Michael G. Rechner

Michael Rechner was born in 1938 in Akron Ohio and grew up on Theodore Street in South Akron. On the block lived Eastern European immigrants, Black Americans, and white Americans from West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, who came to work in the wartime defense industry. Michael had fond memories of playing baseball with the kids on the block, the Theodore Street Bums. He was a “great team player.” His mom made the uniforms: t-shirts stenciled with “Bums.” Only later did he realize how unique it was to live in such a diverse community. This formative experience set the tone for his personal and professional life; he was curious and open to people from all backgrounds as well to new experiences.

Michael was the oldest son of George and Mary Rechner and the big brother of much-loved younger siblings Judy and Mark. After high school in Cuyahoga Falls, Michael attended Miami University, transferred and graduated from Kent State. He went on to earn Masters Degrees in Finance and Political Science, and was a finalist to be a Rhodes scholar. He was working on his Doctorate in Political Science—all that was left to do was his dissertation—when he enlisted in the Army; he knew he would be drafted.

Michael was stationed at Presidio in Monterey, CA, where he learned Russian. Next he was sent to West Germany. It was the Cold War; he translated and intercepted Soviet communications. While in the service he traveled widely. When he mustered out he continued his travels through Europe for six more weeks until his money ran out.

Back in the U.S. he joined Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) and in Chicago at a training, met his future wife, Jean. The two were both sent to Florida to work for the Miami Housing Authority to help people who were getting displaced by the building of new roads. When Michael and Jean weren’t working, they went to baseball games, to plays and movies, and went out for beers. When Michael proposed, Jean said she’d think about it over the Christmas break. She returned to say yes.

The two married in 1966, honeymooned in the White Mountains, and moved to Kentucky after Michael got a job with the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, where he worked on desegregating swimming pools, restaurants, and hotels.

Michael and Jean began their family. Their eldest son Mike and daughter Mary were born in Frankfort, Kentucky, followed by Jennifer and Jessica who were born in Far Rockaway, New York, where they all lived in a winterized bungalow near the Atlantic Beach Bridge. They were happy—Jean was closer to her family and Michael started his long career with Housing Preservation and Development for the City of New York. In time they bought a house in Oceanside with help from the GI Bill and Jean’s dad, moving next to Lynbrook, where sons Matthew and Christopher were born, creating “baby mania” for their parents and older siblings. Michael’s beloved youngest daughter Jeannie was born in 1988. His family kept growing. After his wife and children, his beautiful twelve grandchildren were his greatest joy; he loved getting to know each and every one of them and being part of their worlds and lives. He also very much loved and appreciated his sons and daughters-in-laws Dina, Barry, Bill, Beth, and Erica.

When Michael retired from the City of New York, he was hired by the Village of Valley Stream (where the family had moved) and worked part-time for the Valley Stream Department of Public Works/Roads and Highway.

As devoted as he was to his wife and children, Michael had additional loves. He was a lifelong jazz aficionado, going to concerts of jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis (to name but a few). He woke his kids up at night playing records. Often, when he bought himself a record, he bought his kids one, too. 

An avid horseracing fan, he loved celebrated destination tracks like Saratoga and Gulf Stream, but Belmont was his home. The whole family went to the races. (Now and again Jean got the morning off while Michael took the kids to Breakfast at Belmont.)

Michael’s sports knowledge was encyclopedic. He followed everything, but it was Knicks All The Way and the Mets had his heart.

Michael also loved plays, movies, museums, galleries, and classical music. He was an avid birder too, with an internal life list. He loved the beach and the woods; he knew the names of trees.

One superpower of Michael’s was his focus, his attention to detail, his patience, his desire to absorb and savor all that he saw or heard or smelled or tasted or touched. He wasn’t fast. He was a master of living in moment (even if the rest of us were finished looking at paintings or were sick of the Bronx Zoo bird house). You couldn’t rush him. He didn’t demand much from life, but he did take his time.

Michael Rechner, a man of deep faith. He lived his values. He loved wholeheartedly, especially when it came to the love of his life, his wife Jean, who he left a brief numbered list of what to do after he died. Call insurance, call the bank, and so forth. At the end he said Thanks! xxoo To all-what a great journey it’s been!