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Michael Shade Assennato
June 22, 1948 - February 28, 1997

LIFE WAS MADE FOR LIVING

I started to take a trip across the country
I'd heard about the "Rocky Mountain High"
I took my pack and climbed up Jenkins Mountain
And sitting there I learned the reason why...

Mountains are for climbing
Rivers are for crossing
And life was made for living

Life was made for living

Michael Shade Assennato - 1977

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Mike climbing Jenkins Mountain

FOR MICHAEL

As a teacher, I always kept a lookout for the student who was talented, bright and with great promise. One day I was sent not one, but two such students, the Assennato twins.

Ronald was unassuming, gentle and reliable. Ah, but Michael! Probing, aggressive, a hint of mischief, always "pushing the envelope" as far as he could. Once, he brought a science project to school which incorporated an alarm clock. Someone mistook it for a bomb, and the school was evacuated with any number of officials dashing about. Michael miffed because his project was dumped in a pail of water, remained calm throughout. "I told them it wasn't a bomb," he explained, as if anyone should doubt his intentions. I thought the whole incident was hilarious.

After that, I could forgive the twins anything, because they were blessed with the awesome gift of music. Composing, singing, playing, they mastered it all. They became all I had ever hoped for, going from small town to "big time." They never lost their ties with Holley. People still talk of the memorable concert they staged as a "Homecoming," as they were nationally known at the time.

"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the Earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." - John 12:24

Michael brought so much joy with his music, and in so doing shared with us that vibrant, caring part of his soul. He once wrote "life is for living," and how well he followed that philosophy. He saw life as one great celebration, and always in harmony. In leaving us, Michael reminds us of just how beautifully he was attuned to all that is decent and good in this world. God will have a special place for this gracious soul.

"...and He will raise you up on eagles wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand."

Goodbye dear Michael. "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on." Thank you for a host of beautiful memories.

-Your (High School) teacher, Michael A. Charles

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

Sometimes I sit and feel sad and try to figure out why. And when I do, I suddenly realize that it's because I'm not thinking about all the beautiful experiences that are easily taken for granted but surround me every day.

Then I kick myself in the rear and start thinking about what I can do or say to help someone else start thinking about the good things too. When they do, I suddenly feel good, and so do they, and life is beautiful again.

Michael Shade Assennato - 1977

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Mike & his Champion Golden Retriever, Mayzie

A Brief Background of Mike's Work at Lockheed Martin

We want to share with you a brief description of the work that Mike was doing at Lockheed Martin. He was a member of an independent research and development project to produce reusable flight software. This is a major company-funded project with a high priority to develop software products that can be used on most of the new satellite programs. Flight software controls crucial functions within a satellite. Mike was one of the three founders of this project. Through his tireless efforts, he showed management the need for this development.

Once the project was established, Mike focused his work on one critical software element, the Command Handling Subsystem. This software accepts commands from ground operators and processes these commands to initiate appropriate actions. Mike was very excited to work on this element. He took existing designs and used his technical expertise to create a new, more capable version of the software.

Over the past year, the flight software team has consisted of ten engineers. With such a small team, we have all gotten to know Mike and have all enjoyed working with him. He often works with others outside of the team, and they too like working with him.

Mike's enthusiasm, dedication and commitment were epitomized at a design presentation at the end of last year. A day before the meeting, he caught the flu. Although he was on medication and had a fever, he came and presented his design at the meeting. Even under these circumstances, he gave an outstanding presentation and inspired the audience. It was clear to everyone that he was very excited and happy about his work.

We all miss Mike and it will be difficult to take over the work that he has done for the team.

- Flight Software Team, Lockheed Martin


Sentiments from some of Mike's coworkers at Lockheed Martin:

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Assennato,

Please accept my sincere condolences on the death of your son Mike. Mike sat immediately outside of my office and so we knew each other as friends, and we worded together as well. I feel a tragic sense of loss, as we all do. Mike was the most liked of us. I don't mean that as an idle thought. There are people who are the glue that bind us together. Every successful organization has one or two. These are the people, who through some magic, glue us together into a powerful force that goes beyond the sum of the individuals. That was your Mike.

I'm the other manager in the Flight Controls Product Center. (Peter Dinno was Mike's manager.) So how did I know Mike so well? The answer is mostly that he was always there. As managers often do, I would work on some weekends to catch up. Sure enough, there was Mike. Often times I would tell him, "Go home Mike." He always assured me he would, and he never did.

Once, more than a year ago, our collective future hung in the balance. I had (stupidly in my boss' view) invited the president of the company over for a Christmas time demo of our non existent capability. Few of the workers, and none of the managers were amused. We worked like dogs through the Christmas season, getting ready for our 21 Dec Demo. Nothing worked. The conventional wisdom said, "We're doomed." As one after another of us lost our sense of humor with the pressure, there stood your Mike, the eye of the hurricane. Once at 8:30 or so one night, we needed a cable for our computer, or we would waste a whole precious night, a disaster given the hours left. It was your Mike who took his personal VISA, went to Fryes, and got that damned cable. And when I came back at 5:30 or 6 AM, he was still there, when every single other engineer had abandoned ship. The short version is, we succeeded by a few hours, and were wildly successful. We secured credibility and money from our management, and the rest, as they say, is history. I have no doubts who the heroes were. And I have no doubt who the biggest hero was. We all owe our livelihood to your son. For in small victories the larger battles in life are won.

I am profoundly shaken by his loss. More than a good friend and lovable coworker has left us. If he can be taken, we are all vulnerable. I told my five year old daughter of his death tonight. I needed to share my feelings, and she is my second best friend after my wife. Little Allison said, without missing a heartbeat, "His soul is in Heaven tonight Dad." And that is my only consolation.

May you find peace in the wisdom of a small child."

- Eric Wentzel

"Mike was so accomplished in software engineering, yet he was always open to suggestions and so accommodating. His warm and friendly spirit is mournfully missed."
- Jode Hall

"I am so glad I had the opportunity to work with Mike. He was very bright and very easy to work with. He has touched all our lives and we will not forget him."
- Stephanie Johnson

"Mike was a pleasure to work with. He was so enthusiastic and positive about his work, he couldn't help but make you smile. His positive attitude would always rub off on you. Mike will be truly missed and his mark will remain always in our group."
- Stephanie Griffin

"Let me add my deepest condolences. Mike had a remarkable intensity of purpose that pervaded a lifetime of career accomplishments. His interminable spirit, his joy of mutual successes and his commitment to excellence inspired us all. Mike stood for many of the same personal and professional ideals that I believe in. It will be impossible to replace a person of so many talents and he will be sorely missed."
- Paul Cohen

"Mike's optimism in life and in work and his knowledge will be greatly missed."
- Richard Urato

"We'll never forget Mike's quick smile and boundless enthusiasm. We miss him."
-Joe McReynolds

"I want to offer my condolences. I have never known anyone quite like Mike. He and I worked closely over the last year and I am still amazed at his cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Many times, after working on a particularly difficult problem, I would be mentally exhausted and Mike would look over to me and say, in all sincerity 'Isn't this Great! I'm having the Best Time!' I will miss him greatly."
-Dan Stephens

"We will miss Mike very much. He was a skilled colleague who always took the time to help others and whose positive attitude brightened our days."
- Kurt Lundstro

"Mike had a good heart and always took the time to talk with people. He impressed all who worked with him and brightened my day."
- Todd Tiller

"I can only echo the tributes others have given Mike. I consider myself fortunate having known him. His enthusiasm for life will always remain."
- Rich Baxter

"You raised a wonderful son. You should feel proud. Mike was such a positive influence to all that came in contact with him. Mike's passing is a great personal loss to me, the team and to our community. I hope I can raise my own children to have Mike's positive and caring attitude. God bless you."
- Peter Dinno

"Words cannot express the shock and sorrow I felt when we lost Mike. Mike was an exceptional person whose positive attitude and love for life was an inspiration to us all. He will be sorely missed. God bless you in this time of tremendous sorrow."
- Dan Pine

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MICHAEL SINGS

Michael sings his story and he waits for them to listen
Words of gladness, songs with sadness
Words and bright eyes glisten
Watchers staring, sometimes daring, making a request
Michael plays it through again and does his very best

Michael Shade Assennato - 1970

THE OTHER SIDE OF DEATH
- Spoken by Pastor David Vetter at Michael's funeral service

"The Unfinished Symphony" is one of the great pieces of classical music. In fact, the first movements of that symphony are amazingly beautiful. As one musician put it, "They dance with delight." But halfway through, the music suddenly comes to an end. There are no more notes. The orchestration is incomplete and we wonder what happened. Well, the fact is that the composer of that musical masterpiece, Franz Shubert, died suddenly at the age of thirty-one. Therefore, he never finished the symphony.

And you know, friends, when we think about Mike's life today, it's a lot like "The Unfinished Symphony" because, like the symphony, Mike's life had a great beginning. Those of you who knew Mike well described him as a man full of life, energy and enthusiasm. He was obviously someone who really enjoyed life and made the most of it. We could say that his life "danced with delight." As he himself put it in the poem we just read, "life was made for living."

And he lived his life well. Of course, God had a lot to do with that because He gave Mike some very special gifts. Mike was highly intelligent, extremely talented, and a very persuasive leader. Mike made good of his God-given gifts. Whatever he did, he did well. In this area (Holley), he was widely known for his musical abilities, and he touched the hearts of many people through his music.

He also touched the lives of people in many other ways. As his brother put it, he lived to help other people and to make the world a better place. And he did because he was positive, kind, loving and generous. Obviously, Mike was the kind of a man who was a delight to be around. And yet, in the middle of it all, the beautiful music of his life has come to an end like an unfinished symphony.

But has Mike's life really come to an end? It's obvious Mike didn't think so. We see that in the poem he wrote entitled "On the Other Side." He clearly believed that when he died his life would still go on - on the other side. Was he right? Of course, he was. God, Himself, made it very clear to us in the Bible that our life does not come to an end when we die physically. As Ecclesiastes 12:7 indicates, when we die physically, our body returns to the ground it came from but our spirit returns to the God who gave it. You see friends, when we die physically it's not the end of our life. Instead, it's the beginning of our life that will never end. A man by the name of Victor Hugo believed that. And that's why he wrote these words: "For half a century I have been writing my thoughts in prose and verse...but I feel I have not said the thousandth part of what is in me when I go down to the grave. I can say, like may others, I have finished my life's work because when I die, my life will go on. And so will my life's work. It will begin again the next morning. For the tomb is not a blind alley, it is a thoroughfare. It closes in the twilight, it opens in the dawn."

And that's right, friends. That's why Mike's life is not really like an unfinished symphony. Oh, I know from our perspective it seems like it is, but not from God's perspective. Because when Mike's life suddenly ended last week, neither his life nor his life's work has come to an end. Instead, his spirit is still full of all the life and energy and enthusiasm that he displayed here on earth. He is putting it to use in a new environment. And because he is a person of faith, he is in the beautiful, wonderful environment of heaven.

Notice I said "Mike was a person of faith." That's important because in John 3:16 Jesus told us that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." That verse contains a wonderful promise. It's a promise of eternal life, a life that never ends. It's promised to those of us who are people of faith, and we are people of faith if we believe in Jesus. That is, we are people of faith if we believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be and did what He claimed to do. He claimed to be God come down to earth. He claimed to die on the cross for our sins, rise again from the dead, and live forevermore. Those of us who believe this have eternal life. Jesus, Himself, promised this in John 3:16, and He also promised us that we will never perish. That is, we will never experience what it is like to be separated from God for all eternity in a place called hell. Instead, we will spend our eternal existence in the presence of the living God in a place called heaven. This is very important because, the truth is, when the time comes for us to leave this world, all of us will go on living somewhere. For those of us who are people of faith, that place is heaven. For those of us who are not, that place is hell.

The good news is that Mike was a person of faith because he placed his faith in Jesus and asked Him to be his personal savior when he was a young boy. He enjoyed his life here on earth, but I can assure you, he's enjoying his life in heaven even more. That is why we can be sure he is enjoying a life today in his new home in heaven. It's a beautiful, wonderful life, a life more worth living than anything he ever experienced here on earth. Psalms 16:11 puts it this way, "In God's presence is fullness of joy, at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore." What a wonderful home heaven is! These are wonderful verses. They contain a wonderful promise about heaven. Heaven is described by Jesus as His Father's house. He has promised to those of us who are people of faith that He's preparing a place there for us to live. It's a wonderful place to be. The Bible indicates that it's a place where there is no more sorrow, death, crying or pain. Instead, it's a place where all things are new.

I like what D. L. Moody writes about heaven. He says "As the Bible describes it, Heaven is a city without tears, without pain, without sorrows, without death. Think of a city where temptation cannot come and where the buildings do not grow old with time. Think of a city without any prisons or cemeteries, without any sins or sorrows. That is heaven!"

Yes, friends, heaven is a wonderful place to live, and for those of us who, like Mike, are people of faith, that's our eternal home. It makes me homesick for heaven. How about you? But Mike isn't homesick today, he's home and is experiencing what the song writer dreamed of when he penned these words:

"Just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven
Of taking a hand and finding it God's
Of breathing new air and finding it celestial
Of waking up in glory and finding it home."

Yes, friends, Mike is with the Lord, and when we understand what he's enjoying there, we certainly wouldn't wish him back. But we still miss him, and we look forward to seeing him again someday. The good news is that those of us who are people of faith will see him again. In Thessalonians I, 4:15, Paul writes this to people of faith. He says, "Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men who have no hope." You see, friends, some people are completely overwhelmed with sorrows when a loved one dies because they have no hope of ever seeing them again. But in Thessalonians I, 4, God's word assures us that those of us who are people of faith will see our loved ones once again. As verse 17 tells us, we will be caught up together with them and we will see the Lord forever. Think of it as TOGETHER FOREVER. No wonder verse 18 concludes with this statement, "Therefore, comfort one another with these words." It is a great comfort to know that one day we will see Mike and all people of faith like him again in heaven.

Shortly before his death, that great Christian author, C. S. Lewis, met a close friend of his, another Christian author named Sheldon VanAuken. Together, they talked about death and life after death. When they parted, C. S. Lewis insisted that they keep in touch. Then he said with a cheerful grin, "I'll see you again either here or up there" as he pointed to heaven. They then shook hands and C. S. Lewis began to make his way through the busy downtown traffic. As he did, he turned to his friend, raised his voice above the noise of the traffic, and shouted, "Christians never say goodbye." It was the last time that Sheldon VanAuken saw C. S. Lewis alive in this world. C. S. Lewis was right. Those of us who are people of faith never say "goodbye" in any final sense, not even in death.

So we are not really saying "goodbye" to Mike today either. We are just saying to him, "We'll see you later" because we will. What a wonderful hope that is! It's a hope that enables us to see beyond the shadows of this day and catch a glimpse of a brighter tomorrow. As Victor Hugo put it, "The tomb is not a blind alley. It is a thoroughfare. It crosses in the twilight. It opens in the dawn." The question is: "Do you have that hope?" Are you a person of faith? Mike was. He believed that there was life on the other side of death. Do you?

A pastor said at a funeral, "We must live in two worlds." Afterwards, a man challenged him, "We are only living in one world. We do not know of any other world than this one." So the pastor asked him, "If you did believe in another world, would it make any difference?" And the man replied, "If I believed that, I would change every major policy before the day was done." God tells us about it in His Word. He sent His only Son to earth to show us how to get there. If we choose to believe Him, we will change the way we live before our life on earth is done. We will place our faith in Jesus and accept Him as our own Lord and Savior. Jesus, Himself, said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Someone who had lost a loved one once said to me, "I don't know how people who don't have faith in God can face death. Without Him, everything meaningful comes to an end. As true as this previous statement is, the following statement is also true. When we die, with God, everything meaningful is just beginning.

The good Christian author, C. S. Lewis once wrote a series of books for children entitled "The Chronicles of Narnia." At the end of his final book in that series, the children and their parents are killed in a tragic accident. Of course, it's too soon. They're all too young. But when they are on the other side of death they see Jesus. They talked with Him, fellowshipped with Him, and it was wonderful. C. S. Lewis underwrites, "And the things that began to happen after that were so great and so beautiful that I cannot write them. For us, this is the end of all stories and we can truly say that they lived happily ever after. But for them, it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world had only been the cover and the title page. Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the great story, which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before. In heaven, every chapter of our life is better than the one before, and that is what Mike is experiencing today. So wish him well. We look forward to seeing him again on the other side in his heavenly home where life is really worth living!

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ON THE OTHER SIDE

Where am I?
I must be floating through space
I feel light and free and like I'm suspended in mid air
I can't feel anything...I must be asleep
I must be dreaming...but no, I can't be asleep
I can remember what happened
The accident, the terrible crash, the screams
I must be on the other side

Hi self, hi all. Yes, I've done well
Many memories to replay
The games well played, the body well used
They all played so hard
It was a good time but it's good to be out of it
What a difference a point of view makes

Michael Shade Assennato - 1976
(21 years before his death)

DEATH IS NOTHING AT ALL

About a year ago at the District Attorney's Office, a new Deputy DA was transferred to my division. We hadn't met but she had already moved her things into her office. While preparing some cases for her, I noticed a picture of a beautiful lady together with a verse in a frame on her bookcase. Something drew me near and, as I read the words, I was very touched, especially since it was only a few days away from the second anniversary of Michael's death. I copied down the words and took them home. Two days later, I met the new Deputy and asked her who was the beautiful lady and where had she found the touching verse. Brushing back the tears, she said the lady was her mother and this was the second anniversary of her death. She had found the verse in one of her mother's drawers when she was going through her things and had decided to frame it with her mother's picture. Anyone who has ever lost a loved one will appreciate the beauty and comfort of these words. - Ron

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
Whatever we were to each other, we still are
Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the same easy way you always have
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me

Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it always was
There is absolute unbroken continuity
Why should I be out of your mind because I am out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near, just around the corner
All is well. Nothing is past
Nothing has been lost
One brief moment and all will be as it was before,
only better...infinitely happier
We will be together forever