Life Cycles

St. Louis-area bicyclists are still bitter over the sentence given to the man who accidentally killed Michael Katz.

Comments (0) By Ben Westhoff Wednesday, Sep 20 2006

Michael Katz is survived by two children and by Susan Katz, his wife of 42 years, who delivered a heartfelt eulogy at her husband's gravestone dedication in June.

"I hope that Mike's life will continue to inspire all of us to take an interest in each other, to be kind as we go about our daily activities, to drive carefully and omit distractions, like using a cell phone while handling a 3,000-pound piece of machinery," she said at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in Chesterfield.

courtesy susan katz

Michael Katzs death both outraged and unified the local biking community.

courtesy susan katz

More About

Some of Katz's former biking buddies now refer to themselves as the "Katz Crew." In May more than 80 cyclists attended a local version of the "Ride of Silence," a slow-paced, silent ride they dedicated to Katz and others killed on their bikes.

Shaare Zedek Synagogue executive director Harvey Leader says that shortly before the accident, Katz had returned from a week-long bicycle trip in Louisiana. He rode with a group that included a cyclist who died of a heart attack. All things considered, Leader recalls Katz telling him, that's how the man would have wanted to go — doing what he loved.

"And I think, in a way, probably the same could be said for Mike," Leader says. "He died on his bike, going to services."