Michael Carl Ludders

April 24, 1983 - May 23, 2021

Memorial Service

Mass of Christian Burial
June 26 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church
2348 Collier Pkwy, Land O Lakes, FL 34639

Memorial
June 26 1:30pm - 6:00pm
Plantation Palms Golf Club
23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., Land O Lakes, FL 34639

Obituary

Michael Carl Ludders beloved son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle and friend died at home in Wesley Chapel, Florida May 24th, 2021. He died of a heart attack. Mike is survived by his parents Stephen and Dawn, his brother, sister and nephew; John, Saskia and Christian, his aunts Patricia, Mary Katherine, Molly, Jeanne and Pat, his uncles Doug, Carl, Jim, Paul, Patrick, and Robert, his cousins Ryan, Margarette, Laura, Beau, Robert, Daniel, Brian, Leslie, Jay, Edward, Katherine and Benjamin. And many, many dear friends.

He is joyfully reunited with his mother Jane; his grandparents Paul and Marian; and Carl and Eileen, his aunts Ellen and Billie and uncle Jim and his cousin Stewart.

Mike was born in Chicago Il, grew up in Buffalo NY, went to college in Gambier OH and worked in New York City, Seattle WA and Tampa FL.

Mike attended High School at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute and graduated from Keyon College. He was a Paralegal for Paul, Wise Rifkin in New York. He was a Legal analyst for Microsoft and the Legal Assistant to Corporate Counsel at Noble House in Seattle and Controller for TLC Travel Staff in Tampa.

Mike was involved in Rowing, Model UN, Mock trial, Band, many charitable fundraising drives and wrote for the Buffalo News while in High School. He played Ultimate Frisby, was an editor of the Keyon Collegian newspaper, was involved in the Debate club and the Model UN team that won the small college national title held annually at Harvard in his junior year. He was active in his church as a Eucharistic Minister at St, Joe’s in high school. And as a member of the Newman Club and Eucharistic Minister at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic church at Kenyon College.

Mike had a way of making people feel unique and important and was loved by many of the people he touched. He will be dearly missed.

Services will be held on June 26th in Tampa. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land ‘O lakes FL at 12:30pm; a Memorial Celebration at Plantation Palms Country Club at 1:30 and a reception at Plantation Palms at 3:30pm.

Remembrances

What single thing to say about someone whose friendship has so defined your life for 20 years? There are simply too many memories, so I will recount how we met, and how it changed my life. When I got to Kenyon, I was a long way from home, yet full of excitement at the promise and possibility of a new beginning. However, by the end of the first semester, things were not going well for me, neither academically nor socially. I could not even get along with my roommate! Depressed, I spent more and more time with the few friends I had made in the third-floor triple dorm down McBride Hall. It was there that I met Mike over a game of chess and a cup of coffee. All around me swirled one of those uniquely college conversations, between Nick Kwiek, Adam Jacksonbey and Mike. At some point Mike quipped something uniquely Mike--at once as clever as it was insightful as it was deep as it was meaningful--as it was uproariously funny! For the first time in many months, I laughed until I could barely breathe. I knew I had found a life-long friend. Through my friendship with Mike, college and life turned around to become what I always hoped it would be. It seemed if I were ever feeling down, walking through campus, he would (often literally) pick me up, toss me over his shoulder and drop me into something new and fun. Through him, I found purpose, direction, friends, and activities. He had such an ability to bring people together and bind them as friends. Wherever he was, however long he had been there, it was as if he'd always been there, and they had always known him. Through him, I met so many amazing people--especially my wife Sara (a Mike-filled story of its own!), had so many adventures, and was left with so many fond memories. No matter the ups or downs of our lives, I always knew that Mike was just walk, a drive, a call, and email, or a video game chat away. Whatever followed, would be at once funny, profound, and meaningful. Mike's passing leaves a unique, and appropriately Mike-sized hole my soul, and I will miss him terribly.

I was two years ahead of Mike at Kenyon, but was quickly wowed by him during MUN. Confident and persuasive but not arrogant, knowledgeable and ambitious but not nerdy or overbearing, he was a genuine team player who truly wanted everyone to succeed. He brought so much energy and enthusiasm to his passions, and gave his all to so much. Mike was so perceptive, and was always ready to offer a shoulder to those in need. He was an all-around incredible guy, an inspirational figure who brought out the best in others. I lost touch with Mike a few years after college, though I'd wonder what he was up to. This is such a sad loss to anyone who knew 'Husky.' RIP, Mike.