Herbert Alan Michael Luther

Herbert Alan Michael Luther, lifelong resident of College Station, passed away Wednesday, February 19, in the care of Hospice Brazos Valley at Riverwood Nursing Home in Madisonville. 

Born September 26, 1939, he was the son of Dr. and Mrs. H. A. Luther. He attended A&M Consolidated High School (1957) and earned a BA in English (1965) and an MBA (1968) from Texas A&M.

On his 11th birthday Mike built his first radio, a crystal set with a round oatmeal box as the core. A few years later he had joined the Texas A&M Amateur Radio Club, and was “contacting” other operators all over the world, always preferring Morse codeover voice transmission. He also acquired an old Model A Ford, and by the time he was old enough to get a driver’s license, he had taken it apart and put it back together again several times. While still in High School he became the telegraph operator on the Texas A&M oceanography vessel. He was next engaged out at Easterwood airport maintaining the radio equipment on a fleet of leftover WWII planes. That led to flight lessons, and eventually to being a flight instructor during the Vietnam War period. He was a technician at radio station, WTAW, for a number of years. Then, initially hired as a pilot for Trailite, he ended up as a company president.

Throughout all this time he remained active in the amateur radio community. For over 50 years he was a member of the American Radio Relay League, helping out where needed in communication in times of disaster, often the only means of communication before the internet was available.

Although Mike never lived anywhere but College Station, the world was always at his fingertips. 

He is survived by his partner of many years, Shirley Michels; by his daughter, Rachel Ford; by granddaughters, Samantha Neva-erin House and Rebecca Anne Ford; and by grandsons, Aaron Adesla Luther, Nicholas Lee House, and John Milton Ford. Also surviving him are sister, Beatrice Bloom; brother, Mark Luther; nieces,  Sylvia Bloom and Elena Bloom; and nephew Scott Luther.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Brazos Valley at https://www.hospicebrazosvalley.org/donate.

Mike will be remembered Saturday, March 14th at 2:30 P.M. If interested in attending, please call (518) 755-3823 or (936) 399-4514 for directions.

Arrangements were under the direction of Madisonville Funeral Home in Madisonville, Texas.