He graduated with a B.S., Electrical Engineering from, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He started his career at IBM and then left in 1969 to form First Data Resources with Bill Esping and Jack Weekly.
He was the last living founder of First Data Resources, and also CEO of Service Data, Omaha, and had once owned several ranches in Loup and Cherry Counties of Nebraska.
He loved to walk long distances and to hike in the mountains, to explore far away parts of the world (Samarkand, Tibet, Namibia, Argentina, Iceland, etc.,), to learn new things in depth (Jewish studies, cosmology and neuroscience) and skilled at playing difficult games such as chess and bridge and to do Sudokus. A member of B’nai Israel Synagogue, Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he loved go to services and of the Beyt Shalom Havurah where he learned and celebrated. A talented blues (diatonic) harpist and music lover of all genres, particularly old time country western, blues and classical.
He is preceded in death by their parents Thomas L. and Iris (Pharris) Liddy and son Thomas Joseph Liddy.
He is survived by their loving spouse Deana Felice (Charyn) Liddy, sons James Walter (Julie Swanson) Liddy, John Wesley Liddy, Richard Alan (Hillary Brunkow) Liddy, and Joshua Philip (Terri Porter) Finkler, and daughters Ruth Iris Liddy, Jean Louise Liddy and Kathleen Sarah Finkler, and daughter-in-law Christy Robertson Liddy. Also survived by grandchildren Kelsey Liddy, Samuel Coniglio, Tristan Liddy, Conner DuBray, William and Abigail Liddy, Brantley and Ryker Liddy, and Finnegan Liddy. Survived by siblings Judy Farrington (WA), Tanny Liddy (OR) and Colleen Groth (CO) and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Miles Memory Care and Charter Hospice for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in their final days.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Shiva service at Mike and Deana’s home on Sunday, April 16, at 1:00 pm. A Celebration of Michael’s life in the style of an Irish wake will be held next month.
Michael’s remains will be cremated and distributed in the outdoor places he loved. There will be no internment.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in their memory to the Nature Conservancy in Nebraska (www.nature.org/nebraska) or the Alzheimer’s Association of Nebraska (www.alz.org).
Mike was a man with an enormous joy of living and a dynamic smile. He loved his wife and children and animals of all kinds and he brought energy and focus to everything that he did. He had a dry sense of humor and loved reading and learning new words. When he could no longer do intellectual activities, he enjoyed walking in the neighborhood with a companion and rocking outside, watching the trees, animals and walkers in his neighborhood. He became a local fixture and a lot of people enjoyed waving to him and his waving back to them.
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