Title	Mr.
Last Name	Lange
First Name	Michael
Middle Name	David
Maiden Name
Nick Name	Mike
Place of Birth	New Caslte, PN
Date of Birth	1943-05-06
Place of Death
Date of Death	2018-04-28
Publication	Eastern Gazette 5/4-10, 2018 p5
Obituary	Michael David Lange,74, of St. Albans, died April 28, 2018 from cancer at Redington Fairview General Hospital. He was born on May 6, 1943 in New Castle, Pennsylvania, the only son of the late John William Lange and Mary Louise Kelly. He was adopted at the age of three and raised by his paternal grandparents, the late Ferdinand D. and Dorothy Weiss Lange. He lived in Detroit, Michigan until he graduated from Detroit Cathedral High School in 1961. He moved to Maine in 1972 and spent several years as a radio announcer in Skowhegan and Farmington, using the stage name Dave Michaels. His kids have fond memories of records and headphones and a vast array of artists always playing. He later switched careers and reported for the Advertiser-Democrat in Norway, Somerset Reporter in Skowhegan, The Eastern Gazette in Dexter, Morning Sentinel in Waterville, and the Moosehead Messenger in Greenville. During his semi-retired years, he wrote part time for the Piscataquis Observer in Dover-Foxcroft and then returned in 2015 to The Eastern Gazette. He served on the Maine Press Association Board of Directors for three terms and was executive director of the organization in 2009-2010. Mike served on active duty with the U.S. Army from 1961-64 at Fort Knox, West Point, and Korea, as well as more than 20 years in the Army Reserves. He retired as master sergeant (E-8) from the 76th Division U.S. Army Reserves in Augusta when the unit was deactivated in 1994. He was an officer with the Skowhegan-Madison Elks lodge for several years and served as Exalted Ruler (President) in 20ll-2012. He later transferred to the Sebasticook Valley Lodge in Pittsfield where he served as Exalted Ruler in 2015-16. Mike was also a member of the Meridian Masonic Lodge in Pittsfield, Fraternal Order of Eagles in Skowhegan, the Carter-Dulac VFW Post in Dexter, the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis Club, and was a past commander of the Roderick-Crosby American Legion Post of Farmington and the Corinna American Legion Post. He was also a longtime Red Cross blood drive volunteer coordinator. He attended St. Albans Union Church. Mike and his wife, Ronda C. Lange, enjoyed 37 wonderful years together until she succumbed to Alzheimers disease on July 31,2017. Mike was passionate about animals, feedingthe birds and the occasional squirrel, even befriending and feeding neighborhood cats, who thought of Mikes place as their second home, He was an avid gardener, always looking forward to planting annuals around the house each spring. Mike and Ronda enjoyed stock car races and traveled throughout Maine and New England to attend races. They were devoted Red Sox fans, and Mike followed the games until his passing. He is survived by a son, Matthew Lange, of Portland; a daughter, Leslie Obiri and her husband, Ronny, of Concord California.; two grandsons, Gilberto Perez of San Francisco and Oliver Obiri of Concord, a stepdaughter, Amy Cyr and her husband, David, of Farmingdale; two granddaughters, Molly Cyr of Orrs Island and Nora Cyr of Farmingdale; a stepsister, Madelynn Lange of Waterford, Michigan; and many cousins in the Detroit, Michigan area. A memorial service will be held at Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Avenue in Pittsfield, on Sunday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m., followed by a reception at the Sebasticook Valley Elks Lodge in Pittsfield. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elks National Foundation, c/o the Sebasticook Lodge, PO Box 459, Pittsfield, ME 04967 or to the Maine Alzheimers Foundation, 383 US Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074-9843. To leave a message of kindness for the family, please visit www. shoreynichols.com