Gone

Last Saturday night, December 1st, my stepdad, one of the most influential people in my life, lost his battle with heart failure, kidney failure, and pancreatic cancer. Seven hours later, my 91 year old grandfather also died. The past few weeks have been some of the hardest and saddest of my life. I'm not sure how people ever get over this. Do they? I feel like my life will never be the same, and never be as good, ever again. That something crucial to happiness and normality is gone forever. 

Michael's obituary was published in the local paper the other day, as well as in the newspapers where he lived most of his life. I'm proud of what we wrote, I feel like the love really shows. 

Michael Allan L’Heureux died on Dec. 1, 2012, at home, surrounded by his loving family.

He died at the home he and his wife, Margot Roth, cherished as the family home in Corvallis, after a long battle with heart and kidney failure and a short battle with cancer.

Our loving Michael was born to the late Aldor and Lucille L’Heureux on Dec. 13, 1950, in Woonsocket, R.I. He loved learning, and graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1969; earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., in 1973, and a Master of Arts degree in geography from Western Kentucky University in 1975. He married the love of his life, Margot Anne Roth, on Aug. 22, 2000, in Barre, Mass.

Following work and a desire to be closer to family on the West Coast, they moved to Austin, Texas, before settling in Corvallis. Michael loved his work as a hydrogeologist and environmental geographer for GES in Ludlow, Mass., for five years, and for Tighe & Bond in Worcester for seven years. He also shared his passion for geography by teaching the subject at Fitchburg State College for more than 20 years.

He strongly believed in community service, and served in Douglas, Mass., on the planning commission and conservation commission, and in Corvallis on the housing and community development commission, as well as acting as a volunteer mediator for Linn-Benton Mediation Services. He believed in living generously and was devoted to the New York Yankees, baseball and spending time with his friends and family.

His nephew, Zachary Chambers, of Port Townsend, Wash., preceded Michael in death. Michael is survived by his beloved wife, Margot; their two daughters, Sarah Brown of Carlton, Wash., and Jennifer Brown of Salem; his brother, Timothy L’Heureux of East Longmeadow, Mass., and Woonsocket; his sisters, Lynette Chartier of Woonsocket, and Jane Dolbec of West Yarmouth, Mass.; eight nieces and nephews; two grandchildren; and a large extended family.