of dollars into the house. He was glad to get out of Manhattan Beach. Over the years our friendship grew closer. Mike would say to me that I was a life saver because I help out on his sprinkle system. I was good working on that type of things. In the past year I gave him some tools for helping keeping the heads from being damage. Many times Mike would say if I would have known how much work it take to keep up the system he would have put in rocks or something in (Mike love to see his green yard). Occasionally I would go over to fix his system and then we would have lunch at Tommy’s this was another great place that we enjoy going to. We have been going there for years back when I was working for the FAA I would call him up so we could meet at Tommy’s for lunch.
Mike would drive to my place in Carson and from there I drove to the Shack, Mike enjoy the company of my wife Teresa that came with us to the Shack. I remember driving along the coast to the Shack and I would say there go Mike on his bike up to Santa Monica and back, at the time he was living in Manhattan Beach he would ride his bike on a bike path for miles. Several years ago Mike gave me his bike. It turn out that the bike was too tall for me, so I put in an ad in Craig List and the next day someone call about the bike. This person was living in Manhattan Beach too and his bike was stolen so to get to my place he took the bus because he had no car. He was tall like Mike and felt in love with the bike. I told Mike that I sold his bike to a guy that needed a bike badly it was perfect for him; the bike was his only transportation. This was one of many times Mike touch others with his gift of giving. Mike was very generous around the holidays, he always gave little more money to gardening crews, likewise each time I came up to help on his yard there was always a check cover my gas and time (each time told him no) I still got the check.
Mike kept me and my wife informed on things over the years. Mike enjoys listening to talk radio and watching sport. Enjoy reading book in his home, where it was quiet. I invited Mike to attend my son wedding in Las Vegas and my daughter weddings on the Queen Mary.
The last time I saw Mike was on Feb 14th he arranged for taking my wife and me to the Shack. On Feb 14th fall on a Tuesday so the Shack burger was 2 dollars off, Mike always look for bargains. On this day the weather was very nice, sunny and clear for going to the Shack, as I was driving along the coast we could see for hundreds of miles and the traffic was lite so it makes the whole trip very nice.
Rest in Peace Mike we will miss you.
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