Michael Joseph (Mike) Rachlin, a resident of Auburn, Alabama passed away on September 6, 2024. Mike was born in Duluth Minnesota on March 11, 1937 to David and Bertha Rachlin. Growing up, Mike lived in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. He attended West High School in Madison. In 1954, Mike enlisted in the United States Marine Corps serving from 1954 – 1957. While in the Marines, he was stationed in California and on Kodiak Island, Alaska Territory. Mike was an expert marksman in the Marines and continued to be an active and very competent shooter all of his life. Mike returned to Madison in 1957 and attended the University of Wisconsin. He was a life- long Badger fan. After attending the University of Wisconsin and then working a variety of jobs, Mike joined the United States Air Force in 1959 and served until 1967. After his honorable discharged from the Air Force, Mike worked in Madison/Middleton, Wisconsin as a computer programmer until 1971, then he moved to Montgomery, Alabama to work in the logistics division at the Air Force Standard Data System Design Center. It was there that Mike met his wife, Sue. Mike worked for the Air Force in Montgomery until 1985. During his time in Montgomery, Mike attended Auburn University at Montgomery. From Montgomery it was back to the Washington, DC area where Mike worked for a small consulting firm, Synergy. In 1992, Mike relocated with Sue to Fort Collins, Colorado and opened a Synergy office in Ogden, Utah and another in Montgomery, Alabama to serve Air Force clients. Mike became an officer of Synergy but he retired shortly afterwards for medical reasons. In 2001, Mike and Sue returned to the Washington, DC area. Mike’s health stabilized and he was able to return to work as the senior technical advisor to the Chief Information Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Following the EPA stint, Mike returned to the private sector as the director for strategic consulting services for a major Washington, DC information technology firm. In 2006, Mike and Sue moved to Lakeway, Texas where Mike retired in 2009. They returned to Alabama in 2021 to live in Auburn.
Mike was preceded in death by his father, David Rachlin, a combat Marine; his mother, Bertha Rachlin, a strong woman and WWII defense plant worker; and his brother, Gilbert Rachlin. Also preceding him in death are his beloved canine daughters — boxers Margo, Heidi and Karlee. Mike is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sue Rachlin; his daughter Michelle Grant, Montgomery, Alabama; and his step-daughter Angela Shirley, Troy, Alabama. Also surviving him are Mike’s two granddaughters: Angela (Daniel) Dupree of Prattville, Alabama and Courtney (DJ) Jones of Montgomery, Alabama; his grandson, Rachlin Phillip Grant of Prattville, Alabama; six great grandchildren, and his beloved hound dog Finn. There will be no funeral services but a Celebration of Mike’s Life will held September 15, at Sue’s and Mike’s community clubhouse.
