Michael Robert Rodak

On Wednesday, November 9th, Michael Rodak, loving husband to Stephanie Rodak, loving father of Emma Davis-Rodak and Sophia Davis-Rodak (Erik Pomrenke), and loving stepfather to Skyler and Joshua Canizales, passed away at the age of 60. Michael is survived by his beloved wife Stephanie Rodak, two daughters, Sophia Davis-Rodak and Emma Davis-Rodak, two stepsons, Skyler and Joshua Canizales, father Robert Rodak, and two sisters, Anne Rodak and Lisa Stoller (Denny Stoller). Michael was preceded in death by mother Marilyn Rodak and father-in-law Steven Bowling.

Michael Robert Rodak was the adored son of Marilyn Rodak and Robert Rodak. He had two sisters, Anne Rodak and Lisa Stoller. Michael was a bright and active youth, playing football and running track for his high school, Gabriel Richard. Michael received a scholarship for Michigan State, and attended both Michigan State and the University of Michigan. Michael developed an avid interest in cooking at an early age and worked as a professional chef in Ann Arbor, West Virginia and Los Angeles. His family was proud of the fact that he had worked for the American chef Mark Peele (an apprentice of Wolfgang Puck’s turned farm-to-table chef) and that he helped to open Mark Peele and Nancy Silverton’s restaurant Campanile in Los Angeles in 1989. After moving back to Michigan, in 1995 he had his first daughter Sophia with his first wife, Clea Davis and moved back to Michigan.

Mike had a natural talent for strategizing, and began training to work as a consultant when he found work at the Michigan consulting company PCUBED. He had a proud sixteen-year career there, doing program management in London, Canada and Germany, and consulting for Ford during the inception of the first American hybrid car, the Ford Hybrid Escape. During this time he fathered his second child, Emma Davis-Rodak. Through his rigorous work ethic and ingenuity, he left his role as Vice President at PCUBED in 2016 to help found and serve as partner at the company Envorso.

In November of 2020, Michael met Stephanie Bowling, soon to become Stephanie Rodak, his best friend, his “strawberry”, and dearest wife. The two loved going for long walks outside, singing in the car together, going for coffee dates and enjoying Saturday football games together. Michael told his family that he’d found ”the love of his life” and looked forward to spending the rest of his days and longer with the woman he’d felt he’d already known all his life. Michael and Stephanie, both ambitious in their careers, had planned on starting a sports program for individuals with disabilities together. They had also looked forward to finding a cozy home and enjoying life together with their four children.

Michael was a big-hearted husband, father, son and brother. He always knew how to brighten up life and provide comfort and support to friends and family. He was empathetic and intuitive of the needs of others, supporting his wife during her long working hours, making meals for the homeless on Thanksgiving or providing a compassionate ear to his daughters and stepsons. He loved to be around family and nurture people with his cooking, and there isn’t a day (or holiday) that won’t suffer from his lack of presence. Michael had a passion for life that energized his work, colored the life around him and gave him an insatiable curiosity. He taught his daughters to read voraciously, to nurture inquiry and to find immense joy in the overlooked beauty of nature. He especially loved kayaking down the Huron River and spending summer days at his family’s cottage in Irish Hills, Michigan. Though his absence is deeply felt, his family will do everything they can to honor his creativity, hard work and love and to carry on his spirit in this life until they see him in the next.

A Memorial Service will be held on December 27th at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Wyandotte, Michigan. Flowers and donations can be sent to 8233 Hidden Forest Drive, Holland, Ohio, 43528.