Edward Michael Masters

Edward (Mike) Masters of Marshall, Michigan had a real passion for antiques his whole life. He started at the tender age of 5 seeking buried treasure in area lots. By 16, he was buying at auctions, and at 17, he started selling his finds at garage sales due to lack of storage! Born on January 27th, 1965, he was the son of Donna (Smant) and Paul Masters, and brother to his sister, Suzanne (Suzie) Masters. Mike and Suzie were raised on a farm between Charlotte and Olivet, Michigan. Farm life taught Mike responsibility at a very early age. He developed a strong work ethic, learned the value of a dollar, a deep love of the land and was curious about the history of everything around him. He wasn't afraid to get dirty, learned what it meant to be selfless, understood life and death, and knew that his sister was his best friend. Mike was extremely industrious over the years as he fined tuned his passion for antiques. In the early days, he was a dealer at an Antique Mall in Schoolcraft. He later opened Pineapple Lane Antiques, followed by the Marshall House Antique Center for approximately 10 years. Mike loved this business. He loved the history that you could learn from antiques, and he always felt it was important to hang on to our heritage. Mike would do area and regional antique shows to sell his wares and spend time with good friends… he was always learning and sharing his expertise. At one point, Mike began doing estate sales for folks he knew. He would later join a partnership and open the Marshall Town and Country Antique Mall. Somewhere in all of this, he even took time to teach an antique class for many years! Later, Mike would sell antiques in the Saugatuck-Douglas at the Blue Star Antique Pavilion, and at 29th Street Antiques in Grand Rapids; all while he sold on Ebay! Always evolving to meet the community needs, Mike started Masters Estate Sales. He put together a crew of amazing folks that he trusted and enjoyed working with. As a team, they organized and hosted some of the best sales in the region, and served many families in transition and at times of great emotional and financial need. Most recently Mike started selling online through Facebook, not once but two times per week! Mike was well known throughout western Michigan. Most all folks that knew him will tell you that he was kind and gentle guy. He had a great sense of humor, was a dear friend, mentor, brother and so much more. He not only had an engaging personality and a way of making you feel special, but his generosity of spirit and heart were unmatched. In recent years, Mike suffered from complex health issues relating to his heart. At the age of 56 years, he suddenly passed away on Tuesday, April 13th while with a close friend and work associate. As usual, they were on their way to work at an estate sale. Mike was always on the move. We're all heartbroken by his passing and so very thankful he was in our lives. We love you Mike and we'll miss you tremendously. Mike is survived by his sister Suzanne Masters, his nephew, Eric Troll and wife, Debbie Troll Fancher, along with his sweet niece, Katelynn Troll; and finally, Cody, the "Bumpy Bumpkins" pooch.
The family plans to celebrate his life in a memorial later this year. They want to thank all the many kind and generous words of support. They appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Arrangements were entrusted to Kempf Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Please visit https://www.kempffuneralhome.com to view the online obituary, sign the guest book or leave messages for the family.