Michael Alan Cobb

Michael Alan Cobb died at home with family at his side.  Mike was born in Chicago, the only child of Jeanette, nee Van Steenberg, and Cordis Cobb who proceeded him in death.  He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Mary Kay (Henehan), daughters Lynn (Fred) Alvarez, Katie (A J) Riggs and Claire (Brian) Rodriguez and two grandchildren Brian and Katherine Alvarez.  Mike battled metastatic sarcoma for nine years.   He endured the many surgeries and treatments with characteristic puns and jokes.  His goal was to make every person he met in waiting rooms, treatment rooms or hospital rooms smile but preferably to laugh.

While names and dates are important, they don’t capture the person that Mike was.  He was a man of many interests.  He collected hobbies and along the way made lifelong friends.  Photography, bicycle riding, aquariums, books (mostly history and mostly on the British army in India, the World Wars, British military uniforms, military airplanes and the list goes on… so very many books) were just a few of his interests.  Later in life, he loved to cook and took immense pleasure in gardening.  Mike loved to fill his many pots with colorful blooms to decorate the deck.  The first trip to the garden store could not come early enough every spring and his chili is legendary.

Yet his enduring twin passions were painting military miniatures and MGs.  If he was not in the basement painting, Mike was in the garage tinkering on an MG.  He owned two in his lifetime:  a 1972 MGB and a 1953 MGTD.  Mike was actively involved in the Military Miniature Society of Illinois (MMSI) and the Chicagoland MG Club.  He held many offices in each and was president of the MMSI at the time of his passing.  Regardless of his official titles, his absence will be felt acutely by the friends that shared his passions.  Mike’s absence at the breakfast table on Monday mornings will be felt by the MMSI bunch.  His bag of spare parts and willingness to lend a wrench will be missed by MG enthusiasts.

Mike saw his beloved Cubs win the World Series after saying, “Maybe next year,” over and over again.  When baseball season ended, the Hawks hat came on and hockey took center stage.  With a game on the radio and the top down on the MG he was at his happiest.

Godspeed, Mike.

Visitation will be held at St. Alban’s Church, 6240 N. Avondale Ave in Chicago, on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 from 4:30 to 8 P.M.  A graveside service will be held at Maryhill Cemetery, 8600 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 11 am.  Please wear a mask and observe social distancing.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, PO Box 98160, Washington, DC 20090-8160, www.curesarcoma.org/donate/ or the Gary Sinise Foundation, PO Box 368, Woodland Hills, CA 91365, www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate/ are appreciated.