Dear Editor,
It is with deep sorrow and sadness that we learn of the death of our wonderful friend Mike Johnson, who passed away four weeks ago from a short illness.
Those of us who lived in the Algarve in the 80s and 90s will remember the ‘Golden Voice’ that kept us all tuned in to Solar Radio on a Sunday morning for three hours.
We ran our brunches and beach parties around Mike, our friends arrived just to listen to the week’s tit bits gossip, messages and lovely music.
Those of us lucky enough to call him a close friend had the pleasure of his company at nights for a curry, wine, gossip and wonderful conversation and many hours of laughter.
Then Mike moved to Plymouth to be near his family and to retire, but kept up his writing in the Algarve Resident. His articles reached us here in Goa, South India, where our friendship was still maintained with the monthly phone calls and weekly emails and an early copy of the Resident article online when we couldn’t get the real thing.
I spoke to Mike last time six weeks ago. He never faltered in his pain, never complained – only told me off for not getting him here to India for the promised holiday.
But we laughed and said maybe this Christmas. But we both knew his time was up and God needed him more than we did. We love him, miss him and will never forget him.
Just to say THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES,MIKE. Slainte.
Margaret Norman D’Souza, Asian Spice Center
