Michael Semanchuk of Lancaster PA died on the morning of Monday, July 13th, after a long illness. He was 69. As Michael himself might have observed, Friday the 13th came on a Monday for him.

He was born May 16, 1951 to Harry Semanchuk and Alice Kramer, the second of the six children they would eventually have. He grew up in Springfield, Delaware County, PA where he graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School. He settled in the Lancaster area after attending Millersville College.

Michael lived life in a way that made sense to him, and was willing to swim outside the mainstream. He was strongly committed to his principle of living lightly on the Earth and was proud of his work weatherizing houses with the Community Action Program. He also worked for a time with Condor Construction.

Michael constantly helped others, was generous to a fault, and had a strong sense of right and wrong. He loved animals, especially dogs, and, truth be told, he probably preferred their company to most people. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his creativity, and his love of music and books, especially science fiction.

He is survived by his mother Alice, and his siblings Stephen, Peter, John, Irene, Philip, his sister-in-law Liz, and his niece, Julien.

In lieu of flowers or memorial gifts, please consider a contribution to The Humane League of Lancaster County , 2195 Lincoln Hwy E., Lancaster, PA 17602.