Michael Giddings

Michael Francis Giddings was born on November 29th 1944 in Omaha Nebraska and died on August 5th 2018 in Denver Colorado. He was the Stradivarious of his family orchestra; the instrument whose quality of sound defied attempts to explain or equal. Though blind experiments never found any difference in sound between Stradivari’s violins and others of comparable style and make, their legendary tone nonetheless demanded thoughtful consideration and a sensitive approach. This is to say that Mike was one of a kind. Mike had a passionate heart and was devoted to his church (St. Andrews), his twin brother (Pat), his “baby sister” (Lisa), his many dogs (the last of which, Lucy, survives him) and his community in Denver. As an 18 year old he joined the Christian Brothers, founded in France by St. John Baptiste of de la Salle and learned the sacred art of teaching, which he would continue to do in various venues throughout his life, touching the hearts of thousands of students. In the 1960s he marched with Dr. King for racial equality and in the 1980s he became what he would later call one of the “first flowers” of the gay rights movement in the United States, coming out proudly and honestly, living his life as an openly gay man. He loved black coffee, long conversations, animals and flowers; and spent many long hours tending to his gorgeous rose garden that was the envy of all his neighbors. Perceptions of people are misleading. Instead of the agitator he would sometime portray with his personal sensitivities and desire for deep connections, he may have been the very glue that kept us all together. St John Baptiste de la Salle: pray for us. Live, Jesus, in our Hearts; forever.