Michael was born in Columbia, South Carolina to the late Haskell and Jean Vowell Warren. He was a US Navy Veteran. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where he also obtained a master’s degree in Library Science. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his children: Nora Sullivan and husband Brian of Raleigh, NC and Michael Warren and wife Leah of Richmond, VA; grandchildren, Caroline Sullivan, William Sullivan, and baby Warren (due in August); brother, Johnny Warren and wife Betsy; and sister, Judith Blackwell and husband Alton.
Michael was a true Renaissance man who appreciated good food, beautiful art, music, and the Dodgers. In his younger days, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and tennis. His extensive travels took him to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. His adventurous spirit delighted in the wonders of a new culture, where he immersed himself in local customs and cuisines. He was game for both delicacies and dares, and he loved to tell stories about sampling the world’s hottest peppers and crispiest grasshoppers. His favorite cities included Barcelona and Paris, which he explored with his children.
When his health made travel impossible, Michael continued to write, draw, and cook. His famous Thanksgiving dressing and homemade pies were specialties. He always kept an old-fashioned tub of lard in his pantry, as he insisted no other ingredient creates the light, flakiness of an expertly crafted pie crust. When the weather turned cold, he would make “snow chili,” using his own recipe, which required three days to prepare and called for unsweetened cocoa, French roasted coffee, and two different dried chilies. Michael was convinced his snow chili (and his self-claimed moniker the “Rain God”) could summon a winter wonderland.
Michael loved any excuse to celebrate a special occasion with good food, good drink, and an especially rich dessert. He particularly loved the magic and light of Christmas. He took great joy in adorning his tree in cranberry and gold, setting out his Christmas village and making up stories about its inhabitants, and tracking Santa’s path around the world.
While he loved food, the outdoors, and travel, the written word was Michael’s one true love. He was an avid reader and a devoted admirer of John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. Michael wrote and published several novels that explored his notions of truth, beauty, spirit, and love. His semi-autobiographical works drew from the dozens of journals and scrapbooks that he painstakingly compiled. He meticulously documented every day, every tasty morsel, every new experience, and every phone call or visit with a friend in various handwritten notebooks and calendars. He saved tickets and programs from his son’s Jazz Band performances, his daughter’s high school plays, nearly two decades of dance recitals, favorite museum exhibits, mementos from his travels, and pieces of Christmas wrapping paper that he found particularly sparkling and colorful.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, April 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in the Lake Room of the Bur-Mil Park Clubhouse, 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road, Greensboro, NC 27410. Bur-Mil Park was one of Michael’s favorite places to walk and hit golf balls. Michael’s family is planning a unique event to honor his life and celebrate his many loves. Hanes Lineberry North Elm Chapel is serving the Warren family. Online condolences may be made at www.hanes lineberryfuneralhomes.com
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