July 11th, 2022
Jamie Bordas
My first memories of Mick Kerwood are from when I was about 10 years old. My mom and dad hired him to perform lawn services at their new Wheeling office location for Bordas & Bordas. Little did I know that Mick would still be doing that same job over 35 years later. And little did I know how much he would teach us all about hard work, dedication, and being meticulous at what you do. I’m not sure that I have ever encountered someone who took as much pride in his work as Mick always did. He wasn’t just cutting grass or trimming hedges. He was making things look beautiful.
He didn’t want anyone to touch the property but him. He could frequently be seen working at 11:00 o’clock at night as people drove down National Road. It wasn’t unusual to see him shoveling snow off of the sidewalk in the freezing cold. Mick viewed his work to be a reflection of himself.
He would enjoy chatting with you about your life, the yard, or just the happenings of the day. He was loyal to you. But you had best be loyal back. He was kind, yet would threaten anyone who suggested something different should be done with the yard or a bush (maybe even if you owned it!) He was a truly unique individual and will be missed.
Geoff Brown
I will miss Mick greatly. He was an incredibly hard worker and treated our beautiful and historic office on National Road as if it was his own. Through my 20 years at Bordas & Bordas, Mick was a constant presence in all of our lives. For attorneys that do trial work like I do, the weeks leading up to the trial and the trial itself are stressful times to say the least. Preparation and trial involve long hours and very late nights. Lawyers who try complex and serious matters can easily get lost in the details of the case and forget that the outside world even exists. During those times, it was not unusual for me to run into Mick working on our landscaping well into the night. It was a nice break to talk with him on the way to my car and to have him remind me through his actions that there was someone out there working even longer hours than I was, and someone who cared about doing a great job just as much as I did -- and to be reminded that there was a world beyond my case. Rest peacefully after a life of hard work, Mick. Well done.
Zak Zatezalo
The two things I'll always associate with Mick Kerwood are work and sports. And Mick was very passionate about both. It seemed like no matter when I showed up at the office; early mornings, late nights, weekends, Mick was there - working meticulously but always ready to talk hoops, football, or baseball. Mick and I would often talk about today's sports headlines and he'd provide some memorable historical perspective that I hadn't thought about. Over the years, I enjoyed learning about Mick's personal history with local sports, and I think he enjoyed learning about mine too. Our encounters always left me feeling buoyed.
With the amount of time I'd see Mick working at our office, for years I thought we were his only client. But after my family moved to Wheeling, I soon learned how wrong I was when I saw Mick working at property after property along National Road, no doubt putting the same time and effort into those jobs as he did ours. I'm not sure he ever slept. Mick out there working in his white tank top and out of his white truck have become a comforting, community image seared in my mind, and it makes me sad to think that has come to an end. From my view Mick Kerwood worked very hard to earn his peace and rest, and I take comfort knowing he's reached it.
Jeanne Dedo
When I first started here 23 plus years ago, the landscaper/grass cutter/ snow shoveler guy was Mick. Mick would be at Bordas & Bordas all hours of the day and night working on the lawn. It wasn’t long after I started working here that Linda Bordas and I were walking out to her car and Mick popped out of the bushes and said, “Hi Linda, Hi Jeanne.” We both said hello, got in Linda’s car, shut the doors, looked at each other and said at the same time, “How did he know our names?” Mick would find out your name, important dates in your life, know your family’s names, and would always ask about them simply because he cared. Because I travel so much for the office I park in our back lot, so Mick and I had plenty of good conversations over the years. The conversations I loved having with Mick were about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, how he loved the Steelers as much as I do! The best story about Mick was the time I was here in the office around 2 a.m. getting exhibit books and other things ready for a trial. I was at our copier with my back turned to the copy room, when I turned around Mick was standing behind me and started lecturing me on why I needed to shut the side door because you never know who could come in the office. Mick scared me half to death and I never left the side door opened again when I was working late and alone in the office. Mick will be the only person I ever saw that would lay on his stomach with a pair of scissors and make sure every blade of grass was cut even. Thank you, Mick, for taking good care of Bordas & Bordas and always watching out for me when I worked late. You’ll be missed by all of us. Heaven got an awesome guy and I know you’re up there taking good care of God’s lawn.
Erin Dodd
I read the following quote: "If you look closely at a tree you'll notice it's knots and dead branches, just like our bodies. What we learn is that beauty and imperfection go together wonderfully."
This reminds me of Mick because he always saw the beauty in nature. The beauty in trees and shrubs and all things of nature. He always found its beauty even when others may not have seen its true value and beauty in the world.
Mick was so quiet person. He often would "pop up" behind a bush when tending to the earth below. Many times, he was the first and/or last person I saw each day. He will be missed. He was a soft spoken, gentle person, who always had something polite and kind to say. I will truly miss this friend I made over the last 14 years here at Bordas & Bordas.
Marilyn Bell
Mick was no doubt a hard worker. You could find him all around the area working the grounds from early morning until long after dark. He was very meticulous and protective about his gardening. He had a soft and gentle voice and was always polite, and a little mysterious.
Becky Murphy
“Mick”- what a worker! He was everywhere cutting grass until after darkness in the summer. In the winter, he shoveled the Bordas & Bordas steps, walkways and driveways to keep areas clear for staff and clients. He was so very proud of his work. RIP Mick, you will be missed.
Corey Pietranton
I first met Mick Kerwood in 2009 when I began working at Bordas & Bordas. We were never officially introduced but we talked from the first day we met like we were old friends. We knew many people in common, and we talked about sports in almost every conversation we ever had. It seemed like Mick worked all the time but he still knew everything that happened in high school, college, and professional sports. He was soft spoken yet very wise and quite funny. He was extremely observant, a great listener, and very meticulous when it came to the work he did with the lawn and the grounds surrounding the law firm. I would often see him on his hands and knees well after dark with a pair of scissors trying to make a certain spot of the lawn perfect. I will miss our conversation and his advice. I will miss seeing the glow of his white t-shirt outside my window when I am working late at night. I know I will think of him often, and I will always be grateful for his friendship.
