Michael J. Larkins

Michael J. Larkins On October 3, 2009, two days after his 57th birthday and 7 days before his 1st anniversary. Michael (Mike) Larkins went home to be with his Lord and Savior after a short courageous battle with a rare form of gastric cancer. Mike was the eldest son of Harold (Dar) Larkins and Loraine Larkins (Pete Hills) of Mason. Mike is survived by both parents, his loving wife Kolleen, her children Kenneth (Heather) Scott, Christian Scott, two grandchildren Ravyn and Marley, his brother Steven(Shannon), sister Patricia Haindel, brother Thomas(Tammy), grandmother Neva Strickling and many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. Mike graduated from Mason High school with the class of 1971. Mike hired in at MSU in their computer department right after high school and worked there until he was drafted into the army in 1972. After serving in the military as a Chaplinâ€™s assistant at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, he returned to MSU until he was hired by NCR . At NCR Mike taught every course offered in the Teradata curriculum and gained a reputation as one of the best Teradata utility and SQL experts in the business. He retired from NCR in April of 2000 after 18 years of service. In retirement, Mike joined Thomas Coffing of Coffing Data Warehousing of Middletown, Ohio. Mr. Coffing called Mike "a genius," and a pioneer in the world wide data warehouse world. Mike had the privilege of traveling all over the world teaching major corporations about Teradata. He was highly sought after by corporations such as BCBS, Boeing and Verizon. Mike, along with Tom Coffing wrote the highly sought after book "Teradata Unleash the Power" Which employees have found to be so beneficial that offices often told them that their copies often mysteriously disappear from their desks. Mike was not only a great business man, he had a heart for people. One of his greatest pleasures was serving weekly at the Lansing City Rescue Mission over the last 8 years. He also served with the Holt Food Bank, The American Legion Posts of Mason and Holt and in many areas at his church. There will be a military grave side service at Markham Cemetery on Grovenburg Rd. the morning of October 16 at 9:30 am, a memorial service will follow at 11am at Trinity Church on Dunckel. Donations can be made to the Lansing Rescue Mission 607 E. Michigan Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48912 or the Trinity Community Food Drive 3355 Dunckel Road Lansing, Michigan 48911. As Mike would end all his messages: "The best things in life aren't things, God wants your life to be a banquet, so don't starve. Arrangements by the Holihan-Atkin Funeral Home, Grand Ledge. Online condolences and guest book entries may be made at www.holihanatkin.com

Michael J. Larkins

October 1, 1952 - October 3, 2009