A number of years ago, I was shopping at my favorite fruit stand in Sebastopol. As I was picking through the mushrooms, a man was shopping next to me that(out of the corner of my eye) reminded me of Mike Gannon. All of a sudden I hear the guy say, "Sandy"? I looked up, and who was it but Mike. He and Cece had retired and just moved to Sebastopol after a long career in the Army living all around the world. Mike was one great, funny guy.
His facial expressions were priceless. He was subtle, but would have Melodie and I in stitches. We'd be in the MC Library pretending we were studying. He's pass by our table and carefully place a book in front of us and keep walking. The name of one book was "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". Melodie and I couldn't help but laugh. Hence, we were kicked out of the Library by the attending nun. We still can laugh about it.
Melodie and I visited Mike after his heart transplant. With an 87 percent success rate, we were so shocked and sad to hear of his death.
Whenever I think of him, I still get a smile on my face. Miss ya Mike.
I just knew Mike from St. Anselm's, all 8 yrs. Several kids in our classes there were fatherless because of WWII but Mike was the poster child for them. He was the nuns' favorite even when he suffered somewhat scholastically especially reading. I'm sure today they would find he was most probably dyslexia or some such. All the nuns knew Mike's home life and would tease him a little, especially when he was late because he loved to sleep in. During the school day, the nuns were his surrogate mother. When the classroom nun teased him, he'd talk back to her with humor, with his great charm. He lived only a few houses from their convent and, I guess, couldn't escape their notice. He had at least 2 older sisters who where alot older than he. His Mom was City Clerk for the Town of San Anselmo for all the 8 yrs. we went to St. Anselm's. Mike took the nuns' teasing good-humoredly with that "aw shucks" and a big grin. He had a great personality and was THE if not one of the most popular guys in class. If Sister got too angry at us, we'd turn to Mike and he'd help us out. I remember in 8th Grade about 20-25 of us would follow as Mike walked Barbara Crevier, who ended up going to Drake, home and then...ultimately...they kissed goodbye! And we'd all go to the feature at the Tamalpais over the weekend and Mike sat with his arm around Barbara's shoulder. First, sweet love-we all got to witness it. (The only other couple whom I can remember in the theatre was Candy Guisto and Dan Harlan but Mike was the center.) Mike ruled! Wish I had known you more in high school, Mike. Goodbye. Suzanne Helms Yanok
What to say about Mike. I transferred to St. Anselm's in the 4th grade in the middle of the school year. On the first day I met Michael Gannon.
You know how you just click with a person? Well, that is how it was for Mike and me. We clicked. From the first day until the day we lost him, Mike was like my third brother.
We played softball after school in the playground, he gave me my first valentine card in an envelope and everything. Not the kind you bought and gave one to everyone, this card was bought in a real card store and I kept it for many years.
We went to a movie together in the eighth grade. We saw "Seven Cities of Gold" and half way through the movie we realized that we were meant to be friends. I think we realized way back then that we were such close buddies that to try to be anything else was not as good.
We laughed our way through high school and years later Mike came to work in San Francisco ... and we worked together at Metropolitan Life Ins. Our friendship became even dearer to me. How we laughed on the Greyhound bus every evening. Some nights we woud get the entire back of the bus laughing. At what? Who knows! We just laughed at everything. Again we tried dating. We got all dressed up and after work we went to dinner and the Fox Theatre for a movie. We looked at each other during the movie and said, "This is not working. We are not being ourselves." We ended the evening as we began it, as friends, very good friends.
I treasure my times with Mike and miss him oh so often and oh so very much.
Sandra (Sandy) Rosso
A number of years ago, I was shopping at my favorite fruit stand in Sebastopol. As I was picking through the mushrooms, a man was shopping next to me that(out of the corner of my eye) reminded me of Mike Gannon. All of a sudden I hear the guy say, "Sandy"? I looked up, and who was it but Mike. He and Cece had retired and just moved to Sebastopol after a long career in the Army living all around the world. Mike was one great, funny guy.
His facial expressions were priceless. He was subtle, but would have Melodie and I in stitches. We'd be in the MC Library pretending we were studying. He's pass by our table and carefully place a book in front of us and keep walking. The name of one book was "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". Melodie and I couldn't help but laugh. Hence, we were kicked out of the Library by the attending nun. We still can laugh about it.
Melodie and I visited Mike after his heart transplant. With an 87 percent success rate, we were so shocked and sad to hear of his death.
Whenever I think of him, I still get a smile on my face. Miss ya Mike.
Suzanne Helms (Yanok)
I just knew Mike from St. Anselm's, all 8 yrs. Several kids in our classes there were fatherless because of WWII but Mike was the poster child for them. He was the nuns' favorite even when he suffered somewhat scholastically especially reading. I'm sure today they would find he was most probably dyslexia or some such. All the nuns knew Mike's home life and would tease him a little, especially when he was late because he loved to sleep in. During the school day, the nuns were his surrogate mother. When the classroom nun teased him, he'd talk back to her with humor, with his great charm. He lived only a few houses from their convent and, I guess, couldn't escape their notice. He had at least 2 older sisters who where alot older than he. His Mom was City Clerk for the Town of San Anselmo for all the 8 yrs. we went to St. Anselm's. Mike took the nuns' teasing good-humoredly with that "aw shucks" and a big grin. He had a great personality and was THE if not one of the most popular guys in class. If Sister got too angry at us, we'd turn to Mike and he'd help us out. I remember in 8th Grade about 20-25 of us would follow as Mike walked Barbara Crevier, who ended up going to Drake, home and then...ultimately...they kissed goodbye! And we'd all go to the feature at the Tamalpais over the weekend and Mike sat with his arm around Barbara's shoulder. First, sweet love-we all got to witness it. (The only other couple whom I can remember in the theatre was Candy Guisto and Dan Harlan but Mike was the center.) Mike ruled! Wish I had known you more in high school, Mike. Goodbye. Suzanne Helms Yanok
Melodie Yoell (Behm)
What to say about Mike. I transferred to St. Anselm's in the 4th grade in the middle of the school year. On the first day I met Michael Gannon.You know how you just click with a person? Well, that is how it was for Mike and me. We clicked. From the first day until the day we lost him, Mike was like my third brother.
We played softball after school in the playground, he gave me my first valentine card in an envelope and everything. Not the kind you bought and gave one to everyone, this card was bought in a real card store and I kept it for many years.
We went to a movie together in the eighth grade. We saw "Seven Cities of Gold" and half way through the movie we realized that we were meant to be friends. I think we realized way back then that we were such close buddies that to try to be anything else was not as good.
We laughed our way through high school and years later Mike came to work in San Francisco ... and we worked together at Metropolitan Life Ins. Our friendship became even dearer to me. How we laughed on the Greyhound bus every evening. Some nights we woud get the entire back of the bus laughing. At what? Who knows! We just laughed at everything. Again we tried dating. We got all dressed up and after work we went to dinner and the Fox Theatre for a movie. We looked at each other during the movie and said, "This is not working. We are not being ourselves." We ended the evening as we began it, as friends, very good friends.
I treasure my times with Mike and miss him oh so often and oh so very much.