I knew Mike from the time we were both five years old when his family lived near mine. The Canadays lived on Circle Drive for a few years until their new house on Hwy. 50, west of town, was completed. We lived on Morris Ave., around the corner. Mike was always a very spirited guy, full of fun and mischief, and a good athelete. Over the years we worked on our Cub Scout badges, attended First Baptist, and played football and basketball together. He had a minor hearing deficit, it appeared, that I now think he covered up by being a jokester, but he was smarter than some might have thought. When thinking back about my years at BHS, I always remember the time Mike jumped out the second story window of Mrs. Willis's French classroom while her back was turned, and then confusing her by knocking on the door to be readmitted to the class. I lost touch with Mike after graduation, seeing him only a couple of times. The last time was while he was serving in the Navy prior to his untimely death in an auto accident. He was a good guy, and it's a shame he cannot be with us now to share what would surely have been an adventure-filled life.
Mike and I were good buddies and went to the Junior- Senior together our junior year. What a great time we had! He always made me laugh. When we learned in Mrs. Willis' French class the word for "candy" was "bonbon," that struck us as funny (for some strange reason) and we started calling each other "Bonbon" in our Benson-ized version of a French accent. After his time in Viet Nam, we reconnected and he told me he had decided to become a lawyer, like his dad. He went back to school at ECU, only to be killed in a car accident shortly thereafter. He would have been the life of the party at this big reunion. We will drink a toast to you, Bonbon.
Doug Strickland (1963)
I knew Mike from the time we were both five years old when his family lived near mine. The Canadays lived on Circle Drive for a few years until their new house on Hwy. 50, west of town, was completed. We lived on Morris Ave., around the corner. Mike was always a very spirited guy, full of fun and mischief, and a good athelete. Over the years we worked on our Cub Scout badges, attended First Baptist, and played football and basketball together. He had a minor hearing deficit, it appeared, that I now think he covered up by being a jokester, but he was smarter than some might have thought. When thinking back about my years at BHS, I always remember the time Mike jumped out the second story window of Mrs. Willis's French classroom while her back was turned, and then confusing her by knocking on the door to be readmitted to the class. I lost touch with Mike after graduation, seeing him only a couple of times. The last time was while he was serving in the Navy prior to his untimely death in an auto accident. He was a good guy, and it's a shame he cannot be with us now to share what would surely have been an adventure-filled life.Doug Strickland, class of '63
Bobbie Woodall (Perry) (1963)
Mike and I were good buddies and went to the Junior- Senior together our junior year. What a great time we had! He always made me laugh. When we learned in Mrs. Willis' French class the word for "candy" was "bonbon," that struck us as funny (for some strange reason) and we started calling each other "Bonbon" in our Benson-ized version of a French accent. After his time in Viet Nam, we reconnected and he told me he had decided to become a lawyer, like his dad. He went back to school at ECU, only to be killed in a car accident shortly thereafter. He would have been the life of the party at this big reunion. We will drink a toast to you, Bonbon.Ray Barbour (1969)
i was at ecu. mike got me kicked out of the embers club at atlantic beach. funniest guy i ever met.lol ray