Michael Oliver Kronewitter

Michael Oliver “Big Mike” Kronewitter was born in Mishawaka, IN on March 24, 1928. He left us on June 22, 2017. Always a big believer that it was better to be 3 hours early, than 1 minute late, we believe he is standing at the gates of Heaven waiting for St. Peter to open.

Big Mike was the final child of a very prolific union between Lizzie Mae (Anders) and Charles Kronewitter.  As the favorite (if you asked him, he’d tell you) child, he was loved by all his siblings. His parents and siblings; Eleanor, Ray, Frank, Joe, Barbara, Illah, Bettyjane, Bob, Pat, Henry, Catherine (Cupie), MoAtta (Slimmie) all went ahead to prepare the way for their brother. Mike is survived by his wife Leatrice (Shorty), and his three children, who will miss him very much, Michael “Little Mike”, Janet Lee (Kronewitter-Leedy) and “Baby” Jane (Fazi). His precious Karen (Clem) went to be with the Lord far too early and he is now reunited with her.  His son-in-law, Floyd Fazi, Jr. and four grandchildren, Michael “Teeny Mike”, Kathryn, Emily and Charlotte Fazi will remember their grandfather through the many stories he leaves behind.

Big Mike had many jobs. Some were official; others were tasks he took on to help his family or others. He worked at a Clark Oil gas station, at Bendix, as the Kremo Bread man who drove the little merry-go-round to the stores, at Studebaker, as a roofer, a basketball and softball coach, house painter, auto mechanic, aluminum siding installer, refrigeration repairman and finally, at NIPSCO.  He retired from NIPSCO in 1989. He will long be remembered as an avid Euchre player, playing with the same guys before work, every day for almost 30 years. Big Mike never intentionally lost a game of anything, teaching his children that if they wanted something, they had to work for it. When you finally beat him at something, you knew you had earned it. This was one of many valuable life lessons he taught his children.

“It never hurts to ask, they can always say no”, was Big Mike’s credo in life. Every Kronewitter child knew the word “finagle” because of him. He had no shame when it came to undercutting or getting a deal, because, as he said, they can always say no.  Big Mike taught his children valuable lessons in life; working hard, helping folks, being honest and having a sense of humor were at the top of the list.  

Mike was a big, bald, bearded man with huge hands and long, strong arms, who, with his crooked smile, could always make a person feel better. He was easy going and jovial, but when he had an opinion, that was it, “because he said so and he didn’t need a reason”.  Although he didn’t believe girls should drive, wear short skirts, go to sleepovers or date, he did believe they should know how to put on a roof, putty a window, cut a board and change a tire. He also believed he should change diapers, color in coloring books, make paper doll clothes, and teach his children to sew and crochet.

Obituaries often list schools, jobs and honors, but the true essence of Mike Kronewitter is not to be found in a list such as that. His essence is to be found in the words his children use to describe him.  Everyone’s friend, great sense of humor, finder of great deals (scrounger), provider, supporter, strong, athletic, always smiling, took things in stride, honest, jack of all trades, and the most important one, Great Dad!  If you judge a man’s life by his education, awards and accolades, then Big Mike wasn’t much, if you judge a man’s life by his legacy in his children and the lives he affected for the better, then Big Mike was top notch.

Even as his memory failed him due to Alzheimer’s, he was always pleasant, ready with a joke or a story. We used to say the Memory Ward was great for him because he could tell the same jokes over and over again and they were always new.  He was a happy, contented soul right up to the very end, most likely a gift from God for the type of life he led.  When someone leaves us, you can shed tears that he is gone, or you can smile because he has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all he's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't see him, or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember only that he is gone, or you can cherish his memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back. Or you can do what he’d want: smile, open your eyes, tell a joke, eat a hamburger, and go on.

Farewell Big Mike, you will live on forever in our hearts and our stories.

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