It is with a heavy heart that I pass along this news, but Michael Lomker passed away this weekend. When he didn't show up to father's day activities on Sunday his family got worried; they found out he had passed away in his apartment. All I know for now is that he wasn't feeling well and admitted himself to the ER last week (per some posts on facebook).
I don't know any more details, but I will post up information as it comes to light.
Michael was a great guy and has been an outstanding member here and elsewhere on the Internet for several years. He came to my last two birthday parties, almost all of our events, and he was a great person to be around.
Here is his build thread, which we'll be keeping around in his memory:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=386568
If anyone has any good photos of him from any of our events, I'm sure the family would greatly appreciate them.
*edit*
Several people are asking about donating money. I have re-appropriated the donation button on the top left of MitsuStyle.com for this purpose. We can present a check to his family at the funeral service. If you would like to remain anonymous while making this donation, please PM me.
http://www.mitsustyle.com/forums/index.php?do=donate
All donations 'to the site' through this link will be dedicated to mlomker and go to his family until further notice.
*edit2*
I have the funeral info:
Caturia-Smidt Funeral Home
201 East 7th Street
Hastings, MN
Directions:
http://tinyurl.com/MichaelLomkerFuneralService
Closed Casket
This Thursday, June 23, 2011
Public visitation 10-11am and service at 11am
Checks can be made out to his father, Eugene Lomker.
His family is trying to keep his car sort-of as his legacy, at least for now. We kicked around the idea of trying to get it up to BIR this weekend and parking it in a safe, central place as a weekend-long memorial for him. If anyone has an extra spot on a trailer or may somehow be able to help us accomplish this, please let me know. The family have a lot on their plate to deal with so the idea of them trying to get it up there is just completely out of the question--but if we can get the resources to make it easy for the family to let us do this then it may just happen.
*edit3*
$5 each sound ok? We are getting an extra-good deal on them through FastSigns and I think there is enough in the MitsuStyle.com fund for the cost to just be 100% covered. That way
100% of the cash collected for the stickers will go to the family.
This is the test-fit decal on spaz's car, the rest will be ready sometime tomorrow. If anyone would like one (or more) please send $5 per decal + $3 shipping to
chris@snowsecurity.com, I will ship them all out as fast as I can!
I will have these with me this weekend at BIR. I will be camping in the big green bus so just find me around there. Cash or paypal on-the-spot is dandy.
ALSO if anyone else is making some decals, go for it! I know TK was going to whip up some, go for it, sell them or just run them in memory of Mike, if there's any cash produced from it just pass it on to the family (or let me know if you need help doing so).
*edit4*
HOLY CRAP thank you everyone who donated so far.
The Michael Lomker Memorial Fund is up to $1180. I will check for a total again in the morning before I head to the funeral and cut a check. Any donations after that point I will give to the family when I give them the money from sticker sales.
I have been getting a few paypal payments via the donation link for $5 or $10 since I posted the info about the stickers....remember if you want a sticker please send a separate payment saying so.
If its all right with everyone I'll be quoting some of the comments people have had in these various threads to give to the family; they are kind words and I will do my best to share them. If anyone has any specific words or messages they'd like me to share, please say so and I will do so (if anyone else that is coming to the funeral would like to help with this, please do).
*edit5*
my wife placed an order today with Meloy Park Floral in Hastings (651-437-3184) that was $100 worth of flowers + delivery and tax. I'm kind of wishing I had spent more on that now that the total is higher, but I think it will be plenty, Mike wasn't necessarily an all flowers kinda guy. This way I will be handing the family OVER $1000 with more to come, which is just amazingly awesome to me!
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