Service measured not by GOLD,
                           but by the GOLDEN RULE

Service measured not by GOLD,
          but by the GOLDEN RULE

330.262.7771

On January 24, 2023, Michael Alan Harter, 65 officially quit the band Felony to play with the heavenly hosts after a long illness.

Born on March 25, 1957 to Miles (Mike) and Mary (Hunt) Harter, Mike grew up just outside of Apple Creek. When he was a teenager, he worked all summer to buy his first guitar from his uncle Fred Hunt. Music was a large part of his life after that. He played in many bands over the years with many wonderful people.

Mike was a graduate of Waynedale class of 1975 who played basketball, baseball, and ran cross country.

In 1978, he married Joni Thistlethwaite and they had a much-loved son Matthew. They were divorced in 1986.

In 1987, Cary Sowers auditioned to be the singer in his band. She got the job, and 3 years later, she also became his wife.  They had five wonderful children – Aaron (married Debra Wellman), Marissa (married Chris Swartzentruber), Sarah (married Garrett Higgins), Miles and Robert.  He was also blessed with 4 grandchildren – Cooper, Piper, Willow, and Ella.

Mike worked for 35 years as a machinist for the Will-Burt Company and also owned Harter’s Music where he loved to introduce others to the wonders of playing music.

Mike was a unique person who made his mark on many people and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his father, his aunts Ruth Harter and Irene Hunt, his uncles Bill Harter, Bob Harter, Dick Harter, Fred Hunt, Bob Hunt, and Howard Hunt, and cousins Linda Harter, Billy Harter, Danny Harter and Jimmy Harter.

He is survived by his mother, wife, children, grandchildren and his 1965 Gibson SG.

Funeral services will be held Monday, January 30, 2023 at 1:00 PM at McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 E Larwill St. Wooster. Interment will follow at Apple Creek Cemetery.

Friends and family will be received an hour before the service.

A Celebration of Life will be from 5:00 to 8:00 that evening at The Ugly Duck, 3331 E. Lincolnway, Wooster. We would love friends and family to come share their stories and memories of Mike.

The family would like to thank Lifecare Hospice for their help in caring for Mike.

Memorial contributions can be made to Lifecare Hospice, 1900 Akron Rd., Wooster.  We will also have a receptacle at the celebration if you would like to donate at that time.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com

15 Comments

  1. I’m gonna miss you Mike , Have known you 35 years , We had some good jams back in the day , I will miss stopping at your store for some great laughs . You sure loved music and guitars , you will be missed . Love ya ,Gary Brown

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  2. RIP Mike, always remember your kind nature and awesome smile! Another 1975 class-mate gone way to soon 🙏. My sincere condolences to family and friends.

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  3. Cary and family, my condolences to you in the loss of your husband, father and son. Mike was a wonderful person.

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  4. Rest in peace Mike. It was an honor to work with you all those years. You will be missed. May God bless you and be with your family

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  5. I am so sorry too hear of my cousin, Mike passing away. My Dad sold him his first guitar. I remember how he would always say Mike was such a good player. Mike, Cary & his band played at my Mom & Dad’s 50th Wedding Anniversary which was at the Freedlander Chalet. We will never forget you & your memories will remain with us forever. You will be missed by so many. Our deepest condolences to Cary & his family. His Mom, Mary, which is my aunt.

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  6. Oh Mike… I don’t know what to say. You were a great guy and we had some fun jams over the years. God bless you and your family. Love you brother

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  7. My sincere condolences to your family Mike.
    Many fun years to remember!

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  8. My sincerest condolences to Aunt Mary Harter, Cary and the Family. Mike: you always had a smile ready and great conversation. I always enjoyed swapping stories about playing gigs through our mutual love of music. Greater still was your love and care for your mother, family and friends. You will be greatly missed. Sending love, sympathies and wishes for peace to all, your cousin, Alison Ruble.

    Reply
  9. It’s so hard to lose a long time friend and band mate. Mike was introduced to me by his friend and fellow guitarist – Wayne Clason, from Orrville back in 1985. They were 100% the reason that I started playing drums in the first place (never picked up a drum stick prior to that day and they had enough confidence in me to make me their drummer on the spot). We played our first gig four months from that day. We made a whopping $150.00 for the gig. That band, Cornerstone, was the first of three bands I was in with Mike. Bad Habit (band) followed with this unknown, great singer, named Cary Sowers and then I was part of Felony with the late, great, Jimmy Parker. Condolences to Cary and their children at this time. Love you brother and you will be missed dearly.

    Reply
  10. My condolences to Mike’s family. As shop supervisor at TMD in Wooster (owned by Will-Burt in Orrville), I hired Mike as a truck driver about 1979. I always enjoyed Mike and he had a long and successful career with Will-Burt moving up to a machinist, as TMD moved to the Orrville Industrial Park.

    Reply
  11. What a nice guy ! We didn’t spend a ton of time together ,but, for decades every time we saw each other he was always a kind and happy guy. We did a little jammin’ many moons ago. My condolences to Cary and the kids.

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  12. So very sorry to hear of the passing of Mike. He was the perfect combination of sweetness mixed with orneriness. Had a lot of good times with Mike and Cary from playing drinking UNO to watching them in Felony back in the 90’s. My condolences to Cary and family.

    Reply
  13. Enjoyed working with you and becoming friends. You always took time to listen. You will be missed. God gained an awesome musician.

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  14. Always had a van and never ending smile in the fun 70’s days, and an amazingly good heart RIP

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  15. I was so sad to hear this about Mike although I’m far away I lost touch with a lot of friends I think the first time I ever seen him he was playing in a band somewhere and he had the big hair thing going on and I was like yeah there’s a rocker!

    Then I got to know him later on through working at Wilburt company.
    Eventually I did enjoy playing with him in one of the incarnations of Felony we had fun and got to know him so much better and his wife Cary.
    Always remember that his guitar looked a little big on him when he played and that’s what I always love and remember , because that’s what he loved doing playing and also having his family.
    it was an honor and always will be being your friend and bandmate
    Till we meet again
    love you

    Reply

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