Michael Maybo Jr. 66, of Keene passed away at home on Sunday morning March 5, 2017 surrounded by loved ones.
Michael was born the eldest son of Helen (Grenyo) and Michael Maybo, Michael grew up in Yonkers New York in a lively multicultural community.
After graduation from Syracuse University in 1972, Michael was drafted and served in the United States Air Force in Minot, North Dakota. He served as a Missile Launch Officer and was honorably discharged at the rank of 1st. LT.
After his service, he began his teaching career which brought him back to New England and ultimately to Keene High School from where he retired in 2015.
If a measure of a life well lived is to have left the world a little better than how you found it, Michael Maybo lived well. He marveled at the natural world and shared his wonder with all around him: kids, students, friends and family.
As a child in Yonkers NY, he would rise before the sun to trap muskrats along the Hudson River and dry their pelts in the basement of his familys apartment building. He learned to love hunting and fishing from his Dad and enjoyed the outdoors, hiking and scuba diving throughout his life: the plains of North Dakota the gentle mountains of Vermont and southern New Hampshire, and the coral reefs of the Caribbean. And for those who shared time in nature with him, a world previously unseen became visible: sassafras growing in the dunes of Cape Cod, bird calls and behaviors, bear scat, turtle nests, a squad of squid, and yes even snakes, or as he called them animals. His classroom at Keene High School was a menagerie of land, air and sea.
He was a fanatical recycler and insisted that his household produce no more than one small bag of garbage a week. More often behind the camera than in front, Michael was a skilled photographer who enjoyed sharing his images and teaching the artistry. Throughout his life he enjoyed basketball and played in community leagues everywhere he lived. An excellent cook, his dilly beans, wild grape jelly, and venison jerky were his signature gifts. As a drafted veteran of the Vietnam War era, he became a dedicated peace activist. Indeed, the world is a better place for him having lived.
Michael leaves his spouse of 20 years, Jacala Mills, who he often called the best thing that ever happened to him; his beloved daughter Natalya Maybo Gilbert, son-in-law Ben Gilbert and his grandson Hunter; Jacalas son Asha Zimmerman and his wife Meghan Zimmerman; his Mother who he called the rock of his family; his three siblings Ellen Maybo, David Maybo and Chrissy Sinatra, her husband Walter, their children Anthony Sinatra, Jennifer Koehler and Karen Sinatra; his cousin and godfather to Natalya, Pete Slivka; and his outlaw sisters-in-law Jamie Mills and Maureen Murphy and their entire family. Michael also leaves his close friends Julie Wolf and Jeff Scott and his beloved Golden Retriever Isabel. Predeceasing him was his father.
Special thanks to Hospice of HCS and their loving caregivers. Calling hours will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 11 to 12pm. A celebration of life service will follow. All will be held in the funeral chapel. In lieu of flowers, Michael would have preferred donations be made in his memory to the Natural Resource Defense Council on-line at NRDCgreengifts.org or by sending a check to NRDC, 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011. All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel and Crematories, 44 Maple Ave. Keene, NH. 03431. www.cheshirefamilyfh.com.
