Michael Motejl
09/05/2019
Born November 7, 1946 in Portland, Oregon to the late Otto and Marie Motejl. He was predeceased by his brother, Russell Motejl and his sister, Marlene Haldors.
Mike spent the first 18 years of his life living in Sandy, Oregon. Growing up, he loved the outdoors, playing school sports and helping his dad with the family logging business. Following school, he joined the Marine Reserve Corps.
An Oregonian by birth and spirit, he moved to New York in his early twenties where he flew helicopters and then started his lifelong career in the ski industry. For over 30 years, Mike was the Operations Manager for Sterling Forest Ski Center in Tuxedo, NY. It was a job he loved, and a job where those who worked for him appreciated his sense of humor, dry-wit and most of all, his kindness. Upon leaving Sterling Forest, Mike worked at Campgaw Ski Area in Mahwah, NJ for 4 years.
Mike loved reading, being active and watching sports – especially the Yankees, a team for which he was a season ticket holder for many years. He had a love for golf and his Sunday morning tee times. But his favorite memories were from his vacations on Cape Cod with his family and friends where he’d spend hours fishing, inevitably coming back to recount stories of the “big fish that got away.” In later years, he loved to skip rocks into the bay with his beloved grandsons.
Mike was good-natured, fun to be around, and loved by all that knew him. His greatest joy was spending time with his family, especially his grandsons Matteo and Nico. He is already missed by many.
Mike is survived by his wife of 44 years, Laurie; daughters, Abby Cundari and her husband Christian of Boston, MA, Sara Motejl and her husband Thomas Driver of Brooklyn, NY; and son, Lucas Motejl of Warwick; two grandsons, Matteo and Nico; sisters-in-law Robyn Pagano and husband Bert and Kim Van Dillen; along with many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY. A funeral service will be held at 11am. on Thursday, September 12 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mike’s memory to the American Heart Association or Alzheimer’s Association.