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For the old time members...Mike Lewis (Zep33) passed away
jlzinck
Posts: 910 ✭✭
I was saddened to find out yesterday that Mike Passed away in October after having a stroke. He was 57.
Older member would remember his passion for Topps Heritage and how he would help people out with their needs.
We became friends when we found out we lived in the same town. We would meet up at the LCS and talk and break packs.
He moved on from cards and REALLY got into photography. He was engaged to be married and was really happy the last time we talked.
I realized I hadn't seen his pics in a while on Facebook and just assumed the algorithm had changed. I went to his page and saw he passed.
Here are his picture he had taken. They are so cool
https://www.facebook.com/mike.lewis.52/photos_by
Rest well MIke, you were a good man.
3
Comments
RIP Mike
IMF
This is very sad. RIP my friend.
That stinks. RIP
Thanks for the photos link - he was very talented.
Bosox1976
Way too young, RIP.
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Thank you for letting us all know. Though I never got to meet Mike in person, we did tons of heritage trades every year, and we had hundreds of PMs. He was really one of the best guys I've ever interacted with, and hearing this bothers me more than just "oh someone from the message board passed away."
RIP my friend.
Agree Nick.
I used to converse with him in the old days when I was still in a cover band; we talked about music. He was a really good guy to talk with - unfortunately I didn't know he quit the hobby?
I guess I fall in that category since I rarely post like I used to back in the day. I used to spend an entire late Saturday evening here. Remember the Open Forum?
Much too young. RIP
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Ralph
Very sad, much too young..
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
that's sad news, very young
RIP
collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.
looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started
Sad to hear, RIP
Oh no, terribly sorry to hear. He was a mainstay on the boards in that era. Prayers for his family.
EDIT: It'd been like 10 years since we messaged but I just read our old threads back. Lots of them. Ugh. Too young.
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I hope he lived a good happy life.
D's: 50P,49S,45D+S,43D,41S,40D,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 241,435,610,654 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
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I think the thing that pushed him over the edge was he started with photography and then the LCS owner started nickel and diming him. Mike would always buy a case of Heritage and the owner, who was direct with Topps, would quote him the cost plus his markup. Mike would pay upfront when ordered. They the LCS owner started looking at what online retailers were selling for. Maybe 20-25% MORE than he was charging Mike and wanted that much. So Mike would just buy a box or 2 when it came out. It left a bad taste in Mike's mouth and he stopped.
Don't think we interacted here, but that sure is young. I turn 56 is a few months. It could happen to anyone.
I have "known" a few people on these sites that I interacted with enough to feel a connection, either through conversations, trades or just seeing their posts frequently enough and then learn that they passed away. We tend to form bonds online now, sometimes in similar ways that people have done in person in the past. It's a little odd, but that is the reality of today's society and technology and its becoming more and more "normal". I met another collector over 20 years ago from online card interactions that slowly moved to frequent phone calls and finally we met in person a few years back when I was close to him on a business trip. We ended up roadtripping to Cooperstown and Springfield for a couple HOF visits! It was weird as hell at first, but fun at the same time.
It's sad, but at the same time there is a little joy in the fact that sometimes someone notices a member disappears, finds out their fate and lets the group know and then they are remembered fondly. It is easy enough to disappear from an online presence because you have moved on to other interests or time constraints limit your time online and be completely forgotten or worse, have this happen where you die and nobody is any wiser to it.
I frequent quite a few message boards on a few different topics and have sometimes wondered about all the posters from years past who have dissapeared from the boards. I am sure most just had changes in hobbys/lost interest or no longer had the time to post. I also wonder how many have passed away and no posters ever knew about it. I personally know a few posters on various boards, but my wife has no clue about my passwords or even which boards I frequent.
I am sure that when I kick the bucket I will be one of those names that fades away and gets forgotten about. no one would otherwise know.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Reminds me of the phrase"old soldiers never die,they just fade away". Excuse me if I have not quoted it correctly.
Very nice photos.
I'm sure most of us fall into this category? BTW, didn't we coincidentally meet at the BB HOF?
We sure did! that would have been, what, about 10 years ago or so? As I recall, it was over near the t206 Wagner. I regret not getting a photo with you!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
That would've been cool David (please tell me I remembered your name correctly?). Yes. Was my last year of work and that was my vacation - went all over the from Texas to Maine to the HOF to the R&R HOF to the National in Chicago! I was a pleasure meeting you and your dad buddy. 👍
Not sure my wife would bother with card related message boards and the like, but I have started to compile a list of sites and passwords where I have online or physical accounts. I've tried to note important ones where I have things that I either pay for or have items stored (Netflix, COMC, for example). It's not too hard to deal with most things when you have a death certificate, but why not make it easier?
I know when my dad died, I emailed everyone in his address book and had some of his sites and passwords, but nothing all that important was online at his age.
It's a good practice in general to have this type of thing for next of kin/beneficiaries. Accounts/passwords/lists of assets/where things are kept (safety deposit boxes, stashed items, etc). Some people could teach classes in estate planning, but many more people never bother and it makes dealing with their passing ever more stressful.
that is a really good idea. All of our bank/financials are joint, but all my card stuff/message boards etc. she would have no clue about. I should get that stuff together and when I kick the bucket she can make a "craig44 is no more" announcement. I bet that one will get some lol's!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.