Michael Linkowski

January 14, 1966 - March 17, 2018

Michael Linkowski, aged 52, passed on March 17, 2018. Michael leaves behind his wife Tracy after nearly 23 years of marriage, and three grown sons - Max, Bram and Sawyer. Much beloved in his hometown of Cardiff By The Sea/Encinitas, CA as a tile contractor and devoted friend, he touched the lives of many, not just through his work but also his great humor and outsized personality. Recently moved to the beautiful Heber Valley in Utah, Michael and Tracy realized a life-long dream of building their own home, and where they had time to get to know some of the members of their church and community. Michael and Tracy were blessed to be much comforted by their new friends in Heber and old friends from California as Michael’s cancer returned last June. Bubba, Moose, Log, Big Mike, The Rock, Linkity - these are just a few of the nicknames Michael answered to proudly throughout his 52 years. More important than his nicknames, though, were his titles: Father, Husband, Son, Brother, Friend. Michael was born in Akron, Ohio in 1966 to Michael Regis and Diane Antal Linkowski. An idyllic midwestern childhood amongst the cornfields and streams was interrupted by the untimely death of Michael, Sr. in 1974. Diane had the great fortune to move with Michael and his older sister Michelle and younger brother Rick, to California shortly after their father’s death, settling in Del Mar. A lifelong love of the ocean and music were Michael’s passions as a boy. He always had a song at the ready and could make up rhymes on the spot, something he continued to do even in his last days. He never strayed from the coast for much of his life. He raised his family in Cardiff By The Sea along the San Diego coastline, mere miles from where his sister Michelle and brother Rick raised their families in Encinitas and La Costa. Michael’s early years were filled with adventures, some of which he was lucky to survive, like the time he broke through the ice on a pond near his house and fell in up to his neck; or when he cut a 220 volt electrical supply line with scissors and was blown across the yard, spending several weeks recovering with burned hands, only to break his fingers immediately afterwards in an unfortunate sledding incident. Michael’s “luck” (or divine providence as he would acknowledge) extended throughout his life though he never struck it rich in the lottery which he played often. Michael struck it rich in other ways, with many talents, a larger-than-life personality, and a love for God, family, friends and food, not necessarily in that order. Michael met his wife Tracy Fuller at the Pannikin cafe in Del Mar, California, where he worked after high school. They dated briefly until Michael took Tracy, a novice skier, on a skiing date where, impatient to enjoy his first snowboard run, left Tracy to fend for herself on a black diamond run. Years later, Michael would look up from his drum set while playing with Randy Fontaine and The Swingers at the Mandarin Coast restaurant in Solana Beach to see Tracy in the audience. Michael was a true romantic and loved grand gestures, so he called upon Randy Fontaine (Chuck Gross) and Tommy Ajax (Adam Kaye) to serenade Tracy at work on Valentine’s Day. That sealed the deal and they married on May 6, 1995. Michael became an instant dad to Maxwell Berlyn Cook Linkowski, and he and Tracy had two more sons, Bram Fuller Linkowski and Sawyer Michael Linkowski. His sons were his everything, making him coin the phrase, “How you feel is who I am.” His special talent was making his wife and sons laugh and giving them bear hugs, which he always said were the best part of his day. Michael excelled at personal relationships. The friends he made in junior high are still his friends today. Never one to shy away from his inner emotional self, Michael had more than one BFF, who really have been and will be his best friends forever. His adventures took him to Europe with his friend Joe Spaid, where they traveled for several months storing up enough memories for a lifetime, which were shared liberally with all who would listen. Lake Tahoe was next where he lived with his friend Todd Finney, breaking ground as some of the first snowboarders on the local mountains. He helped his friend Travis Cary build a house on San Juan Island, eating copious amounts of fresh crab and oysters. If eating is a talent, Michael had it in spades. Michael loved to eat and enjoyed everything from street tacos to sushi, with a special place in his food heart for Cardiff Crack, a burgundy pepper tri-tip steak, and VGs Donuts, both local specialties in Cardiff By The Sea. Michael lived his life guided by a few simple principles: Work hard, play hard, serve others, and be grateful in all things. He cultivated friendships throughout his lifetime. He volunteered first whenever someone needed help. He served at his church callings. He always said thank you. He loved his Savior and his baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 12/12/08 was a date he never forgot. In later years Michael’s passions were his love of family and God. He loved his church and found renewed meaning in life through service to his ward and community. Pancreatic cancer crystallized these principles in Michael’s life, first in 2012 and again in 2017. He fought a hard and lengthy battle against pancreatic cancer with many setbacks and it is a true testament to his strength and the love of his family that he won against the disease for as long as he did. Surrounded by his three sons and his mother, and with his wife at his side, Michael’s last few weeks were filled with the beauty and humility that came from his complete faith in knowing that after his death, he would see his family again. Michael was grateful, even to the last, that he could build his dream home in the Heber Valley and look out his bedroom window at the magnificent Timpanogos mountains, a view he thought looked like heaven. Michael is reunited with his father, Michael Regis Linkowski, his grandparents Steve and Sophia Antal and Valentine and Lucille Linkowski, other family members, and his dog, Buddy the Beagle, who waited eagerly to welcome him home. Michael will be watching over his wife Tracy, his sons Max, Bram and Sawyer, his mother Diane, his sister Michelle and her husband Mike, his brother Rick and his wife Lynn, and his nieces and nephews, when he is not working and playing hard and serving others in heaven. Many thanks for the loving care given to Michael by the nurses at Intermountain Homecare & Hospice, who treated him with tenderness and love and who became part of our family. In lieu of gifting flowers, the family encourages donations to the LDS Humanitarian Fund (https://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/funds/humanitarian-general-fund), or to a charity of your choice. Memorial services will be held in Heber City, Utah and Encinitas, California: Heber City, UT Services - Saturday, March 24, 2018 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Heber East Stake Center 2395 South Mill Road, Heber City, UT 84032 A receiving line to greet the family will be held from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Services will start at 11:00 a.m. Encinitas, CA Services - Saturday, April 7, 2018 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1444 Lake Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024 A receiving line to greet the family will be held from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Services will start at 11:00 a.m.