Mike Sheridan

In 1961, Mike Sheridan’s growing faith led him to visit the Corinthians Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California, where he met two people who would shape the rest of his life: W. Robert Stover, whom he would later work for at his temporary help service, and Joan Lamping, whom he went on to marry.

Over the next decade, the young couple began raising their family and became active local volunteers with Young Life.

In 1971, in a major life change and step of faith, Mike moved the family to Vancouver, Canada, where he became the property manager for Young Life’s Malibu Club. In a remarkable twist of fate, his employment contract was signed by none other than Young Life President Bill Starr who, in 1954, had led a group of high school kids from western Washington to serve on the very first Malibu work crew. Among that group was the young Joan Lamping.

Mike and Joan cherished raising their children in Malibu’s stunning and unique setting. It was an exciting and deeply meaningful time for the whole family, leaving a legacy of powerful memories and lifelong friendships. In fact, when Mike was asked just five weeks before he died to name his best work memory, he pointed to those years at Malibu. Joan would have wholeheartedly agreed.

In 1978, the family moved to Colorado Springs for Mike to manage all of Young Life’s camps, cementing a shared, lasting vision with Joan of creating beautiful places where kids could hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

In the late 1980s he left Young Life, but in 2001 Mike got a call back to Canada to help build Young Life Canada’s RockRidge Canyon in Princeton, British Columbia, closing out a remarkable legacy of developing special places and people.

“Pop Pop” would want us to remember a few things: that working hard with your God-given skills is deeply spiritual; that we should not fret — at all; that fairness and honesty matter in all our dealings; that gratitude is essential for everything God has given us; and that he was looking forward to his inevitable reunion with Joan in a better place. He will be deeply missed.

Mike was preceded in death by his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Joan. He is survived by his daughter, Kimberley, sons Timothy and Sean, and their families.