Michael Haynie Obituary

Michael Graham Haynie

September 5, 1943 - June 17, 2024

Michael Graham Haynie, age 80, of Roanoke, Virginia, died on June 17, 2024, at Heritage Hall, Clintwood, Virginia, after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Joyfully, he was lucid, happy and at peace when he took God's loving hand.

Mike was born September 5, 1943, at Wilmington General Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware, to Lloyd Graham Haynie, Jr. and Emma Jane Engleby Haynie during his father's WW II military service.

Mike attended Roanoke City Public Schools, graduating from Jefferson High School. He enrolled in Hampden-Sydney College, but interrupted his studies to enlist in the U.S. Army. He served most of his active duty in the Army Honor Guard where his job included serving as sentry at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, working at various White House ceremonial functions. At the time of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, he was assigned as an Army sentry at the catafalque when the President's body was lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda. After completing his active duty, he finished his service in the Reserves while returning to Hampden­ Sydney to complete his degree. Along the way Mike met the lovely Kathryn Bell, a Canadian student studying in the U.S. They married, living mostly in Fincastle, Virginia, raising son Harris and daughter Shannon in an historic Colonial era house. They enjoyed colorful friendships, wonderful food, art, conversation and enriching cultural events. But as times changed for the entire country, when son Harris and daughter Shannon had entered adulthood and independence, Mike and Kathy realized that their paths were now widely divergent; and they ended their marriage.

Mike's employment after college was with IBM in Roanoke. But he once joked that "my career was careers." After IBM he tried his hand at multiple ventures, including a fiber optics installation firm. He worked as a Bluegrass DJ on Public Radio as "Your Bluegrass Buddy." His love of Bluegrass lead to another partnership in recording and production under two well-known labels, Leather Records and Ambush Records. He worked with many major artists and discovered the huge talent of the beloved Clare Lynch... and he was a pretty good guitar picker and dobro player himself. He worked as a stockbroker, a loan officer, an "auto finder" for those who needed cars but weren't skilled at finding a suitable, reliable vehicle at a decent price. He worked in outdoor recreation helping others get involved in paddling kayaks and canoes, hiking, camping, climbing activities that he loved so much. When he was quite young he became enamored with Boy Scouts and earned his coveted Eagle Scout badge. He later guided grandson Graham to his Eagle badge as well. Also as a youthful entrepreneur, Mike had a paper delivery route. This effort afforded him a huge opportunity to compete in the Roanoke Times and World-News YOUNG COLUMBUS competition... and he won! This marvelous contest is still sending a lucky young carrier on a big trip each summer, filled with wonderful experiences. At a time when air travel was still something of a novelty for most people, Mike traveled across the continent from New York City by train, stopping to visit cities large and small along the way, then flying from California to Hawaii for the ultimate destination of beaches, Pacific Ocean, music, culture, language, tasty new food and excitement!

This trip engaged him in a love of travel for the remainder of his life. Mike loved jazz, Afro-Cuban music, opera, orchestral and chamber music... all classical music, especially baroque with a deep fondness for Handel and Bach. He also loved to cook and appreciated fine food and drink. He eventually refrained from alcohol as he realized his pleasure in fine spirits and great wine had become an addiction. He espoused Alcoholics Anonymous until he was no longer able to attend meetings. He loved animals, particularly dogs. He was besotted with the vast expanses of the American west and all that was included: horses, rodeos, cowboy hats, cowboy poetry gatherings and music, Western movies and Gunsmoke. He married wife, Margaret, on March 28, 2013, and bought a beautiful classic adobe house in Taos, New Mexico. They lived there briefly, made friends with a number of working cowboys, and the welcoming native members of the Taos Pueblo. After Mike suffered from a catastrophic health event, however, they decided to return to Roanoke where they would be closer to family and the readily accessible medical care available there.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Graham Haynie and Jane Engleby Haynie. He is survived by his wife Margaret Zieber Haynie. Also surviving are son Harris Haynie and sons Graham Haynie and George Haynie with former wife Cecilia Schultz, and son Wesley Haynie with wife Heather McNulty Haynie; daughter Shannon Haynie Burns and husband Douglas Burns and their daughters Kathryn Burns and Eliza Burns. Also surviving are Mike's three siblings and their families: brother Douglas Haynie and wife Susan Mozley Haynie and their son Jeffrey Haynie, and daughter Caroline Haynie Stanger and husband Ryan Stanger and their children, son John Stanger and daughters Ivey Stanger, Wen Stanger and Emma Jane Stanger; brother Bill Haynie and wife Vickie Reed Haynie and their daughter Claire Haynie and her son Graham Fitzgerald, and their son Andrew Haynie; and sister Jan Haynie Arthur and her husband Parker Arthur, and their daughters Elizabeth Arthur Coffey and husband Eoin Coffey, and Julia Arthur Younts and husband Jacob Younts and their daughter Emma Graham Younts. Mike had many wonderful friends, too many to name here, but all loved. However, there were some who gave heavily of their love and support to Mike and Margaret during the time that Mike waged his war against his insatiable illness. So we honor: Don Hasler, Robert and Beth Shelor, Doris and Tom Berdeen, Dave and Terry Kahn, Kathy and Troost Parker, Dick and Judy Clark, Jim Gibson, Sherry Angell, Patti Cooper, Harriotte Dodson McDannald; and the remarkable, loving caregivers at Heritage Hall, Clintwood, who made Mike a family member and kept his mind alive.

Mike's funeral and burial were held at Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin Virginia, on June 24, 2024, where he received a full, majestic military service thanks to the staff and volunteers from the cemetery, the VFW, the DAV, American Legion Post 58, the National Guard of Roanoke, Virginia, and Mr. Clynis O. Phillips of Clintwood-Colley Funeral Home whose kindness and compassion to Mike's family will always be remembered.

The fight against Alzheimer's is a difficult one. So is educating and assisting the families of victims. We must find a cure -Alzheimer's affects everyone who is a victim or loves a victim. Memorial donations can be made to help that fight to: Alzheimer's Association of Central and Western Virginia, 355 Rio Road West, Suite 102, Charlottesville, VA 22901