Michael (Mike) John Kripaitis passed away peacefully at his home in Andalusia, AL, on July 31, 2024, after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Born in Seaford in Feb. 1965, Mike was the son of the late Bob and Carolyn Kripaitis. He was also preceded in death by his younger sister, Becky Kripaitis. Mike is survived by his devoted wife, Conni Kripaitis, and his loving siblings: Kevin Joseph Kripaitis, Barbara Ann Holstein, Paula Kripaitis Neely, Lisa Schappell-Parsons, Maria Kripaitis Rauba, and Robert Grant Kripaitis.
Mike spent his early years in Seaford, where he graduated from Seaford High School in 1983. He also attended Sussex Vocational Technical School, earning a certificate in welding. Mike was always fixing things around the house, a skill that would later define his career.
In 1983, Mike joined the Navy with plans to pursue welding. However, his fascination with Naval aircraft carriers led him to a new path: working on airplanes. He served as a technician on F-14 fighter jets on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East and was stationed in California. He became a shift supervisor, and was honorably discharged in 1987. After his military service, Mike began working for Grumman Aerospace, continuing his passion for aircraft. His career then shifted to passenger jets, where he spent 26 years with Alaska Airlines, working in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, CA. Mike later joined United Airlines as a maintenance supervisor in San Francisco, CA and Denver, CO.
Mike’s life was rich with hobbies and interests. He enjoyed crabbing and camping with his family, golfing, traveling, boating, hunting, training his hunting dogs, fishing, scuba diving, and flying as a private pilot. His love for fixing things extended to cars and just about anything broken. In Colorado, Mike discovered a new passion: farming and ranching. Together with Conni, he learned about farming and caring for animals, and of course tinkering with tractors and farming equipment.
Mike and Conni were planning to retire to Alabama when Mike received the devastating diagnosis of a glioblastoma brain tumor. He moved to Alabama to continue his treatment. Conni cared for him through the ups and downs, and he died peacefully at their home. Mike had an infectious laugh, a good heart and gave the best bear hugs. He will truly be missed by his wife, his family, his coworkers and his friends.
Mike will be buried at sea. A celebration of Mike’s life is being planned near Fort Walton Beach, FL. If you would like to attend, please contact a family member. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Glioblastoma Research Organization in his memory at https://www.gbmresearch.org/donate.