On Friday, December 12th, 2014, Michael Louis Povinelli, devoted husband, beloved son and brother, wonderful friend, man of Ruth’s dreams, was taken from us too soon in a tragic accident. 

 

Born May 1, 1958, as the eldest child of Louis and Gloria Povinelli, Michael (“Lou” to his childhood friends and “Pov” to his military friends) grew up with his sister and band of friends in Elmont, NY. Life in the Joan Court neighborhood was always an adventure with Michael; he grew up living on the edge and mellowed wonderfully with age.

 

At 18, Michael followed his passion for flight by enlisting in the Air Force. During his career as an aircraft mechanic at Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base, he fell in love with the West. He stayed to attend the University of Utah, serving in the Utah Air National Guard. He graduated as an Air Force ROTC cadet with a BS in Political Science and­­ a coveted USAF pilot training slot. After getting his wings, he flew KC-10 tankers at March Air Force Base, becoming a military instructor and evaluator. Michael was proud of his military service, and retiring as a Lt Colonel, USAFR, he continued his enthusiasm for flying at Delta Air Lines.

 

Ruth and Michael met flying combat refueling missions and covering each other’s backs during the first Gulf War. Their deep friendship grew into the love they will forever share. They married in 1998, building a life together in Salt Lake City, UT. He and Ruth were truly best friends and partners in life.  He always answered her phone calls with “Hello, Beautiful!” and asked her every day, “Have I told you that I love you lately? It’s true, I do!” We can scarcely imagine one without the other.

 

Ruth introduced Michael to the art of motorless flight. In sailplanes, they loved to share their delight of soaring all over the West, often flying together up to 250 miles without an engine! Michael was a great instructor. For over a decade, he brought the joy of soaring to Utah Civil Air Patrol Cadets. He taught and mentored many in the soaring community, sharing his passion for flight and motivating those around him to excel.

 

Michael was a wonderful friend who always made time to care for lifelong friendships. He had a tremendous heart and a knack for making others feel special. He was deep, thoughtful, and opinioned; a man of character, respect and humor.  Michael was genuine: the same with everyone he encountered. A spiritual man, he knew who he was. To children, he was their personal jungle gym; to dogs, he was a guaranteed scratch behind the ear. He could look you in the face and tell the most outrageous truth so frankly, you would think he was joking. When he was wrong, he would acknowledge and accept the consequences; when he was right, he was absolute in his certainty. He had a gift for comforting people in times of trouble or pain.  

 

When he was in a room, you always felt his presence. We still feel him in our lives. We will always miss him, and we will be forever thankful we knew him.