Mike Gordon Eulogy by Cheryl Greenstone Read today at Mike's Memorial Service
It seems just like yesterday we
were eating chow fun and telling jokes. I can't believe that was over 15 years
ago. I met Michael back in 1996 when we first started dealing poker. We
developed a great friendship over the years. Mike could not only talk for hours,
which is unusual for a man, but he would give the best advice!
His heart was as big as a house. He was
one of the most sweetest, nicest, person you could met.
He talked very highly of his close
friends. Whether it be going over songs with Joy or her visits to him that "
were never long enough" in his mind. Having Pam come over after work or on her
days off to help him with shopping or haircut meant a lot to him. She even took
him over to her house for Thanksgiving so that he wouldn't have to be alone. He
was very grateful for that. Those movie marathons with Zoey would always give me
a good laugh. Not sure I could go a whole day watching movie after movie, but he
loved it! And then there is Janet. Words can not describe how Michael felt about
Janet. I still remembering him telling me this " I don't care how sick I am, if
Janet calls me to come out and help her I would be gone on the next flight out
no questions asked." The bond you two shared was incredible. Thank you Janet and Joy for being
there for Michael in Michigan and CT when he needed you most.
I know there are
many more people that made a big impact on his life and I don't mean to single
anyone out. Michael held a spot in each one of our hearts as well his.
His
love for music was amazing. I can remember it just like it was yesterday. I was
up in CT in September of last year visiting Mike. I was sitting on the couch
when he said "come here I have a song I want you to hear." It was " Call me
maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen. I forgot how many hits it got but it was a lot. It
was the first time I have ever heard the song and thought ya this is a cool
catchy song. I never really paid much attention to the song again until my son
Joshua came home from school and was singing that song. I asked him where he had
heard the song and he said "they play it on the bus." It hit home when he sang
that song and although I never did get to tell Mike that my son came home from
school singing the song he told me would be a big hit someday, I know it would
have put a big smile on his face.
I felt that Michael was hurting towards the
end and although I wish he was still here, I know he is at peace now with his
mother beside him. Until we meet again my friend..............
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Eulogy for Mike by Joy
Weinberg delivered today at Mike's Memorial Service
One of my female friends was horrified. “Joy,” she said, “You don’t invite strange
men to your apartment!” She insisted on my calling her when he rang the apt
bell and staying on the phone with me when Mike first showed up, so I could
assess the situation, tell her everything was OK—and if anything went awry,
she’d know immediately and get help.
So Mike showed up, got comfortable in my apt, and we started
talking. And talking. And talking.
And I totally forgot about my well-meaning friend hanging on and trying
to take care of me on the phone line. Because
even though I had just met Mike, he
was already taking care of me –engaging me with his life stories, teaching me
about music and everything that interested him, making me laugh, and simultaneously
connecting with who I was and wanted to be.
Throughout the years I knew Mike, he was my vacation. Being with him was always a much-needed reminder
that the best of life is to be had when you live for your passions and
enthusiasms. I didn’t need to go abroad
to relax when Mike and I were shooting the breeze nonstop about the greatest
new songs we’d heard and funny things that had happened to us, and I was doing
my usual countdown of how many traffic regulations Mike would break in the
first 10-minutes on the road from his apartment and Mike was intent on ascertaining
the precise monetary sum it would take, down to cents, for me, a long avowed
fish-eating vegetarian, to consume a bacon cheeseburger.
Now one might say that Mike was over-consumed by his
passions for his own good—I can think of many a day, for example, when he was
too bent on handicapping the upcoming harness races, I couldn’t get him to eat
breakfast-- and there was the time he visited my home in New Paltz and insisted
on driving 25 miles out of our way and back in order to place his trifecta bet
at the OTB.
But one of the beauties of Mike was that when it came to
priorities, his number one was his friends.
He was always there for me, just as I know he was always there for each one
of you who appreciated what a prize he was. He was a living exemplar of the
best that friendship can be.
I love you, Mike, and will continue to do so ‘til the end of
my days.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Joy: I wrote this song, "The Sweeetest Man," in tribute to Mike, to capture the essence of what he has meant to me.
Here is a link to a Vimeo recording of me playing the song this morning. Lyrics are below.
Mike, this is for you:
https://vimeo.com/61418855
Here is a link to a Vimeo recording of me playing the song this morning. Lyrics are below.
Mike, this is for you:
https://vimeo.com/61418855
The Sweetest Man
Music & Lyrics
c2013 Joy Weinberg
Composed February &
March 2013
You know that great day
feelin’
It’s the best day of your
life
You got to tell somebody
Everything that’s goin’ right
Who’s gonna listen
All the day and through the night
That’s right …. That’s right
Chorus
The sweetest man
The sweetest man you’ve ever
seen
The sweetest man
The sweetest man you’ll ever
meet
Look in the man
The teddy bear is underneath
You know that sinkin’ feelin’
All that you thought was true
were lies
You got to tell somebody
Who’ll get so mad, you’ll feel fine
Who’s gonna listen
All the day and through the
night
That’s right …. That’s right
Bridge
Yes when you’re sad or
worried or just need to call a friend
Who’ll listen ‘til the
waterfall of tears comes to an end
Who wants just one thing from
you—that’s to make you smile again
He’s your man
He’s your man
Chorus
You know that “do it!”
feeling
You got a dream you can make true
But everyone’s near sighted
Like the whole world’s versus
you
Who’s gonna pump you
Keep your spirit shining
through
He can …. He can
Chorus 2x (lyrics changed per below)
The sweetest man
The sweetest man I’ve ever
seen
The sweetest man
The sweetest man I’ll ever
meet
You’ll always be
The best of men to
You’ll always be
The best of men, see
The sweetest man
The sweetest man I’ve ever
seen
The sweetest man
The sweetest man I’ll ever
meet
You’ll always be
The best of men to
You’ll always be
The best of men, to
You’ll always be
The best of men, to me
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
October 1996 was when I first met Mike Gordon. I just started dealing poker, as did Mike. Although we were both on opposite shifts, we hit it off right away. No matter what kind of day you were having you knew Mike could put a smile on your face. He has that kind of personality.
I can still remember going over to Mike's house and his Mom saying " Are you on the intercom Michael ". She never did call it a computer. Sylvia was the nicest sweetest lady you will ever meet. She could tell you stories for hours just like her son.
Up until recently, I used to call Mike about 3 or 4 times a week on my way to work. Not only could he talk the whole half hour drive to work but he ALWAYS put a smile on my face. Whether it was telling jokes or about what he did that week. He always saw the glass as half full never half empty.
On my last visit to CT in September, Mike was still recovering from his heart attack earlier in the year, so he was still very weak. He still managed to take me around and stay up late telling jokes and stories for hours.
I just found out today that Michael's health is failing rapidly and that he has been transported to a hospice facility. He can no longer communicate. I am glad I came up to visit him in September to spend time with him and talk to him earlier this week on the phone. His memories will live on in us forever. May you be in peace.
Cheryl
I can still remember going over to Mike's house and his Mom saying " Are you on the intercom Michael ". She never did call it a computer. Sylvia was the nicest sweetest lady you will ever meet. She could tell you stories for hours just like her son.
Up until recently, I used to call Mike about 3 or 4 times a week on my way to work. Not only could he talk the whole half hour drive to work but he ALWAYS put a smile on my face. Whether it was telling jokes or about what he did that week. He always saw the glass as half full never half empty.
On my last visit to CT in September, Mike was still recovering from his heart attack earlier in the year, so he was still very weak. He still managed to take me around and stay up late telling jokes and stories for hours.
I just found out today that Michael's health is failing rapidly and that he has been transported to a hospice facility. He can no longer communicate. I am glad I came up to visit him in September to spend time with him and talk to him earlier this week on the phone. His memories will live on in us forever. May you be in peace.
Cheryl
Thursday, February 28, 2013
My dear sweet funny rock and rolling Matza Ball. How many. Concerts have we seen together? I have all the ticket stubs. You are a very special gift to me. After losing my husband and wanting to meet someone interesting fun and a Beatle lover,,,,, ; there you were on pof. We wrote to each other in Beatle lyrics for quite some time then met at a concert.
You are sweet genuine funny and caring. You introduced me to your friend family and kept me up to date with all their adventures. I had my first martzaball with you. I never called you MIKE. always MATZ.
You are a very dear friend to me. I am glad you are recovering ...many places to go and things to do.
Zoey
You are sweet genuine funny and caring. You introduced me to your friend family and kept me up to date with all their adventures. I had my first martzaball with you. I never called you MIKE. always MATZ.
You are a very dear friend to me. I am glad you are recovering ...many places to go and things to do.
Zoey
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Mike
This is a photo of Mike and me in happier times. We had dinner with my daughter and her husband at Foxwoods. Mike is such a kind, caring, generous person. It has been fun chatting with him, and listening to the endless stories that he had to tell. I have not known Mike for as long as some of you, but it feels as though I have known him forever. We share a love of dogs. Mike joined me on a rescue mission to save an abused dog in New York a year ago. His compassion for both animals and humans is endless. I am so happy that I got to know Mike. I am saying prayers and sending positive thoughts his way. God bless, Mike.
Susan, Mr T and Teddy
Hi from Joy. Last weekend, Janet and I were caringly looking through Mike's possessions. Among the things we found that were very poignant and meaningful to me were music notation books with Mike's songwriting notes--we both write songs--and the tallit (prayer shawl) Mike wore at his bar mitzvah. It was neatly wrapped in a small blue velvet parchment bag with his initials "M.G." in yellow gold lettering. I decided then and there to wear it every Friday night this year that I go to my synagogue. Here is a photo of me wearing it yesterday right before I left for services.
Also it is my intention to write new songs in the same music composition book that Mike used, thereby sharing music through time and space.
.
Friday, February 22, 2013
My name is Adam Roberts. I met Mike in 1988 at a poker game in a Brooklyn synogogue :). In the now 25 years I have been in and around the poker world, I have rarely socialized or became friends with anyone. Mike was an exception, and an anamoly in that environment. I have always found him to be incredibly honest, straightforward, and trustworthy. Mike was also a big influence in shaping the way I learned how to be successful as a poker player.
A good friend and devoted son, Mike has always been someone I enjoyed speaking to and spending time with, although those dissipated somewhat after I migrated to the west coast. We had similar views on life, society, humor, music, etc....but most importantly had the same integrity and values, which unfortunately didn't serve either of us as well as it should have.
I am happy that I was able to help Mike secure some work between 2002-2006, jobs though he never accepted.
Although I am hoping that Mike will get to read this, I know that he has always known how I felt about him, and I cherish that.
A good friend and devoted son, Mike has always been someone I enjoyed speaking to and spending time with, although those dissipated somewhat after I migrated to the west coast. We had similar views on life, society, humor, music, etc....but most importantly had the same integrity and values, which unfortunately didn't serve either of us as well as it should have.
I am happy that I was able to help Mike secure some work between 2002-2006, jobs though he never accepted.
Although I am hoping that Mike will get to read this, I know that he has always known how I felt about him, and I cherish that.
My name is Janet, and I am Mike's self-appointed bossy older sister. I'm not sure whether I adopted Mike and his mother, Sylvia, back in 1989 or whether it happened the other way around, but they became family to me.
Drawn by the opportunity to play poker at Foxwoods Casino, Mike and Sylvia began an extended weekly stay at the small hotel that I managed in Plainfield, Connecticut. This went on for months and provided the basis for a friendship that has endured for decades. We were together for their initial move from Brooklyn, NY to Uncasville, CT; Mike's stint as a poker dealer with Mohegan Sun; another apartment move to Norwich; through my divorce and remarriage; the pain of Sylvia's death; Mike's solo move to a smaller Norwich apartment; and onward to today with the current grim state of Mike's health.
I promised Sylvia in her last months that I would take care of her son, and I stand ready to come alongside him to bring support in the days ahead. My husband, son, and extended family members all know the strength of my friendship with Mike, and although they aren't quite sure why it exists, they accept it without question. He is the brother of my heart, and my dear friend. My life has been blessed by having Mike and Sylvia Gordon in my life.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Joy here: It's February 21, 2013, and I've been thinking of Mike pretty constantly as he holds on in the Critical Care division of Bacchus Hospital in Norwich, CT.
Friends who did not know Mike ask me about him. How do you sum up the quintessential qualities of Mike--someone so wonderfully unique in this world? Here are some of the things I say:
Mike is:
- the sweetest man I've ever met.
- the most caring and supportive friend I've ever had. If I had a dream, he had it too.
- a vacation. You know how people go on vacation to Puerto Rico or Aruba, to get away from the day-to-day of their lives, relax, laugh, and enjoy. That was being with Mike--we'd talk nonstop excitedly about music and games, he'd tell great stories, he'd make me laugh--I'd forget all about so-called "real life" because connecting to him WAS real life.
- the most connected friend I ever met--not just to me but to all of his friends. I feel that I know all of you who read this because Mike spoke of you, shared your lives, with me, because your lives were his; all he ever wanted to do was to make his friends happy
How would you describe Mike?
Friends who did not know Mike ask me about him. How do you sum up the quintessential qualities of Mike--someone so wonderfully unique in this world? Here are some of the things I say:
Mike is:
- the sweetest man I've ever met.
- the most caring and supportive friend I've ever had. If I had a dream, he had it too.
- a vacation. You know how people go on vacation to Puerto Rico or Aruba, to get away from the day-to-day of their lives, relax, laugh, and enjoy. That was being with Mike--we'd talk nonstop excitedly about music and games, he'd tell great stories, he'd make me laugh--I'd forget all about so-called "real life" because connecting to him WAS real life.
- the most connected friend I ever met--not just to me but to all of his friends. I feel that I know all of you who read this because Mike spoke of you, shared your lives, with me, because your lives were his; all he ever wanted to do was to make his friends happy
How would you describe Mike?
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