Michael D. True G’69 died on December 22, 2023, in Auburn, Maine.
Michael D. True G’69
(The following was provided by the Sun Journal on March 3, 2024:)
Auburn – Michael David True passed away surrounded by family early in the morning of Friday, December 22, 2023.
Mike was many things to many people. He was a life partner to Edie Williams. He was a father to his four children, Michael True and Angela True of San Francisco, Calif., Elijah True of Lewiston, and Michaela Washington of Auburn. He was Pappy to his grandchildren, Maya, Evie, Lila, and Delaney, a father-in-law to (and Boston sports commiserator with) Alex Washington, and father-in-law to Hillary True.
Mike was a teacher, mathematician, a man of enduring conviction and intellectual curiosity, a sports nut, avid runner, a lover and purveyor of antiques, expert bridge partner, a passionate off-key singer, maker of pancakes, biscuits, pies, and pasta Mexicali, bedtime storyteller, candlelit dinner debater, stubborn optimist, dangerous water-slider, and a man who followed the inscrutable mandates of his soul.
His humor, wit, and undeniable charm made the world brighter and certainly more interesting for everyone who knew and loved him. He was absolutely unique.
Mike was born to Marshall and Marion True on July 3, 1941. He grew up in a working-class family in Cape Elizabeth with his older brother, Marshall, and his younger sister, Marilyn. From an early age he worked tirelessly to achieve his goals, doing odd jobs, farm work, and manual labor. He liked to tell stories of the people who taught him the value of experience in a craft. He held great respect for people without means or formal education, even as he pursued his own lifelong education. He practiced his basketball game relentlessly, fueled by his passion for the sport and his loving but competitive relationship with his brother who seemed to be effortlessly good at everything. Mike’s work ethic and obsessive dedication earned him a spot on the Cape Elizabeth High School basketball team and then the Bates College team where he eventually became captain.
Mike went on to graduate from Bates in 1964 with a B.S. in physics, then later received an M.A. in mathematics from Bowdoin College. Mike had many parallel passions and vocations. He had a long career teaching high school math, eventually retiring from Maine School of Science and Mathematics in 2002. He was a consultant for the MEA mathematics exam and spent eight years as a faculty consultant and table leader for readings of AP Calculus tests. He owned an auction company and two antique stores over the course of his life. He coached track and field and spent years as a certified basketball referee.
It cannot be overstated how deeply he will be missed.