M

The family of Michael C. Charlow uploaded a photo

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

y

The family of Michael C. Charlow uploaded a photo

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

i

The family of Michael C. Charlow uploaded a photo

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

A

Anonymous posted a condolence

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

JUST ONE KISS IT'S HARD TO DEFINE A PERSONS LIFE AND IMPACT HE UNKNOWINGLY HAD ON OTHERS IN A BRIEF STATEMENT. SO I'LL OFFER THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND FAREWELL MEMORIES BESTOWED TO ME BY MIKE CHARLOW IN THE SHORTEST VERSION POSSIBLE. PLEASE NOTE IT WILL NOT DO HIS EXISTENCE JUSTICE BECAUSE OF WHO HE WAS AND IN MY PERSONAL BELIEF STILL IS. I'M LAUGHING TO MYSELF BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT HE'S IN MY GOOD GRACES. USUALLY WHEN HE WAS IN TROUBLE WITH ME I WOULD CALL HIM BY HIS FULL CHRISTIAN NAME. IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME THAT I'VE RARELY CALLED HIM MIKE BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS UP TO CONSTANT MISCHIEF INVOLVING EITHER MYSELF, MY HUSBAND BOB OR OUR VERY IMPRESSIVE SON JAMES WHILE GROWING UP. MIKE HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR FAMILY. HE HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AND I CAN'T REALLY RECALL WHEN THAT RELATIONSHIP FORMED. LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT MIKE, IT JUST HAPPENED. ONE MINUTE HE WAS NOT IN MY LIFE AND THE NEXT MINUTE - 30 YEARS FLEW BY WITH HIM BEING A MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY. NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID I EVER THINK AFTER MEETING HIM THAT IT WOULD COME TO PASS THAT HE WOULD BE MY FRIEND, CONFIDENT, UNCLE TO JAMES AND SOMETIMES SON WHEN THEY WERE IN TROUBLE TOGETHER USUALLY MASTERMINDED BY MICHAEL. THE DAY WE MET I VIVIDLY RECALL MY FIRST DAY OF WORKING AT GLEN COVE HOSPITAL AKA NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY/LIJ. EVEN THOUGH CHANGE MUST OCCUR TO STAY THE COURSE WITH LIFE, I SHALL ALWAYS ASSOCIATE MIKE WITH MY OLD ALMA MATER, GLEN COVE HOSPITAL. I STARTED WORKING AS A PART TIME MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST IN THE EKG DEPARTMENT. I'VE NO DOUBT ALL WHO START A NEW EXPERIENCE IN LIFE REMEMBERS THE MINUTE DETAILS WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION WHILE PROVING YOURSELF. PART OF MY JOB WAS TO PLACE CARDIAC TEST RESULTS ON PATIENT CHARTS THROUGHOUT THE HOSPITAL. I KNOW...HARD TO BELIEVE THIS WAS ACTUALLY DONE BY HAND BEFORE THE WORLD OF ELECTRONIC MESSENGERING. I ENJOYED THAT PART OF MY JOB BECAUSE I COULD GET AWAY FROM MY TYPEWRITER, YES YOU HEARD ME..TYPEWRITER. THE ONE THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A 1940'S MICKY SPILLANE MOVIE. AS I WAS SAYING, IN RETROSPECT MY QUEST TO BE IMMEDIATELY PERFECT IN MY JOB I COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED UNLESS BY A MIRACLE FROM ABOVE OR BY SHEER MAGIC. IT HAD TO BE MARRIED WITH TIME, EXPERIENCE AND A KIND WORD OF SUPPORT FROM A FELLOW EMPLOYEE AND THEN ONE DAY YOU GO TO WORK AND ALL FEELS LIKE A GLOVE YOU'VE WORN FOR A LONG TIME. MIKE WORKED ACROSS THE HALL IN THE RESPIRATORY DEPARTMENT. HE HEARD NEWS THAT THERE WAS A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK AND HE TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT. I WAS CHARTING MY WORK UP IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. MY MIND WAS IN A STATE OF PANIC WORRYING THAT I CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING THAT WAS DICTATED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S 3 CARDIOLOGISTS. WHILE I WAS DOUBLE CHECKING MY WORK I WAS DOING WHAT EVERY MOTHER DOES, THINKING OF HOW MY 3 YEAR OLD SON WAS DOING WITHOUT ME. MY THOUGHTS WERE INTERRUPTED BY COMPLETE SILENCE AND THE FEEL OF SOMEONE PENSIVELY STARRING AT ME. I LOOKED UP AND SAW A MAN IN A WHITE LAB COAT GIVING ME A CURIOUS LOOK LIKE I JUST LANDED FROM MARS. HONESTLY, AT THE MOMENT, I WASN'T SURE IF MIKE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A PATIENT THAT WONDERED OFF THE SECURED WING OF THE HOSPITAL. I WAS WARNED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN IN THAT AREA. HIS LAB COAT GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE THAT HE WAS AN EMPLOYEE BUT I STILL WASN'T QUITE SURE. HE DIDN'T INTRODUCE HIMSELF WHILE INQUIRING IF I REALLY WANTED TO WORK AT A HOSPITAL? I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK AND OF COURSE MY REPLY WAS, "WELL, I'M GIVING IT A GO AND IT'S A PAYCHECK. AGAIN THE DR. SUESS QUIZZICAL LOOK AND HE SHOOK HIS HEAD AND WALKED AWAY. AS I WAS LEAVING THE UNIT HE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION BY YELLING, "HEY! HEADS UP!" AS I TURNED AROUND LOOKING TOWARD HIS VOICE I NOTICED A FLYING SILVER WRAPPED HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE KISS COMING MY WAY. I MANAGED NOT TO DROP ALL OF MY PERFECTLY CORRELATED PAPERWORK AND CAUGHT THE PIECE OF CANDY IN A LOPSIDED FASHION. HE LAUGHED AND SAID, "YOU'RE TRAINABLE" AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY LIFE WITH MIKE. AS TIME PASSED OUR COMMUNICATION WAS ALWAYS AN EXCHANGE OF A CHOCOLATE KISS BEING TOSSED FROM HIS LAB POCKET INTO MY HAND WHILE PASSING EACH OTHER IN THE HALLS ALONG WITH THE YOUR'E STILL HERE QUIZZICAL LOOK. I LEARNED QUICKLY THAT THAT WAS HIS WAY OF SOCIALIZING WITH ME AS WELL AS OTHER SELECTED PEOPLE. WHAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST WAS ALL OF THE PATIENTS KNEW MIKE AND HE KNEW THEM AND THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY DUE TO THEIR CHRONIC RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES. IF THEY WERE ALLOWED CHOCOLATE, HE'D WALK BY THEIR ROOM AND THROW THEM A KISS. I OFTEN WONDERED IF MIKE EVER UNDERSTOOD THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT GESTURE BECAUSE I WOULD SEE THE FACES OF PATIENTS LIGHT UP EVEN FOR THE BRIEFEST MOMENT AS I WATCHED THE BACK OF HIS LAB COAT FLY BY. THE MAN WHO RARELY SPOKE THREE SENTENCES IN A ROW MADE PEOPLE FEEL ACKNOWLEDGED AND CARED ABOUT WITH A FLYING KISS. HE ALSO HAD THE KNACK OF KNOWING WHEN YOU WERE HAVING A BAD DAY AT WORK BECAUSE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECTED IT, THERE WOULD BE A SILVER WRAPPED HERSHEY'S KISS ON YOUR DESK. LIKE HIS PATIENTS, I TOO WAS GIVEN THE GIFT OF A SMILE, RECOGNITION AND BRIEF RESPITE FROM A TOUGH DAY. I ASKED HIM ONE DAY WHAT WAS UP WITH THE KISSES? AGAIN, HE STARRED AT ME FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS AND THEN SAID, "IT MEANS DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF MEANING MINDLESS BUREAUCRACY." AS TIME GOES BY THROUGH THE YEARS MIKE WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN ALLOWING A LAYER OF HIS PERSONALITY TO BE UNFOLDED. THIS DIDN'T COME EASY TO HIM BUT IT CONFIRMED MY UNDERSTANDING OF HIS PERSONALITY. MOST OF OUR COMMUNICATION WAS BASED ON HIS BODY LANGUAGE. WE SPOKE WITHOUT WORDS. HE SURPRISED ME ON ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION AND TOLD ME THAT HE WAS AWARE HE WAS NOT A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION PERSON AND THAT HE ENJOYED KEEPING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ON THEIR TOES WHICH HONESTLY DIDN'T WORK IN HIS FAVOR. I CAN STILL SEE SOME ADMINISTRATORS AND CO-WORKERS HOLD THEIR BREATH WHEN HE WAS FORCED TO ATTEND A MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE RESPIRATORY DEPT. MICHAEL, AND PLEASE NOTICE I STATED HIS FULL NAME, WOULD ATTEND A MEETING THAT WE ALL DREADED BECAUSE IT TRULY WAS BORING. WE ALL HAD AN INTERNAL DIALOGUE WITH OURSELVES ABOUT OUR FEELINGS OR WE'D SHARE IT WITH A TRUSTED CO-WORKER BEFORE OR AFTER THE MEETING. IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT BY NOW WITH MIKE'S CANDY KISS GESTURES, HE WAS A VISUAL COMMUNICATOR. ONE TIME HE WALKED INTO THE DREADED MEETING WITH A PILLOW AND PLACED IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. THE BEST WAS HE NEVER BATTED AN EYE. HE WAS LIKE THE BRILLIANT ACTOR CHARLIE CHAPLIN OR PETER SELLER'S SETTING UP HIS SCENE. NO DIALOGUE BUT THE PICTURE WAS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. THE IMPROV STATEMENT WAS: DO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THIS UNPRODUCTIVE MEETING? UNFORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T BODE TOO WELL WITH THE "MONKEY MUCKS" AND IT SOON PASSED BUT IT KEPT ALL A BUZZ FOR THAT ONE BORING MONDAY AT THE HOSPITAL. I DO BELIEVE MIKE'S DECISION TO RETIRE EARLIER THAN HE SHOULD HAVE WAS BECAUSE HE WASN'T READY TO HANDLE THE NEW ADMINISTRATORS AND PERFORM IN THE STYLE THAT WAS BEING PRESENTED TO ALL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES. ON ANOTHER ADMINISTRATIVE REQUEST OCCASION, MIKE WAS ASSIGNED TO HANDLE SATELLITE CONFERENCE CALLS BETWEEN THE HOSPITALS THAT JOINED THE NORTH SHORE SYSTEM. IT WAS HELD WEEKLY AND IT WAS RARE THAT ANYONE HAD TIME TO ATTEND THESE SESSIONS LET ALONE HAVE INTEREST. MIKE'S COMPUTER EXPERTISE WAS RECOGNIZED BY ADMINISTRATION SO MOVE OVER MR. HITCHCOCK! AT THIS TIME OF MY CAREER AT THE HOSPITAL I WAS RESPONSIBLE TO ATTEND CERTAIN MEETINGS LIKE OTHERS. I WAS ON MY WAY WHEN I PASSED MIKE IN THE HALL. WE DID OUR USUAL NOD, I CAUGHT MY CANDY KISS AND PROCEDED TO MY DESTINATION. MIKE ASKED IF I HAD A FEW MINUTES TO SPARE TO HELP HIM. I SAID, "SURE, WHAT'S UP? HE REPLIED THAT THE CONFERENCE WAS ON LIVE AND CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS WERE BEING ASKED. I SAID, "OKAY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO FOR YOU?" HE SAID, WATCH THE ROOM FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE I GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE. I SAID NO PROBLEM BUT HURRY UP BECAUSE I HAVE TO BE AT MY MEETING WITHIN 10 MINUTES. HE SAID, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, I HAVE THE SITUATION COVERED. I DIDN'T QUITE GET WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO UNTIL I WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND HEARD A VOICE SAYING, "GLEN COVE...WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE DOCTOR'S RESPONSE?" THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT A SOUL IN THE ROOM AND THEN I NOTICED MIKE HAD THE CAMERA FOCUSED ON AN OIL PAINTING OF ONE OF THE HOSPITAL BENEFACTORS. I FELT MIKE'S PRESENCE NEXT TO ME WITH THAT DEVILISH GRIN. HE SAID, "YEAH CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS CAN YOU?" I CALLED HIM A PUTZ AND LAUGHED ALL THE WAY TO MY BORING MEETING. BE CAREFUL OF PHONES I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH MIKE WOULD AGREE THAT HE WAS THE ORIGINAL HUMAN MATRIX BEFORE THE TRILOGY MOVIE HIT THE THEATERS. MIKE HAD A UNIQUE PROFESSIONAL MARRIAGE WITH HIS RESPIRATORY PARTNER AND BOSS, MARY. MARY WAS AND STILL IS THE HEART, SOUL AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL PATIENTS WHILE MIKE WAS THE MR. SPOCK OR KEENAU REEVES OF COMPUTERS WHO TOOK MARY'S BRILLIANT VISIONS AND DOCUMENTED ALL OF HER POSITIVE PATIENT RESULTS. TOGETHER THEY WERE THE DYNAMIC DUO OF THE RESPIRATORY DEPARTMENT. ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES FOR A DULL HEALTHCARE WORKER WHEN MIKE WAS NOT WEARING HIS CAPE, HE WAS BUSY PLAYING IN HOSPITAL SPORTS FUNCTIONS. I WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THE DAYS HE USED TO GO SNOW SKIING WITH BUDDIES FROM THE HOSPITAL BUT I CAN STILL SEE HIS FACE WHEN HE WOULD STEP BACK INTO YESTER-YEAR AFTER FINISHING A MEAL AT OUR HOME. I DID HAVE THE PLEASURE OF RIVER RAFTING WITH HIM AND WATCHING HIM PLAY SOFTBALL WITH THE HOSPITAL LEAGUE. HE WAS QUITE SERIOUS ABOUT HIS SPORTS AND ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. OUR HOME AS PREVIOUSLY STATED MIKE'S NAME WAS NOT IN MY VOCABULARY AND THE NEXT HE WAS PART OF THE MANNING FAMILY. HE WATCHED OUR SON GROW UP AND WAS PRESENT FOR ALL FAMILY FUNCTIONS INVOLVING JIM. EVERY SUNDAY HE WOULD HAVE DINNER WITH US. IT WAS ROUTINE FOR HE, MY BROTHER AND MY HUSBAND TO WATCH WHATEVER THE SEASONAL GAME THAT WAS BEING AIRED WHILE I MADE DINNER. WE'D EAT AS A FAMILY UNIT AND TALK AND LAUGH FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ABOUT EVERYTHING. MOST OF THE TALKING WAS DONE BY ALL BUT MIKE. HE WOULD SIT BACK AND LISTEN. I ALWAYS WATCHED HIS EYES AND I KNEW HE WAS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION BY HIS LAUGHTER AND ADDED ONE LINE BANTERS. HE KNEW HE WAS PART OF OUR FAMILY. OUR SON REFERRED TO MIKE AS UNCLE MIKE AND ONE DAY ASKED ME WHICH SIDE OF THE FAMILY WAS HE FROM? I REPLIED, "THE OTHER SIDE." AND WE LEFT IT AT THAT. AS OUR SON GREW INTO A TEENAGER HE AND MIKE SHARED A LOT IN COMMON SINCE BOTH WERE HISTORY BUFFS AND MISCHIEVOUS CREATURES. I CAN STILL HEAR MIKE SAY TO ME WHEN MY SON WOULD STUMB HIM WITH A HISTORICAL QUOTE 'WHAT KINDA KID ARE YOU RAISING HERE?" MIKE ENJOYED GOING TO THE FAMOUS LONG ISLAND BAKERY TO COLLECT HIS FAVORITE APPLE AND PUMPKIN PIES WHEN I WOULD ANNOUNCE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE DESSERT. OF COURSE I HAD TO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF MY FOOTING WHEN CARRYING GROCERY BAGS BECAUSE HE ALWAYS LEFT THE PIES SAFELY PACKED AT MY BACK DOOR STEP. THE DESSERT WAS PART OF HIS CONTINUED DANCE IN SHARING TIME WITH US AND CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS THAT HE WANTED TO EXPRESS. HE THOUGHT NOTHING OF SETTING THE TABLE WITH DESSERT PLATES AND COFFEE CUPS WHILE OUR SON WOULD BE YAKKING AWAY WITH HIM. AND HE ALWAYS MADE NOTE THAT BOB SHOULD HAVE PUT ONE MORE LOG ON THE FIRE TO AVOID GETTING UP SOONER THAN LATER. AS I SAID, DESSERT TIME WAS MIKE'S MOMENT TO BE ON HIS STAGE - AND THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THAT IS BY TITLING IT: BUY GOLD! WE WOULD HAVE PROFESSOR CHARLOW TALK ABOUT HIS WORLD OF FINANCE, ECONOMICS, TRADING, STOCKS, BONDS AND POLITICAL VIEWS. MIKE WAS A MAN OF FEW WORDS IN THE SUPERFLUOUS SENSE BUT WHEN IT GOT TO THE HEART OF THE WORLD...HE SPOKE HIS MIND. MIND YOU IT WAS INTERPRETED BY US LIKE THE CAST OF CHARACTERS LISTENING TO DR. SHELDON COOPER FROM THE TV SERIES THE BIG BANG THEORY. BUT WE DID GET HIS POINT. THAT WINDOW OF COMMUNICATIVE OPPORTUNITY WAS CLOSED UNTIL THE NEXT MEAL AT OUR HOME. OH, AND BY THE WAY, I FOUND OUT ABOUT 5 YEARS INTO OUR DINNER RITUALS THAT HE ALSO HAD ANOTHER DOMESTIC DIVA IN THE WINGS WHO ALSO RESIDED IN GLEN COVE. HE PLAYED HIS MEAL TICKETS VERY CLOSE TO THE VEST! I WOULD WORRY ABOUT THE TIMES HE WASN'T WITH US FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND HE KEPT IT ON THE DOWN LOW THAT HE WAS DINING AT HIS FRIEND, LESLIE'S HOUSE. HE'D HIT OUR KITCHEN ONE NIGHT AND HER'S THE NEXT OR VICE-VERSA. LESLIE AND I QUIETLY AGREED TO SHARE MIKEY. ACTUALLY I THINK LESLIE WAS JUST AS HAPPY AS I WAS TO LEARN THAT HE HAD MORE THEN ONE FAMILY TO INTERACT WITH AND WATCH OVER HIM. I FELT GOOD KNOWING HE WAS IN THE SAFEST OF HANDS WITH LESLIE AND HER TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS WHO, LIKE MY SON, ADORED MIKE. WHEN MIKE WASN'T ADORINGLY BRAGGING ABOUT LESLIE'S DAUGHTER'S IN HIS UNIQUE CRYPTIC WAY, HE WAS OVER THE MOON ABOUT HIS NEICES - AGAIN CRYPTICALLY BUT WE KNEW HOW MUCH EACH YOUNG PERSON MEANT TO MIKE. I LITERALLY HAVE THEIR LIFE'S PATH ENGRAINED IN ME ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL LAST OCTOBER WHEN HIS ILLNESS TOOK A STRONGER HOLD ON HIM. THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE LOGICAL AND FINANCIAL MINDS HAVE DEPARTMENTALIZING STYLES. WHEN IT CAME TO EMOTIONS, MIKE FELT SO MUCH INSIDE AND THE ONLY WAY HE COULD EXPRESS IT WAS TO SEND YOU A LINK TO CHECK SOMETHING OUT IT ON THE INTERNET. THAT WAS HIS WAY OF COMMUNICATING. A DAY AT THE RACES! THE MANNING FAMILY WAS HONORED TO MEET COUSIN IRENE AND SPEND A FABULOUS DAY WITH HER - AT THE RACES AT BELMONT! THAT WOMAN KNOWS HER HORSES! I THINK IRENE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SAFE FOR MIKE BECAUSE IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS THEIR BOND WAS VERY CLOSE. THANKSGIVING MORNING WAS SPENT IN THE CITY WITH IRENE AND MIKE WATCHING THE MACY DAY PARADE! COUSIN IRENE WAS PART OF OUR NORMAL FAMILY INQUIRY WHICH PROVED WE WERE PART OF MIKE'S WORLD. I HOLD THE FONDEST MEMORIES OF IRENE AND HER TEACHING ME HOW TO PICK OUT THE WINNERS! MIKE WOULD JUST ROLL HIS EYES AND WARN BOB TO WATCH ME WITH MY MONEY. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS THE GREATEST MOMENT IN MIKE'S LIFE IS WHEN HE WENT TO THE RED SOX FANTASY CAMP. MOST PEOPLE WOULD WATCH A CUSTOMARY CHRISTMAS MOVIE ON CHRISTMAS EVE, LIKE "THE CHRISTMAS STORY OR SCROOGE"....OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION WAS WATCHING MIKE'S ADVENTURES AT FANTASY CAMP. MIND YOU WE MUST HAVE VIEWED IT AT LEAST 7 YEARS IN A ROW. I WOULD WATCH HIS EYES DANCE WITH EXCITEMENT AS HE WOULD LOVINGLY TAKE OUT VHS RECORDING OUT OF ONE OF HIS BELOVED SNOOPY BAGS AND PUT IT ON FOR ALL TO SEE - AGAIN! WE WOULD LAUGH EVERY YEAR OVER HIM GETTING FINED AND THROWN INTO BASEBALL KANGAROO COURT. HE NEVER ADMITTED THAT HE WAS THE CULPRIT TAKING THE PICTURE OF ONE OF THE RETIRED RED SOX PLAYERS SLIDING INTO FIRST BASE. MIKE'S JOB WAS TO BE ON FIRST BASE AND IF YOU KNOW BASEBALL YOU KNOW PLAYING FIRST BASE OR ANY BASE WAS TO CATCH THE BALL AND TAG THE OPPONENT PLAYER OUT! MIKE WAS TOO BUSY TAKING A PICTURE WITH HIS INSTANT CAMERA! HE GLADLY PAID THE FINE AND THOROUGHLY ENJOYED BEING ROASTED BY HIS FELLOW CAMPING PEERS AND MOST OF ALL BY HIS BELOVED RETIRED RED SOX PARTICIPANTS. AWARENESS, THY NAME IS MIKE MIKE WOULD LISTEN TO A BENIGN CONVERSATION AND REMEMBER SOMETHING I WOULD SAY ABOUT SOMETHING I LIKED. I COULD HAVE SAID IT IN JULY BUT HE NEVER FAILED TO AMAZE ME BECAUSE WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS GIVEN TO ME AT CHRISTMAS TIME AS MY GIFT. MIKE PROTESTED TOO MUCH IN MY OPINION ABOUT THE COMMERCIALISM OF CHRISTMAS BECAUSE HIS THEORY WOULD FALL APART EVERY YEAR BY ARRIVING AT OUR DOOR WEARING HIS FAVORITE CHARLE BROWN SWEATER AND BAGS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH GIFTS WRAPPED UP IN THE PEANUTS CHARACTER'S GIFT WRAPPING. FOR THE LONGEST TIME I NEVER SAW THIS GIFT WRAP IN THE STORE BUT MIKE ALWAYS MANAGED TO GET IT. ONE DAY I ASKED HIM WHERE HE GOT IT FROM AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF HIM SENDING ME AN E-MAIL - NO WORDS....JUST A LINK. YOU DARED NOT INQUIRE FURTHER BECAUSE HE WOULD CONTINUE TO SEND YOU THAT LINK UNTIL YOU GOT THE POINT THAT YOU HAD TO WORK FOR WHAT YOU WANTED. I HAVE SO MANY BELOVED STORIES OF MICHAEL'S MISCHIEVOUS SIDE THAT I COULD WRITE A NOVELETTE. THE ADVENTURES OF MIKEY! FROM PLAYING THE PEANUT'S EASTER BEAGLE TO WHEN I TURNED 40. WE ALL KNOW THIS IS TABOU FOR A WOMAN, I CHOOSE TO TAKE THE UPPER ROAD AND CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY IN A QUIET FASHION. SINCE IT WAS JUST AN INTIMATE FAMILY DINNER, MIKE WAS AN AUTOMATIC INVITE. MY BIRTHDAY FALLS EITHER ON OR AOUND MEMORIAL DAY WHICH AFFORDED AN OUTDOOR BBQ FARE. THAT TIME OF YEAR ALSO BROUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT AFTER A LONG WINTER. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WERE RINGING MY DOOR BELL AND WISHING ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND THEN ASKING IF I HAD ANY MORE LOBSTERS LEFT? AFTER THE 3RD INQUIRY OF A POTENTIAL RECIPIENT..THIS 40 YEAR OLD FISHMONGER SOUGHT OUT THE SIGN THAT WAS CONVENIENTLY HIDDEN FROM MY VIEW. IT WAS PERFECTLY POSTED IN MICHAEL'S HANDWRITING "THE OLD GIRL IS 40 TODAY AND SHE'S GIVING AWAY FREE LOBSTERS!" I DRAGGED THE SIGN TO OUR BACKYARD AND WELL...IT WOULDN'T BE LADY LIKE TO SAY WHAT MY NEXT ACTION WAS. I CAN STILL SEE HIS FAMOUS QUIZZICAL LOOK WITH THE ADDED QUESTION MARK FEATURE. EVERY SUMMER WE'D TAKE A RIDE TO GROTON, CT. TO A LOBSTER RESTAURANT CALLED ABBOTTS. MIKE WOULD PACK A PICNIC BASKET WITH WINES AND CHEESES AND WHILE WE WAITED FOR OUR LOBSTER WE'D SIT BACK AND APPRECIATE THE WONDERS OF THE DAY AND THE FACT THAT WE ONLY HAD TO PULL OVER THREE TIMES FOR MIKE TO USE THE REST ROOM. MIKE COULDN'T BE IN ONE PLACE TOO LONG AND WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT AND ACCEPTED IT AS PART OF WHO MIKE WAS. WE LOOKED FORWARD TO THAT EVENT EVERY YEAR AND AS TIME WENT BY THE PARTY OF 4 GOT BIGGER AS SOME ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD ASK TO COME ALONG. THE TOWN OF GLEN COVE WILL NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF MIKE'S 7 A.M. WALK. I COULD SET MY WATCH TO HIS ROUTINE BECAUSE HE KNEW AFTER HE RETIRED THAT HE HAD TO HAVE SOME ROUTINE FOR SANITY THE MORNINGS WERE DEDICATED TO SCOURING THE CITY STREETS FOR LOST COINS, EXERCISE AND THEN THE AFTERNOONS WERE DEDICATED TO HIS BELOVED COMPANION - HIS COMPUTER AND FAMILY ON WALL STREET. I PURPOSELY WOULD FACTOR IN AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES IN MY MORNING DASH TO WORK BECAUSE MIKE ALWAYS MANAGED TO SPOT MY YELLOW VW CAR IF I WAS RUNNING INTO THE STORE TO GRAB MILK TO BRING INTO WORK. I NO SOONER WOULD GET OUT OF THE ELECTRONIC DOORS TO FIND HIM AT MY SIDE WITH HIS CLASSIC QUIZZICAL LOOK ON HIS FACE. THE ALLOTTED TIME ALLOWED MIKE TO COMPUTE THE FINANCIAL WORLD STATUS TO ME. HE ALWAYS LEFT ME WITH THE SAME SAYING AND IF I HAD THE MEANS I WOULD HAVE BIDED HIS WISH: BUY GOLD! I WOULD THEN REMIND HIM THAT HE LOOKED LIKE A VAGABOND MARTIAN BECAUSE HE WORE HIS BELOVED PEA GREEN BASEBALL STYLE JACKET WITH BOSTON RED SOX HAT AND RADIO HEAD PHONES THAT HAD TO BE FROM THE 70'S. THE ANTENNA LITERALLY STOOD ABOUT 3 INCHES PAST HIS EARS. HIS REPLY WAS THAT HE WAS WORKING UNDER COVER AND THAT I SHOULDN'T BLOW IT. WE'D LAUGH AND I'D HEAD OUT TO WORK ONLY TO COME HOME AT DAYS END TO FIND A GARDEN STATUE THAT HE THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE SINCE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN MY GARDEN. HE WATCHED - I WEEDED. MIKE LEFT HIS MARK IN A WORLD THAT IS RACING BEYOND SENSE AND PERSONAL CONCERN. HIS GIFT OF SOCIAL SHYNESS ENABLED HIM TO SHOW HIS FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE BY ACTIONS AND NOT WORDS THAT USUALLY WOULD GET LOST BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN TO TAKE TIME OUT AND LISTEN. EVERYWHERE I LOOK THERE'S A PIECE OF MIKE AROUND ME AND I WILL PATIENTLY WAIT FOR HIS NEXT COMPUTER LINK TO ME. IN THE MEANTIME, I'VE NO DOUBT HE'S THROWING SILVER WRAPPED CANDY KISSES TO HIS BELOVED FIELD OF DREAMS RED SOX PLAYERS AND HE'S PROBABLY NEGOTIATING THAT CHARLES SCHULTZ BE THE MANAGER AND THAT PEPPERMINT PATTY BE THE STAR PITCHER. SLEEP WELL MY FRIEND AND AGAIN YOU BEAT THE SYSTEM AND DID THINGS YOUR WAY. THANK YOU FOR CANDY KISS AND TRAVELLED ROADS. LOVE, LINDA, BOB AND JAMES MANNING

L

Linda (Larson) Dolan posted a condolence

Monday, July 1, 2013

My deepest sympathy for your loss. And to you, Mike, I will never forget you, my first crush. Rest in peace, old friend.

L

Leslie posted a condolence

Sunday, June 30, 2013

The first time I met Mike was June 1, 1975. My husband Larry and I, married just 3 months, were moving from our 2 room, no kitchen apartment into a basement apartment in another part of town. Larry was a nurse who worked at the same hospital Mike did. He announced that a friend had offered to help us move, and I was glad of any assistance. I don't remember much about seeing Mike during the time that we lived in the basement apartment, except that whenever he came over, he was always early. That never changed for most of the 38 years that I knew him. Finally I learned to count on him arriving at least 15 minutes early, but I was still never ready. We only lasted in that apartment 9 months, and on our first anniversary moved again, to a second floor apartment on a hill with great views of the sun setting behind the trees. By that time Mike was a fixture in our lives. He was a willing guinea pig for all the recipes I wanted to try out. We had a tiny little kitchen and an even tinier table, and I was always way behind schedule with a huge mess in the kitchen, but we had many fun dinners together. We listed to one of his favorites, Shirley Bassey, and he told us stories of his days in the service in England. No matter what I served, he ate it and said it was delicious. I only learned when he was in rehab and I helped him fill out his menu choices that he didn't like vegetables much. It was in that apartment that the tradition of tree-trimming began. We lived there for just over 7 years, and in October 1980 my first daughter was born. Her crib was in the living room so we didn't have room for a tree, but we hung a bamboo shade on the wall and made a tree shape with tinsel garland and then using paper clips bent into S-shapes hung ornaments inside the boundaries of the tree. It was some of the most fun I've ever had at Christmas. By the time we moved to our house in 1983 we were in a routine, and Mike joined us every year for tree-trimming. I have pictures of him first with Jessica, and then with Colleen, putting the lights on the tree. I don't know if he especially liked that job or just got it by default, but he was the one to do it every year. Since we couldn't have a sit-down dinner while we were working on the tree, I would serve lots of snacks, always trying to think of interesting things to include, and he would always say that I should have just gotten chips and dip, which he must have loved because he devoured them every time I served them. Somehow tree-trimming morphed into birthday celebrations, and then Thanksgiving, and Memorial and Labor Days. And every dinner seemed to include a lesson on investing and why we should buy gold to protect ourselves from the coming apocalypse. We tried to listen carefully and take notes but somehow he was always one step ahead of us. Mike was the first person I called the day that I learned that my husband had passed away suddenly. The first thing he said was "When should I come over?" He told me who to talk to in HR and suggested the funeral parlor close to the hospital. He stayed quietly in the background during the 2 visitation sessions but he didn't miss a minute of them. Mike and my mom got to be friends. They would email articles and links to each other and he was very patient when I felt obligated to invite my mom to join us for barbecues. I'd be in the kitchen and I'd hear the two of them outside getting all riled up about some political situation or other. Mike didn't like to be in the limelight but he was always supportive. When my mom passed away in January, he sat next to one of my daughters at the memorial service. He was always there for all of us, and we wanted to be there for him when he needed us. Although we always kept in touch, over the last year and a half I was busy taking care of my mom and didn't get to see him as often as I wanted to. I was looking forward to getting back to our old routine, and feel cheated that I didn't get the chance to do that. But, I will remember the many fun times we had and am glad that he is now in a better place. He was one of a kind and I will miss him greatly, but I'm glad he was a part of our lives for so many years.

M

Mary Moore posted a condolence

Sunday, June 30, 2013

I worked with Mike for about 20 years, the last 10 years, he was the Asst Director of Respiratory Care and I was the Director. He is so efficient and always on top of everything that needed to be done, he knew what needed to be done and did it before I could even start analyzing the problem. I would assign committees to Mike that I personally found too boring, like the Safety Committee. It was a long, drawn out meeting that didn't acheive much. One time, Mike brought a pillow to the meeting and asked it they would wake him if anything important was said. This, of course, was not appreciated by the leadership, but it made me laugh for the next week...actually, I am still laughing about it now. The next meeting, he brought the newspaper to read so that he won't feel like he was completely wasting his time. The more serious people did not always get his sense of humor, but I loved it. Mike was patient and loving to the patients, as he worked with them in the PFT Lab. There were many times when I thought he would loss his cool trying to get through a hour worth of challenging testing, but he never did. He was empathetic and patience with all of the patients. Mike would charm the ladies of the hospital by giving them chocolate kisses that he kept in his pocket. Is trick of his was sure to put a smile on coworkers' faces and lighten the mood all over the hospital. As for my personal relationship with Mike, he was a good friend. He was loyal, covering my back if he needed to. He was considerate, always remembering birthdays and special occasions, he put a lot of thought into the little gifts he gave me. He taught me how to use a computer (when they first came out) and he made sure that I enrolled in a 401K plan, which was the last thing I was thinking of at 29 years old. After I left Glen Cove Hospital 16 yrs ago and loss contact with him but, in my heart, Mike remained an important person in my life. Linda Manning called me a few weeks ago and told me about Mike being ill. I am very happy that I got to reunite with him briefly before his death. Thank you Mike for being a part of my life, teaching me lessons and for touching my heart. Love, Mary

M

Mark and Lori DiLoreto posted a condolence

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Lori and I are saddened by the loss of your brother...our thoughts and prayers go out to you all during this trying time.

J

Jessi posted a condolence

Friday, June 28, 2013

Uncle Mike visited the Rosinski residence for many Christmas Day celebrations in Harwinton. We never knew what surprises we could encounter...would he arrive at 5am to beat the traffic? Would he hide a fake rat in the nativity scene? Would the cigar box wrapped in snoopy paper be filled with Coke coupons and sample size tubes of toothpaste? But one thing we were sure of is that when he went home the next day, we would have a scavenger hunt for dollar bills. We would find them in the Christmas tree, in between boxes of cereal, underneath our pillows. Everywhere. He sneakily hid them all over the place. We've even discovered $1 bills months later as they slipped out of unexpected places during July. While we wont get to open any more boxes of miscellany this holiday season, I am sure there are still a few dollar bills waiting to greet us with cheer from the Christmas Beagle.

J

Jim Manning posted a condolence

Friday, June 28, 2013

Mike Charlow was a good friend and I will miss our holiday dinners and the wacky gifts that came from the Christmas Beagle. I'll get around to opening that bagel shop in Iraq for you Mikey. Rest in peace and we'll meet again on the other side, my friend.

J

Jim Manning posted a condolence

Friday, June 28, 2013

Mike Charlow was a good friend and I will miss our holiday dinners and the wacky gifts that came from the Christmas Beagle. I'll get around to opening that bagel shop in Iraq for you Mikey. Rest in peace and we'll meet again on the other side, my friend.

J

James K. posted a condolence

Friday, June 28, 2013

Mike, you were one of a kind. We'll always remember your jokes and your guidance. Rest in peace and Boston is still in first place!!!

Michael C. Charlow

1943 - 2013

Plant a tree in memory of Michael

Proudly Serving the Communities of New Britain, and surrounding areas.

Contact

Explore