Michael Hassel

Sorry to hear of his passing. He was one of my favorite teachers at Estrella Jr. High. He use to call me lowrider for sagging my pants and than would tell me to pick them up. LOL I remember him for being a laid back type of teacher with a great sense of humor. I dont know why but one thought that has always stuck in my head was when I brought a un opeded soda into class and I dropped it. He asked me to bring it over to him and I thought that he was going to take it from me. But he said let me show you a trick not to make it explode once you open it. He than tapped on the top 3 times and opened it for me. He was a great teacher, one of the best if not the best Estrella has ever had. My condoleces to his family and friends.  

As a teenager I worked in the camp kitchen at his leadership camp in Prescott.  I looked forward to his return every year and the loving harassment of me and our cooks Kay and Linda.  I am sorry to hear of his passing.  The lives he touched are many, the mark of a quality teacher and person.  If I touch half as many in my time I will consider myself a success.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hassel family. I played for Coach my senior year at Trevor. I will never forget the opportunity that he gave to me to be part of that team. Having never played organized basketball before, he made it very easy to learn. He left an enduring impression on me, and helped me to open up and develop an attitude to achieve in life. I am forever indebted to him for that. He will be greatly missed. RIP Coach.

Mikey as I called him was my older brother and friend. How sad holidays will be without him pretending he didn't care, no text messages just saying hi. No one to call me @#$% for brains or when mom would catch him "some fine broad". memorial service so many people with similar stories as yours. I am sure the Eagle you saw was his spirit a spirit that will always be with us. I am sad and heart broken, but a peace for I know he is finally free and HOME.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Coach's family.  I regret that i didn't get to make the service.  I played basketball for Coach Hassel at Trevor Browne H.S. and basketball there was one of my greatest memories.  he was a tuff coach but he cared deeply for us girls on the Varsity team.. I played for him since Freshman year so i was very fortunate for him givin me that opportunity..  You will be missed coach and I hope your ballin in heavin..

Mr. Hassle, my english teacher in junior high and my basketball coach in high school. He has always been very close to my heart for he was such an inspiration in me. He believed in me and therefore I believed in him. When I hear the song by one of his favorite artist Bet Midler "Wind beneath my Wings" I always think of him and will continue to think of him. Mr. Hassle you will be missed NEVER frogotten. To Mr. Hassles family, I send all my love and prayers to you. You will be missed Mr. Hassle.

Mr. Hassell is what I always called him.  He was my son's teacher, coach and mentor.  He summoned me to a meeting regarding my son's grades.  When I get there, all he talks about is  how pretty I am.  I'm thinking, I took time off of work for this?  Then we get to  my son.  Now this happened a number of times till I finally said I couldn't be missing work that he should call me.  We became friends and he would come by house and take my son and his other students to events, out for pizza or whatever.  He put his heart into being a great role model.  But all along, I called him Mr. Hassell.  Great teachers deserve respect so that is what I gave him and he returned it ten fold to all the parents and students.  He will be missed.  Grief is hard to overcome, but so is love.

Mikey and I were (pretending) like we were married.  Ha called me  Ma and I called him Pa.  He gave me a ring from a gumballl machine years ago...and I still have it!  He talked about (besides his mom and dad) his 2 sisters and a niece.  I would LOVE for one of them to call me (503 728 2958) so I could talk to someone that he loved!  We met at Leadership camp at Cheley, some 20 years ago.  It was love (plutonic!) at first sight.  He could make me laugh sooooo hard!  mIloved him right off the bat!  We spent many summers together at leadership camps in CO, AR, and even OR!!!  We talked on the phone and I always tolds him not to look at the pretty girls or I would beat his ass!  he always said " No wayt Ma!"

I just found out tonite 4-18 about his death.  My heart has a huge hole in it and I can't stop crying.  Mikey was one of my best friends. If there was ever a way I could help any of you, I would do it in a heartbeat.  In the meantime I will continue to show ms kids the magic of leadership....just like he did.  If you want a few great laughs about Mikey, give me a call.  I will pray for his family, his "kids" ( and I'm sure he has plenty of them), but most of all for him.  I will always love and remeber "Pa".  He was generous, kind, caring, but most of all, my beloved friend.

Mike (Pa to me), was a big man with a gian heart.  He would call out of the blue to check on us and make sure we were ok.  I know now that the bald Eagle I saw yesterday (so close I could almost touch it) was him checking up on me.  I will miss you Pa!!