On Monday, May 21st 2018, at home in Los Angeles. Survived by his stepfather Lynn Raymond Helpard (Patricia) and his step sister Melanie Helpard(David Cudlip), uncles Stanley and Peter Sidor, and several cousins. Pre-deceased by his beloved mother Angela Helena Helpard (nee Sidor), father Ladislav Andrew Potemra, aunt Olga Strmen (nee Sidor), and uncles Andrew and Charles Sidor.
Born on May 25th, 1964 in Youngstown, Ohio, Michael grew up in Montreal, Canada. Educated by Jesuits at Loyola College, Montreal, Michael earned his university degree at Catholic University of America, graduating Summa Cum Laude and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He spent one year at Harvard Law School, but left to pursue journalism and writing. He was engaged as a speechwriter in the White House Office of Communications under President Ronald Reagan and subsequently honed his writing skills working for Senators Bob Kasten (WI), David Durenberger (MN), and Mike DeWine(OH).
A consummate bookworm and passionate about religion, history, philosophy, literature, film and music, Michael was brought to William F. Buckley’s National Review Magazine in New York as Deputy Managing Editor in 1999; he soon became Literary Editor, a position for which he was superbly qualified and which he loved. In July 2015, Michael moved to Los Angeles, continuing as NR’s Literary Editor and writing insightful and entertaining vignettes on the myriad of people he encountered, places he visited, and experiences he had in Los Angeles.
He will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by his stepfamily, colleagues at The National Review, and long-time friends in New York, Washington D.C., and elsewhere, notably his former fiancée Carolyn Breen of Boston and her family.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, June 22nd at 10:00am in the Chapel at St. Theresa of Avila Church, West Roxbury, followed by an interment of ashes at Mount Benedict Cemetery.
Please omit flowers. A lover of cats, donations in Michael’s memory may be made to an animal charity of choice.
Born on May 25th, 1964 in Youngstown, Ohio, Michael grew up in Montreal, Canada. Educated by Jesuits at Loyola College, Montreal, Michael earned his university degree at Catholic University of America, graduating Summa Cum Laude and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He spent one year at Harvard Law School, but left to pursue journalism and writing. He was engaged as a speechwriter in the White House Office of Communications under President Ronald Reagan and subsequently honed his writing skills working for Senators Bob Kasten (WI), David Durenberger (MN), and Mike DeWine(OH).
A consummate bookworm and passionate about religion, history, philosophy, literature, film and music, Michael was brought to William F. Buckley’s National Review Magazine in New York as Deputy Managing Editor in 1999; he soon became Literary Editor, a position for which he was superbly qualified and which he loved. In July 2015, Michael moved to Los Angeles, continuing as NR’s Literary Editor and writing insightful and entertaining vignettes on the myriad of people he encountered, places he visited, and experiences he had in Los Angeles.
He will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by his stepfamily, colleagues at The National Review, and long-time friends in New York, Washington D.C., and elsewhere, notably his former fiancée Carolyn Breen of Boston and her family.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, June 22nd at 10:00am in the Chapel at St. Theresa of Avila Church, West Roxbury, followed by an interment of ashes at Mount Benedict Cemetery.
Please omit flowers. A lover of cats, donations in Michael’s memory may be made to an animal charity of choice.
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