Funeral Details

So saddened to hear of Mike's passing. A neighbor and grade school chum, I remember him well as a fun, energetic and engaging friend. Sincerest condolences to his family.

Tom Suber

I just saw Mike last June at the HPHS ‘71 Reunion. Had a nice conversation with him and he was the same good guy I remember from Edgewood and HPHS. Condolences to his family. - John Risdon.

John Risdon

Michael and I were Edgewood Junior High School and HPHS classmates; ever kind, although we did not move in the same circles. I also shopped at Williams Shoes as far back as when he and his father worked together, and, thereafter. The shop was clearly family-friendly with artistic creatures/seating and appreciative of its staff. Always welcome in my mailbox were the entertaining, periodic Walking Spirit newsletters spotlighting new footwear arrivals, staff welcomes/departures, as well as pun-and wisdom-filled stories. Please accept my sympathies.

Adrienne Allen

I was sorry to hear of Mike’s passing away. I haven’t seen Mike since High school but I remember him as a skinny funny kind kid. I was not surprised by the thoughtful charities that he supported. He was a light in darkness. May he rest in peace.

Jennifer Mansur Schneller

We learned of him as "Crazy" Mike because of the wildly creative and challenging disc golf course that Michael Lembeck designed on the NU Lakefill. For the past 25 years or so, members of the Northwestern Ultimate community spent way too many hours out on the windy, rainy and sometimes sunny shores of Lake Michigan throwing 175g of plastic into a 35 MPH gusty blast alongside the man we called "Craze." Would you be swimming in the lagoon, or did your disc softly lay up right next to the grate for an easy birdie? Wherever the wind blew...and if you sent Mike a text, he'd probably dip out from the store and come meet you for a round, even (especially?) if it was 45 and rainy.

Mike, thank you for being a cool, unique, and inclusive dude. Decades of Northwestern frisbee players have now gotten to experience the fun and challenges of discs vs wind and elements because of you. Be creative! Try some stuff. Push yourself to throw better. With love, Considerate.

Mike Kinsella

so sad to hear of michaels passing. i was a frequent visiter of his shoestore. he was a kind person sending condolences to Marianne and his family.

ilene Lebovitz

My mind was pulled up short by receiving news of his passing just days ago. This man of many dimensions, only a smattering of which I knew from direct experience, had continued to evolve and grow in marvelous ways I can only guess at, and my chance at knowing more of that fullness in this life is now gone. May I, his friends, and his family be blessed by remembrances of whatever fullness of life he lived in their presence as we continue our own journeys of fullness in life, hope, love, and grief.

I admired and appreciated him for multiple traits and qualities. For instance, decades ago, he was one of the few men who stepped up to participate in choreographed dance at our fellowship. In and through that practice he evinced boldness, courage, grace, athleticism, artistry, and humility. On one occasion, in a burst of effusive, hyperbolic praise I told him to his face, "Michael, you are our own Mikhail Baryshnikov." He directly and modestly dismissed such a comparison, "Don't even put my name in a sentence with his." Regardless, he was good. Of course having just read of his leaps of derriing-do in the world of Northwestern University Ultimate & disc golf, I can only imagine how his practice of dance & disc reflected and enhanced one another over the years. That said, my fond memories extend from rapt attention to his dancing to thoughtful engagement in serious thoughtful conversation about spiritual things. May he rest in peace and in power.

Kermit Hovey

I was very sorry to hear about Michael. I hope all the good memories help you through this difficult time.

Nancy Pass Gurwin

“With Sympathy for our loss of our Cousin Michael Lembeck.
He will always be a part of our hearts♥️
Love ❤️ Cousin Janet and Family!

Janet Gross

I am Stephanie Witherspoon’s sister from CA. She and my brother in law Jamie live across the street. I enjoyed seeing him over the years at the block parties when I was in Evanston on business. So much fun! I was saddened by this news. What a nice person and what a loss.

I am sorry .

-Karen Waite

Karen Waite

I’ve been close friends with Mike for almost 70 years. We both went to Beth El Nursery School as well as shared going through Lincoln School, Edgewood Junior High School and Highland Park High School together.

We also attended weekly Sunday School as well as 4 years of Hebrew School at Beth El Synagogue. For one year, we shared an apartment while attending the University of Colorado in Boulder.

I have so many fond memories of times with Mike, from sliding down the flight of stairs on our butts in Mikes house on DeT amble and playing with the Lembeck’s white standard poodle, Gigi.

Mike was one of the founding members of the infamous Husky Boy Club. A club whose primary activities included the follow-the-leader format. Typically, this included daring feats of courage and balance, such as walking across (without slipping off) fallen logs across the ravines behind the Highland Park Public Library as well as along the shores of Foley’s pond in Highland Park. Other Husky Boy feats included jumping across streams (without getting wet), as well as crossing local creeks by way of carefully stepping on mid creek stones and rocks (again without slipping off, getting soaked) for fear of being laughed at by other Husky Boy members, whose feet remained dry. As years went by, the Husky Boy Club tests of skill and prowess continued to develop and evolve, including the ability to eat an entire apple pancake by oneself, at Walker Bros Original Pancake House.

Often times, upon my request, Mike would sit at a local piano and play for me the first few bars of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 for piano - a powerful and impressive introductory set of chords, all for my benefit, just because I asked.

It became a tradition for many years - a group of our friends would celebrate the last day of school by going to Par King in Morton Grove, Ill, to play miniature golf. As an example of Mike’s wry sense of humor, on that same day, Mike would announce to the group exactly how many days remained of Summer vacation before we had to go back to school in the Fall. Simply saying, Mike enjoyed getting a rise out of people.

One funny story to close with - while waiting for carpool pick from Sunday school, we (including Mike, I’m sure) were carrying on as kids do, not paying attention, to what was going on around us. That week’s carpool parent pulled up and we all piled into the car, while continuing to carry on. Closed all the car doors, then the driver turned her head around. Realizing we were in the wrong car, we all scrambled out of the car, further fueling our excitement.

The last time I saw Mike was this past July while attending our HPHS class of 71’s 55th reunion. We played pickle ball the day before the celebratory dinner where my wife Patti and I shared the same table with Mike.

Yes, Mike was quirky, was very smart, was quick witted, with a dry sense of humor and often followed with a slight smile and a twinkle in his eye as he spoke. I will SO miss him.

Joel Pathman