Michael Anthony Graham January 15, 1945 - June 4, 2015

Michael Anthony Graham, a resident of Sisters, died on June 4, 2015.

He was born on January 15, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, to Wayne A. Graham and Louise Whitman.

Michael's youth was spent perfecting his baseball game, a lifelong passion, as well as his creative talents for mischief. There may have been rigged light switches for exploding toilets or cars disassembled and reassembled inside his high school, but Michael's involvement can neither be confirmed nor denied. These creative efforts, however, did not distract Michael from earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

Michael's life was irrevocably altered when Carolyn Berger walked into his English class at Pasadena City College. In front of the class, Michael beckoned Carolyn to come sit by him, to which Carolyn replied with a resounding "no." She only agreed out of sheer embarrassment, and 47 years later, Michael must have done something right.

After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, and after a brief stint as an engineer, Michael decided to instead turn his passion for rare coins into his career of over 40 years. Having worked for and owned his own coin companies over the years, Michael was a member of the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild. As a resident of Central Oregon, Michael bought and sold rare coins for over 30 years in Bend, Oregon, at his company, Mountain High Coins and Collectibles.

In addition to his love of coins, Michael loved to fish and was a big sports fanatic, always picking up ball caps from every sporting event he attended to add to his ever-growing collection. Michael could be found enjoying every major sporting event, and in the absence of any, you just might have found him scanning the channels and settling on the Women's Collegiate Ultimate Frisbee Championship. If it was a sport, it was good enough for Michael.

His soft spot for animals had him surrounded by a menagerie throughout his lifetime, but most recently, he doted on his favorite "daughter," his mini dachshund, Sadie Sue.

Michael was always helping those in need. A friend of yours was a friend of Michael's. His love of his family was rivaled only by his intense love of Big Red chewing gum and Burt's Bees lip balm. He will be truly missed.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents, his father, Wayne A. Graham, his mother, Louise Whitman Graham; and his stepmother, Bobbie Jo Roland Graham.

Michael is survived by his wife, Carolyn; and his children, Colleen McGrew (Dave) and her children Kalie, Connor, and Kelsey of Redmond; Christina Flinn and her son, Liam, of Portland; Maryann Snyder (David) and their dachshunds Cookie and Alfie, of Dallas, TX; and Leanne Weinhold (Steve) and her children Megan and Daniel of Sparks, NV. He is also survived by two sisters, Tommilu Skerl and Kathy Hayes.

A memorial mass will be held at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church in Sisters on July 25, at 11 a.m.

A celebration of Michael's life will be held afterward at The Open Door, 303 W. Hood Ave. in Sisters.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Michael's memory to the Make a Wish Foundation, St. Jude's, or the Bend Ronald McDonald House.