MICHAEL JOHN FLITTER
19 January 1949 - 18 May 2003
Michael John Flitter passed on at his home in West Bend,
Wisconsin after a long and valiant battle with leukemia.
He is the son of John (deceased) and Elizabeth "Pep"
Flitter of West Bend. Mike is survived by his fiancée,
Sheila Angel of Racine. Numerous relations also survive
Mike.
Mike has inspired many about the wonders of our natural
world. Throughout his life Mike was a practical environmental
educator with an insatiable curiosity about the world around
him. He was in a sense a "gardener" planting the
seeds of environmental awareness to those who had the privilege
to know Mike --- literally around the world there are individuals
who are spreading environmental awareness because of their
contact with Mike. He was a proponent of the teachings and
philosophy of St. Francis, and was associated with the Secular
Franciscans.
Mike graduated from West Bend High School in 1967; received
a B.Sc. from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
in 1971 ; M. Sc. from the University of Wisconsin - Madison
in 1975 and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1986.
Professionally Mike was employed as a natural resource
specialist in Minnesota, Nevada and Wisconsin. He complemented
his vocation with a strong sense of volunteerism, serving
on the Boards of many organizations as well as volunteering
for many causes. Mike was one of the organizers and one
of the first lifetime members of the North American Association
for Environmental Education. Since 1990 he served on the
Board of the North American Coalition for Christianity and
Ecology.
An inscription by Mike in a book many years ago sums up
the life Mike tried to live: As with St. Francis may you
become an instrument of peace, love and forgiveness and
bring joy to all those in need. In so many different ways
Mike brought joy to those whose life he touched.
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