Michael R. Begis, 61 of Hegins, passed away suddenly on May 18th. 

He was the son of the late Joseph and Jean (Bilder) Begis and brother to Joe, Lenny, and Joy (Marlow). He was also the love of his wife, Marsha's, life for the almost 24 years they were married, and the 26 years they have been together. Additionally, he was a devoted father and loved their sons, Mason, Mitchell, and Matthew, more than words can express, and would do absolutely anything for them.

Mike took a meandering path in life that eventually led him to enroll in Penn State University and earn his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, he made life-long friends in "The Club" and formed a strong circle of knowledge. It was also during this time that he met his future wife by chance when they both happened to take the same summer 202C English course, which changed both of their lives forever. Mike graduated and worked as a Civil Engineer for the past 25 years, having the opportunity to work with and meet many people. He truly enjoyed his work and was very knowledgeable in all forms of "nerderating," which Marsha would always playfully tease him about.

Mike was active in his community and tried to help whenever he felt he could make a difference. He was involved with the Tri-Valley Soccer Club as a vice president and coach for many years, even after his kids had stopped playing. He also helped coach Tri-Valley Youth Basketball, was a Hegins Township Supervisor, and served on the Northumberland County Chamber of Commerce and the Schuylkill County Conservation District (and there may be more).

Mike could fix just about anything, which could qualify him as a "fix-it fairy". He would take care of everyone's vehicles, was at the ready if the dryer needed a new motherboard, could replace a laptop keyboard after an unfortunate soda incident, and wouldn't shy away from replacing a toilet or anything else that needed to be done. He was also a proficient Amazon shopper and would research and order anything at the mere mention of possibly needing or wanting something. Cooking was another of Mike's many talents, and he could throw together just about anything delicious from his "well-stocked pantry". He was even good at curing meats and dabbled in making cheeses. Bartending was another specialty, and he enjoyed making different drinks. He was always at the ready for "Manhattan Fridays". 

Mike was an avid Penn State Football fan and would rarely miss a game, even if it was just listening on the radio. Saturdays during the fall are football days, always filled with food and family in specific seats so as not to jinx the game. Even during a trip to DC in 2016, Mike and Marsha planned a day around watching Penn State, which led them to open a bar, watch Penn State defeat Michigan State, continue watching football, crash a birthday party, partake in a free glass of Pappy Van Winkle, close the same bar, and make some new friends. Despite the many highs and lows, Mike never gave up on his team.

The loss of Mike and all that he loved is beyond measure. His love of music like Johnny Cash and Aerosmith, and random movies like "Good Will Hunting", "Notting Hill", and "The Martian" to name a few, as well as his in-depth knowledge of Seinfeld (despite a disputed trivia loss) were part of the many things that made him so "Mike" as well as "Smoochie" (a play on Schmoopie if you happen to watch Seinfeld too). He enjoyed spending time with friends and going out to eat (especially at Jack's) as well as staying at home just to sit outside with a fire and watch deer in the field or cars pass by. These are memories that will always be treasured. 

Words cannot express the heartbreak and tremendous loss of Mike from our lives. He truly cared deeply for his family and friends, even in his own "Mike kind of way". Nobody understands why life happens the way it does, but the same can be said for how people come into our lives.

A private service will be held on Saturday, June 20th, to reminisce and celebrate the time we had with Mike. As we go from this date and beyond, he will continue to be remembered and missed every moment of every day, and then some, always and forever. 

Buffington Reed Funeral Home, Valley View is honored to serve the Begis family with arrangements, condolences can be left for the family at buffingtonreed.com.