Michael Alan Stuck

June 10, 1945 – December 16, 2024

Michael Alan Stuck, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away at home on December 16, 2024, after a courageous battle with spinal cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 79 years old.

Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Mike attended Harper Woods High School, where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. He went on to earn both his BA and MA in Education from the University of Michigan.

While attending the University of Michigan, Mike married the love of his life, Judy Pounder, in 1965. Their nearly six decades of marriage were marked by unwavering love, laughter, and shared adventures. Together, they raised two children, Todd and Mandy.

Mike’s career spanned various roles, including positions at Wilkinson Luggage, the Ann Arbor News, and the University of Michigan President’s Club. In 1988, Mike and Judy relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he worked at Reed College before moving to Macomb, Illinois, to serve at Western Illinois University.

In 1999, the couple moved to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, to help raise their cherished grandchildren, Nick and Emma. Mike worked at WEDU and later at WUSF in Tampa, retiring in 2011 to spend more time with his family.

Mike was a Gemini with a magnetic personality, a sharp wit, and a knack for making friends everywhere he went. He adored his family, particularly delighting in Nick’s basketball games, Emma’s soccer matches, and golf outings with friends.

Mike’s passions were as diverse as his talents:

• Sports Enthusiast: A die-hard Michigan Wolverines fan, Mike also cheered for the Detroit Tigers and later the Tampa Bay Rays. He was deeply dismayed when Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field.

• Skeptic and Thinker: Mike valued evidence-based decisions and was fascinated by Art Bell’s theories, even believing space aliens were stealing Earth’s potash.

• Craftsman: A skilled woodworker, Mike created durable furniture and ensured everything in his home—from plumbing to pool pumps—functioned perfectly.

• Lover of Arts and Media: Mike introduced his children and grandchildren to films (sometimes hilariously inappropriately rated), cherished murder mysteries, and enjoyed music, particularly Elton John.

• Tech Enthusiast: A self-proclaimed computer nerd, Mike spent hours compiling videos of Nick and Emma’s sports achievements.

• Animal Lover: Mike adored his pets over the years, including Ginger, Duncan, Leo, Shawky, Casey, Bella, Ramona, Maryann, Zoe, and Lucy. A sensitive soul, he was mostly vegetarian and deeply opposed to animal cruelty.

Mike was the eldest brother to Terry Luedi (Jeff) and Gregory Stuck and uncle to Melissa, Sarah, and Brian.

Mike’s memory will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, colleagues, and countless acquaintances from paddleball courts, dog parks, and beyond.

In his honor, listen to Elton John’s “Philadelphia Freedom” and “Funeral for a Friend.”