Sewell Michael Dean Sewell, 59, passed away unexpectedly in Columbus, OH, on April 15, 2017. He was a 1975 graduate of Whitehall-Yearling High School, and received his Bachelor's Music Education from Otterbein College in 1979. In 1985, he received his Masters of Music Education from The Florida State University. Mike began his teaching career in Crooksville, Ohio in 1979, and in 1981 Mike joined the music staff at Pickerington High School in Pickerington, OH, where he served as Band Director until his retirement in 2015. While at Pickerington, Mike directed The Marching Tiger Band, concert bands, jazz band, pep band, and musical orchestra. He also coached 7th grade basketball, and junior high and varsity baseball. Under Mike's direction the Marching Tigers performed for 6 NFL team's halftimes, 5 presidents, and appeared in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Dallas Cotton Bowl Parade, the Orange Bowl Parade and, the Miss America Scholarship Parade. The band was selected to the Phoenix Fiesta Bowl Parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and The Tournament of Roses Parade four times. For the past two years, he has been the Director of Music at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville, OH. Mike was honored by The Tournament of Roses in December 2014 for the most appearances (4) by an Ohio Band, selected by Columbus Monthly as One of the Fifty People, Places, and Things that make Columbus Great (January 2012), selected as Ohio Grange State Educator of the Year (2007), PLSD District Teacher of the Year (2000), and was Quarter Finalist for the 2013 National Grammy Educator of the Year Award. He was inducted into the Whitehall Yearling High School Hall of Fame in 1993. He was a member of OMEA, serving as an adjudicator, Sigma Delta Phi Fraternity, and honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Mike is survived by his wife of 37 1/2 years, Karen; his children, Daniel, Scottsdale, Az., Alyson, Madison, Wi., Andrew (Katie) of Baltimore, OH, Lea Hope, Pickerington; his parents, Earl and Dolores Sewell, Whitehall; brother, Mark (Robin) of Florence, Al.; sister and brother-in-law, Gretchen and Jon Hargis, Northport, NY; and sister-in-law, Dawn Freeman, Centerville; eight nieces and nephews, and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. Friends may visit from 2-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at the Pickerington Central High School Field House, 300 Opportunity Way, Pickerington, OH 43147, where a musical "Sewellebration" of Mike's life will take place at 6:30 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 24, 2017 at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 268 Hill Rd. N., Pickerington, OH 43147. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Fund at the Fairfield County Foundation, 162 E. Main St., Lancaster, OH, 43130.
Published in The Columbus Dispatch on Apr. 22, 2017∼"A longtime Pickerington high-school band director built a small music program into a nationally renowned one and touched the lives of thousands of students in his 34 years with the district.
Michael D. Sewell died on Saturday at age 59. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and children Daniel, Alyson, Andrew and Lea.
Pickerington High School Central, from which Sewell retired in 2015, will host a celebration of his life, featuring its bands, from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, said Principal Stacy Tennenbaum.
Sewell led the Marching Tigers in four Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, three Fiesta Bowl parades, two Orange Bowl parades and four Tournament of Roses parades in Pasadena, California. He was the district's Teacher of the Year in 2007.
But his legacy was so much larger than that, Tennenbaum said. "The relationships he built with the community and with students — it's amazing," she said. "It's the reason people go into teaching."
Tennenbaum said she expects a crowd on Sunday.
Colin Babcock, 19, a member of the Class of 2016, plans to be there. Because of Sewell, he said, he is a trombone performance major at Indiana University-Bloomington.
"I would go down during lunch every day and talk to him about life and music and everything," Babcock said. "He was the best teacher of any kind I ever had."
Kennedy Griggs, a French horn player in Central's Class of 2014, felt compelled to come home from Ohio University in Athens when she heard the news.
"He always used to say, 'One of the greatest gifts that you can give someone is your time,'" Griggs said. "It stuck with me."
Sewell gave his time and encouragement to Nikhita Sheller, Class of 2015, when she joined band as a sophomore and was feeling discouraged as she tried to catch up with everyone else. She's now a sophomore at OU, majoring in violin and saxophone.
"He was kind of like a father figure," Sheller said. "He's probably the most selfless person I ever met."
Sewell was in charge of the marching band, chamber winds, pep bands, jazz bands and musical orchestra. He chose to retire in 2015, he said at the time, because of changes at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
For the past couple of years, he served as a band director at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville.
The private school posted on its Facebook page on Sunday: "Goodbye, Mike. We will miss you. Although we are sad you are gone, we know that you are now in the presence of God, and walking freely at His side. The Angel Band is sure to sound better now that you are there!"
--Columbus Dispatch
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Apr 16, 2017
Pickerington Mourns Passing of Mike Sewell
Image of Mike Sewell
Pickerington Schools was incredibly sad to hear about the death of longtime band director Mike Sewell. Mr. Sewell, who spent his career shaping the lives of students at Pickerington High School Central until a few years ago, passed away Saturday. Please keep his family, friends, former students, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
While we do not have details about services, we are aware that Mr. Sewell affected the lives of thousands of students during his career. We will have counselors available for students and staff to talk to when school resumes on Tuesday.
"Mr. Sewell impacted more lives through music and teaching than anyone I have ever had the honor of knowing," said Stacy Tennenbaum, PHSC principal. "He touched my life and those around him with his sweet personality and his warm smile. He would give anything for his students and his colleagues."
District superintendent Valerie Browning-Thompson said it is no exaggeration to say that the Pickerington music program, including our marching bands, would not be recognized as one of the best in the state had it not been for Mr. Sewell's teaching and commitment to his students.
"Mr. Sewell's legacy will continue long after his passing, through the lives of those he touched as an educator, mentor, role model and friend," Browning-Thompson said. "Pickerington Schools owes a great debt to Mr. Sewell's passion for music and teaching."
Thank you, Mr. Sewell. You truly made Pickerington Proud, and you will be miss
--Pickerington Schools
Published in The Columbus Dispatch on Apr. 22, 2017∼"A longtime Pickerington high-school band director built a small music program into a nationally renowned one and touched the lives of thousands of students in his 34 years with the district.
Michael D. Sewell died on Saturday at age 59. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and children Daniel, Alyson, Andrew and Lea.
Pickerington High School Central, from which Sewell retired in 2015, will host a celebration of his life, featuring its bands, from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, said Principal Stacy Tennenbaum.
Sewell led the Marching Tigers in four Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, three Fiesta Bowl parades, two Orange Bowl parades and four Tournament of Roses parades in Pasadena, California. He was the district's Teacher of the Year in 2007.
But his legacy was so much larger than that, Tennenbaum said. "The relationships he built with the community and with students — it's amazing," she said. "It's the reason people go into teaching."
Tennenbaum said she expects a crowd on Sunday.
Colin Babcock, 19, a member of the Class of 2016, plans to be there. Because of Sewell, he said, he is a trombone performance major at Indiana University-Bloomington.
"I would go down during lunch every day and talk to him about life and music and everything," Babcock said. "He was the best teacher of any kind I ever had."
Kennedy Griggs, a French horn player in Central's Class of 2014, felt compelled to come home from Ohio University in Athens when she heard the news.
"He always used to say, 'One of the greatest gifts that you can give someone is your time,'" Griggs said. "It stuck with me."
Sewell gave his time and encouragement to Nikhita Sheller, Class of 2015, when she joined band as a sophomore and was feeling discouraged as she tried to catch up with everyone else. She's now a sophomore at OU, majoring in violin and saxophone.
"He was kind of like a father figure," Sheller said. "He's probably the most selfless person I ever met."
Sewell was in charge of the marching band, chamber winds, pep bands, jazz bands and musical orchestra. He chose to retire in 2015, he said at the time, because of changes at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
For the past couple of years, he served as a band director at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville.
The private school posted on its Facebook page on Sunday: "Goodbye, Mike. We will miss you. Although we are sad you are gone, we know that you are now in the presence of God, and walking freely at His side. The Angel Band is sure to sound better now that you are there!"
--Columbus Dispatch
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Apr 16, 2017
Pickerington Mourns Passing of Mike Sewell
Image of Mike Sewell
Pickerington Schools was incredibly sad to hear about the death of longtime band director Mike Sewell. Mr. Sewell, who spent his career shaping the lives of students at Pickerington High School Central until a few years ago, passed away Saturday. Please keep his family, friends, former students, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
While we do not have details about services, we are aware that Mr. Sewell affected the lives of thousands of students during his career. We will have counselors available for students and staff to talk to when school resumes on Tuesday.
"Mr. Sewell impacted more lives through music and teaching than anyone I have ever had the honor of knowing," said Stacy Tennenbaum, PHSC principal. "He touched my life and those around him with his sweet personality and his warm smile. He would give anything for his students and his colleagues."
District superintendent Valerie Browning-Thompson said it is no exaggeration to say that the Pickerington music program, including our marching bands, would not be recognized as one of the best in the state had it not been for Mr. Sewell's teaching and commitment to his students.
"Mr. Sewell's legacy will continue long after his passing, through the lives of those he touched as an educator, mentor, role model and friend," Browning-Thompson said. "Pickerington Schools owes a great debt to Mr. Sewell's passion for music and teaching."
Thank you, Mr. Sewell. You truly made Pickerington Proud, and you will be miss
--Pickerington Schools
Sewell Michael Dean Sewell, 59, passed away unexpectedly in Columbus, OH, on April 15, 2017. He was a 1975 graduate of Whitehall-Yearling High School, and received his Bachelor's Music Education from Otterbein College in 1979. In 1985, he received his Masters of Music Education from The Florida State University. Mike began his teaching career in Crooksville, Ohio in 1979, and in 1981 Mike joined the music staff at Pickerington High School in Pickerington, OH, where he served as Band Director until his retirement in 2015. While at Pickerington, Mike directed The Marching Tiger Band, concert bands, jazz band, pep band, and musical orchestra. He also coached 7th grade basketball, and junior high and varsity baseball. Under Mike's direction the Marching Tigers performed for 6 NFL team's halftimes, 5 presidents, and appeared in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Dallas Cotton Bowl Parade, the Orange Bowl Parade and, the Miss America Scholarship Parade. The band was selected to the Phoenix Fiesta Bowl Parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and The Tournament of Roses Parade four times. For the past two years, he has been the Director of Music at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville, OH. Mike was honored by The Tournament of Roses in December 2014 for the most appearances (4) by an Ohio Band, selected by Columbus Monthly as One of the Fifty People, Places, and Things that make Columbus Great (January 2012), selected as Ohio Grange State Educator of the Year (2007), PLSD District Teacher of the Year (2000), and was Quarter Finalist for the 2013 National Grammy Educator of the Year Award. He was inducted into the Whitehall Yearling High School Hall of Fame in 1993. He was a member of OMEA, serving as an adjudicator, Sigma Delta Phi Fraternity, and honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Mike is survived by his wife of 37 1/2 years, Karen; his children, Daniel, Scottsdale, Az., Alyson, Madison, Wi., Andrew (Katie) of Baltimore, OH, Lea Hope, Pickerington; his parents, Earl and Dolores Sewell, Whitehall; brother, Mark (Robin) of Florence, Al.; sister and brother-in-law, Gretchen and Jon Hargis, Northport, NY; and sister-in-law, Dawn Freeman, Centerville; eight nieces and nephews, and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. Friends may visit from 2-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at the Pickerington Central High School Field House, 300 Opportunity Way, Pickerington, OH 43147, where a musical "Sewellebration" of Mike's life will take place at 6:30 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 24, 2017 at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 268 Hill Rd. N., Pickerington, OH 43147. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Fund at the Fairfield County Foundation, 162 E. Main St., Lancaster, OH, 43130.
Published in The Columbus Dispatch on Apr. 22, 2017∼"A longtime Pickerington high-school band director built a small music program into a nationally renowned one and touched the lives of thousands of students in his 34 years with the district.
Michael D. Sewell died on Saturday at age 59. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and children Daniel, Alyson, Andrew and Lea.
Pickerington High School Central, from which Sewell retired in 2015, will host a celebration of his life, featuring its bands, from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, said Principal Stacy Tennenbaum.
Sewell led the Marching Tigers in four Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, three Fiesta Bowl parades, two Orange Bowl parades and four Tournament of Roses parades in Pasadena, California. He was the district's Teacher of the Year in 2007.
But his legacy was so much larger than that, Tennenbaum said. "The relationships he built with the community and with students — it's amazing," she said. "It's the reason people go into teaching."
Tennenbaum said she expects a crowd on Sunday.
Colin Babcock, 19, a member of the Class of 2016, plans to be there. Because of Sewell, he said, he is a trombone performance major at Indiana University-Bloomington.
"I would go down during lunch every day and talk to him about life and music and everything," Babcock said. "He was the best teacher of any kind I ever had."
Kennedy Griggs, a French horn player in Central's Class of 2014, felt compelled to come home from Ohio University in Athens when she heard the news.
"He always used to say, 'One of the greatest gifts that you can give someone is your time,'" Griggs said. "It stuck with me."
Sewell gave his time and encouragement to Nikhita Sheller, Class of 2015, when she joined band as a sophomore and was feeling discouraged as she tried to catch up with everyone else. She's now a sophomore at OU, majoring in violin and saxophone.
"He was kind of like a father figure," Sheller said. "He's probably the most selfless person I ever met."
Sewell was in charge of the marching band, chamber winds, pep bands, jazz bands and musical orchestra. He chose to retire in 2015, he said at the time, because of changes at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
For the past couple of years, he served as a band director at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville.
The private school posted on its Facebook page on Sunday: "Goodbye, Mike. We will miss you. Although we are sad you are gone, we know that you are now in the presence of God, and walking freely at His side. The Angel Band is sure to sound better now that you are there!"
--Columbus Dispatch
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Apr 16, 2017
Pickerington Mourns Passing of Mike Sewell
Image of Mike Sewell
Pickerington Schools was incredibly sad to hear about the death of longtime band director Mike Sewell. Mr. Sewell, who spent his career shaping the lives of students at Pickerington High School Central until a few years ago, passed away Saturday. Please keep his family, friends, former students, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
While we do not have details about services, we are aware that Mr. Sewell affected the lives of thousands of students during his career. We will have counselors available for students and staff to talk to when school resumes on Tuesday.
"Mr. Sewell impacted more lives through music and teaching than anyone I have ever had the honor of knowing," said Stacy Tennenbaum, PHSC principal. "He touched my life and those around him with his sweet personality and his warm smile. He would give anything for his students and his colleagues."
District superintendent Valerie Browning-Thompson said it is no exaggeration to say that the Pickerington music program, including our marching bands, would not be recognized as one of the best in the state had it not been for Mr. Sewell's teaching and commitment to his students.
"Mr. Sewell's legacy will continue long after his passing, through the lives of those he touched as an educator, mentor, role model and friend," Browning-Thompson said. "Pickerington Schools owes a great debt to Mr. Sewell's passion for music and teaching."
Thank you, Mr. Sewell. You truly made Pickerington Proud, and you will be miss
--Pickerington Schools
Published in The Columbus Dispatch on Apr. 22, 2017∼"A longtime Pickerington high-school band director built a small music program into a nationally renowned one and touched the lives of thousands of students in his 34 years with the district.
Michael D. Sewell died on Saturday at age 59. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and children Daniel, Alyson, Andrew and Lea.
Pickerington High School Central, from which Sewell retired in 2015, will host a celebration of his life, featuring its bands, from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, said Principal Stacy Tennenbaum.
Sewell led the Marching Tigers in four Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, three Fiesta Bowl parades, two Orange Bowl parades and four Tournament of Roses parades in Pasadena, California. He was the district's Teacher of the Year in 2007.
But his legacy was so much larger than that, Tennenbaum said. "The relationships he built with the community and with students — it's amazing," she said. "It's the reason people go into teaching."
Tennenbaum said she expects a crowd on Sunday.
Colin Babcock, 19, a member of the Class of 2016, plans to be there. Because of Sewell, he said, he is a trombone performance major at Indiana University-Bloomington.
"I would go down during lunch every day and talk to him about life and music and everything," Babcock said. "He was the best teacher of any kind I ever had."
Kennedy Griggs, a French horn player in Central's Class of 2014, felt compelled to come home from Ohio University in Athens when she heard the news.
"He always used to say, 'One of the greatest gifts that you can give someone is your time,'" Griggs said. "It stuck with me."
Sewell gave his time and encouragement to Nikhita Sheller, Class of 2015, when she joined band as a sophomore and was feeling discouraged as she tried to catch up with everyone else. She's now a sophomore at OU, majoring in violin and saxophone.
"He was kind of like a father figure," Sheller said. "He's probably the most selfless person I ever met."
Sewell was in charge of the marching band, chamber winds, pep bands, jazz bands and musical orchestra. He chose to retire in 2015, he said at the time, because of changes at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
For the past couple of years, he served as a band director at Central College Christian Academy in Westerville.
The private school posted on its Facebook page on Sunday: "Goodbye, Mike. We will miss you. Although we are sad you are gone, we know that you are now in the presence of God, and walking freely at His side. The Angel Band is sure to sound better now that you are there!"
--Columbus Dispatch
##############################################
Apr 16, 2017
Pickerington Mourns Passing of Mike Sewell
Image of Mike Sewell
Pickerington Schools was incredibly sad to hear about the death of longtime band director Mike Sewell. Mr. Sewell, who spent his career shaping the lives of students at Pickerington High School Central until a few years ago, passed away Saturday. Please keep his family, friends, former students, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
While we do not have details about services, we are aware that Mr. Sewell affected the lives of thousands of students during his career. We will have counselors available for students and staff to talk to when school resumes on Tuesday.
"Mr. Sewell impacted more lives through music and teaching than anyone I have ever had the honor of knowing," said Stacy Tennenbaum, PHSC principal. "He touched my life and those around him with his sweet personality and his warm smile. He would give anything for his students and his colleagues."
District superintendent Valerie Browning-Thompson said it is no exaggeration to say that the Pickerington music program, including our marching bands, would not be recognized as one of the best in the state had it not been for Mr. Sewell's teaching and commitment to his students.
"Mr. Sewell's legacy will continue long after his passing, through the lives of those he touched as an educator, mentor, role model and friend," Browning-Thompson said. "Pickerington Schools owes a great debt to Mr. Sewell's passion for music and teaching."
Thank you, Mr. Sewell. You truly made Pickerington Proud, and you will be miss
--Pickerington Schools
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