Michael W. Doucette

In his last days, Mike Doucette was still trying to help people better their lives. Just days before his death, he told a friend and his pastor this message: ""No matter what, keep pursuing God."" Michael William Doucette – beloved husband, father, son and brother -- of Aurora, Colo., died Wednesday, March 23, after fighting a lengthy illness. He was 47. Mike was born Dec. 8, 1963, in Hampton, Va. He was the second of four children born to Bill and Elfi Doucette. Mike grew up in Virginia, Illinois and Colorado, graduating from Arapahoe High School in 1982 before heading to college at Colorado State University. While there, he earned two degrees – the first in biology, and a second in computer science. While attending CSU, he met, fell in love with and later married Lisa Meyer, of Fort Collins, Colo., on Aug. 29, 1987. Together they had two children – son Jordan and daughter Katie. After completing his computer science degree, Mike began work for Conoco as a programmer in Houston, Texas. He later moved on to work at Sybase in Denver, Colo., with his new family settling in Aurora. During his time as a programmer, he helped write one program that received a patent and worked on another project that has a patent pending. Mike was passionate not only about work, but also sports, fitness, the outdoors, and most notably, his faith. During high school, Mike played football at Marengo High School and also competed in track at Arapahoe High School. He also enjoyed basketball and indoor soccer, competing in several recreational leagues. In 2002, Mike took up bodybuilding, competing in several all-natural bodybuilding shows and winning numerous trophies. Mike also loved the outdoors. He spent many summer days dating back to his childhood fishing rivers, ponds and lakes, and particularly enjoyed fishing for trout in Colorado's mountain streams. He later became an avid hiker and recorded some three dozen ascents of Colorado's ""14ers,"" the peaks that soar to more than 14, 000 feet in elevation. In all these things, Mike learned as much as he could about his pursuits, and if he found them beneficial, he would share his knowledge with others. He trained and coached several bodybuilding and fitness competitors and helped many others transform themselves with healthier lifestyles. His love of the mountains evolved to the point where he no longer sought new peaks to conquer, but instead desired to guide people up the mountains he'd come to love. But his biggest pursuit was his Christian faith. Mike was an avid student of the Bible and considered famed British writer C.S. Lewis his favorite author. Mike shared his faith with his own family growing up and raised his children to be followers of Jesus Christ. At his church, Southeast Christian Church of Parker, he helped lead youth Sunday School. Mike worked hard to live his life with purpose, hoping that God would use him to help others come to know and grow closer to Christ. His efforts succeeded repeatedly, as evidenced in this online post made by a young woman who attended his church. Her post, in part, reads: ""The first time I met Mr. D, I was walking through the lobby at church. I was having an awful day and was trying not to cry. I left the youth room planning to go to the bathroom to cry my eyes out. I started praying, 'OK, God. I need to see your love. I need to see you. Please send me one person… who can listen to me and explain and teach me. God, just one person. Amen.' I looked up and sitting on the couch was Mike with his open Bible. He looked up at me and smiled and I just plopped down by him and we talked through the services about everything. ""Thank you for sharing God's love and understanding with me that one day and all of the days in between. You so greatly influenced my walk with the Lord."" In his last days, Mike continued to reach out to others, be it family, friends and even the medical staff at the hospital where he was treated for his illness. And it was in his last days he voiced his biggest wish for all who loved him: to never stop pursuing God, even in the most challenging of times. He also reached out to fellow patients, one of whom wrote a letter to Mike within the last week. ""In the little time that I have gotten to know you and your family, you have had a profound impact on my father and I,"" the man wrote ""I know things haven't gone well. But despite that fact, you have inspired me to live the best life that I can. I have been given a rare opportunity – three chances at life – and I'm gonna to make the most of it."" Mike is survived by his wife, Lisa, and two children, Jordan and Katie, of Aurora, Colo.; parents Bill and Elfi Doucette of North Richland Hills, Texas; sister Shiela Sundland of Spring, Texas; brothers Steve Doucette of Hannover, Pa., and Bob Doucette of Shawnee, Okla.; and a host of cousins, nephews, nieces and other relatives from across the United States and Germany. Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday at Southeast Christian Church, 9650 Jordan Road, Parker, Colorado. A viewing will be held Saturday at 5:00 p.m. at Horan & McConaty, 11150 East Dartmouth Avenue, Aurora, Colorado. A memorial fund has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can send donations to any Wells Fargo Bank branch, and ask for it to be donated to the Michael Doucette Memorial Fund. The family has asked for contributions to the fund in lieu of flowers. Please share your memories of Mike and condolences with his family by selecting the ""Sign Guestbook"" link.