After a tough fought battle with cancer, Michael Allen Fasbinder, age 49 of Napoleon, passed away Wednesday, September 14 surrounded by his family and friends. Mike was born on October 26, 1966 in Greensburg, IN, the son of the late Robert L. and Sharon Fasbinder.
He attended Batesville High School and was a proud graduate of the class of 1985. It was during this time, he achieved one of the highest honors a teenage boy can receive, the honor of being an Eagle Scout. This went on to be displayed in his perfection in what he set his mind out to do and his willingness to always lend a helping hand.
He met the love of his life, wife Kathy Moore, and they were united in marriage on June 15, 1996, in Gatlinburg, TN, celebrating their 20th anniversary this past summer. To this marriage was born his everything, daughter Mikaela Lynn Fasbinder. In everything he did, she was his true pride and joy. He enjoyed mostly his weekly daddy-daughter date nights that might dinners out, a movie, or build-a-bear.
Mike was owner/operator of Southeastern Truck and Trailer located in New Point, IN. He previously was a mechanic for Bedel’s Marathon in Batesville, was owner/operator of a Marathon station in Batesville, worked as a mechanic at Koch Auto and Truck Repair in Batesville, employed as a customer service representative for Wood-Mizer in Indianapolis, and was a heavy equipment operator/mechanic for Schutte Excavating and Johannigman Excavating in Greensburg.
Mike had a driven compassion for the Pontiac vehicles. His first car was a ’71 Pontiac Firebird. He and his good buddies Chris “Buckwheat” Hooten and Lance Smith enjoyed many car events, including the Street Machine Nationals in Duquesne, Illinois, and drag races at Edgewater in Cleves, Ohio. Because of his love of Pontiacs, Mike became a proud member of Pontiacs of Southeastern Indiana (POSI).
Another passion of Mike’s was creating and building. He designed both homes the family lived in. He preferred doing the work himself and had a difficult time near the end of his life accepting the fact that others had to finish some jobs. For his daughter, he created and built a one of a kind fort that his little girl Tater could enjoy for years.
At the end of November 2015, money was raised by friends, family, and strangers through Go-Fund-Me so that Mike and his family could spend what would be their last Christmas at Disney World. When Mike found out about the trip provided by others, he broke down and said no one had ever done anything like that for him before. The money was well used on a lasting experience for Mike and Tater to enjoy the rides and festivities in Florida.
When Mike came to terms with the fact that his time on earth was limited, he decided to fulfill one of his bucket list wishes—take a trip to Paris, France. Leaving the rest of the family behind with not a care in the world, on May 13, 2016, Mike joined a Rick Steves European Travel group for a two-week tour of various places in Europe.
Mike was preceded in death by his father Robert, maternal grandparents Leonard and Mae Kohlman, paternal grandparents Clarence and Elsie Fasbinder, cousin Karen Cain, and father-in-law Tyler Moore.
He is survived by wife Kathy and daughter Mikaela at home; mother Sharon; brothers Doug (Debbie) Fasbinder of Cleves, OH; Jason (Claire) Fasbinder of Sarasota, FL; nieces Pamela and Meagan; and nephews Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, and Zaile.
A gathering of family of friends will take place on Monday, September 19 at Neal’s Funeral Home in Osgood from 4-7 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made out to the Mikaela College Fund in care of Neal’s Funeral Home.