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Toy Junkie Gal - Rest In Piece Mike Mc5 - you will be missed my brother

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  • Vinny0026
    Year Five!!
    • Jan 26, 2012
    • 3724

    Toy Junkie Gal - Rest In Piece Mike Mc5 - you will be missed my brother

    For a few weeks now I have been very torn to write this post or not - but in the end I felt like I would not be doing Mike any justice by not doing it.

    Seems fitting in a way I have come to terms with posting it today - a day we're Thankful for Friends & Family.
    I know Mike was Thankful for Megos & the Museum - and I was Thankful to have a Friend like him along with the rest of you (My Mego Brother & Sisters)

    On October 28, 2019 (1 month ago today) We lost a Mego Brother - Michael McClafferty.
    Some of you may know him as Mike McLaugherty
    Others May Know him as Mike Mc5.
    While some may decide to discuss how he died - I prefer to think of how he lived.

    And I respectfully ask that you do not comment any negative thoughts on his death here - I thank you all in advance for that.

    I first meet Mike about 9 years ago as we were both members of the Mego Museum. I never had the chance to meet him in person but we did speak on the phone a lot, also via FB & Text messaging. Mike was more into Original Mego Figures and he was always on the hunt to complete his Alter Ego set.

    He was a fan of custom mego figures though he did not really collect them.
    For his Toy Junkie Toy Shows in Vancouver - He came up with a character named as "Toy Junkie Gal". Mike's wife would dress up as her/ a life size Mego.

    So Mike had asked me a few months back to make a figure of her.

    Which is the reason for his post
    So Mike always said the Mego version of his wife would be the Mary Walton figure - (he went as far to send me a few of them to use.)

    From the pictures he sent me - I thought the Claire Head from lost looked more like the pictures - So I told him I would make her that way as well.
    Than the last kicker was Mike had a professional artist draw her to look like the old school Mego art - and put her on a Motorcycle.

    So I also painted up a bike to look like the picture for him.

    Like most of us Mego Collectors - Mike could not pick if he wanted the figures to be in a box - or on card - so we went with both .
    Toyroom did an Amazing job - using Mikes real pictures and his drawn art work and incorporating them onto the cards and boxes - Thank You Anthony!

    Brian Leitner Made the capes for this project - and they are awesome - especially the 2 tone versions. (white one side black the other) Thanks BL!

    Batbob made the stickers for me
    and really all I did was bash them together.

    You may wonder why there are are pictures of an Original MOC Captain America in this post.
    Well he is part of this story - you see Mike had sold this figure a few weeks before he had passed - during shipping the knee pin popped out - so Mike refunded the buyer - and asked the buyer to send the figure to me as a gift.

    I was not charging Mike to make the figures - I told him just pay for the parts once I made them all the versions of the figure.
    He would always argue with me about that (In a funny way) because I would not take any money from him since he was my friend and he kept trying to get me to take it.

    My guess is he sent me the Cap for the customs and knowing that he would finally win the argument about me taking a payment - since I would no longer be able to argue with him :(

    The Bubble for Cap had a very tiny opening/lifting from the card -I was able to position the leg to make it display as if it was not broke.

    Its a great piece that I will cherish and think back to our talks. Mike was a Great Guy, Great Friend and Great Member of the Mego Museum.
    Even though I would send him the updated work in progress pictures - I'm sad he never got to see the final versions.

    Mike had his wife & 4 children that he would always speak so fondly of - I plan on sending these out to Lonnie.
    Mike was Lonnie's best friend - Lonnie I'm very sorry for your loss.

    Lonnie & Mike's Brother will figure out what is best to do with the figures. Maybe hold them until his kids get older or maybe auction them off and donate the money to his kids.

    They did set up a link for donations if anyone wants to contribute - you can see all the details in his obituary at https://obits.columbian.com/amp/obit...-Ahv5BCzIvoF3Q.

    Rest in piece Mike - You will be missed.
    I'm Thankful to have known you.

































    Last edited by Vinny0026; Nov 28, '19, 11:43 AM.
    "Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?"
  • danadoll
    Micronaut Nut!
    • Apr 11, 2005
    • 1840

    #2
    Always saddening to hear of the loss of a fellow collector who loved the things we love and it becomes so much a part of his (and even his family's) life.

    I didn't know him and I can't say his screen name is familiar to me (as my memory can be very bad and it has been worse the last few years, because of medication), but may he rest in peace and may his family find comfort in their happy memories/find some relief from the pain of grief with their love for him.

    Dana
    "Do you want a doll?" Kurt

    Comment

    • PNGwynne
      Master of Fowl Play
      • Jun 5, 2008
      • 19445

      #3
      Thank you very much for sharing this, Vincent. I have fond memories of Mike and a special piece in my collection from him, too.
      WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

      Comment

      • sprytel
        Talkative Member
        • Jun 26, 2009
        • 6539

        #4
        I always loved Mike's posts... his enthusiasm and passion for Mego toys and for his fellow collectors always brought a smile to my face. This is a lovely tribute.

        Comment

        • cockyhoskins
          Career Member
          • Jan 13, 2009
          • 920

          #5
          What a great tribute! I hope his wife and family are hanging in. I always enjoyed the toy show photos he posted of all of them.

          Comment

          • Bronxboykev
            Permanent Member
            • Mar 7, 2011
            • 3013

            #6
            Superb work Vin... a fine tribute indeed... RIP Mike

            Comment

            • MEMEGO
              Career Member
              • Sep 6, 2007
              • 842

              #7
              Sad to hear of his passing. We are one less brother, and Heaven has gained a new one. I hope his family is doing well and i send condolences to them.
              Those figures are wonderful, what a loving tribute.
              as well as your Cap.

              Comment

              • rche
                channeling Bob Wills
                • Mar 26, 2008
                • 7383

                #8
                wow! such a cool tribute. Thanks for sharing these beautiful, tho tremendously bittersweet, customs.

                Comment

                • newlyknighted
                  Persistent Member
                  • Feb 21, 2010
                  • 1625

                  #9
                  Wonderful tribute. Wonderful figures. Thanks for sharing Vinny. Sincerest condolences to Mike's family.
                  I post in thy general direction!

                  Comment

                  • Vinny0026
                    Year Five!!
                    • Jan 26, 2012
                    • 3724

                    #10
                    Thank You Everyone - This was by far the hardest post I ever put up here.
                    Thanks for looking and Rest in Peace Mike :(
                    "Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?"

                    Comment

                    • megowgsh
                      Customego HoF Curator
                      • Nov 19, 2003
                      • 7420

                      #11
                      Wonderful tribute. You get my vote for customs of the year!
                      Check out ALL my customs at https://www.facebook.com/megowgshcustoms

                      Comment

                      • Vinny0026
                        Year Five!!
                        • Jan 26, 2012
                        • 3724

                        #12
                        Happy Birthday in Heaven Mike - you are missed :(
                        "Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?"

                        Comment

                        • dr_cyclops
                          One eyed, wonder
                          • Dec 17, 2009
                          • 2138

                          #13
                          Mike and I first met here on the MM. He wanted to do a PNW version of Mego Meet. Just to see what our area had to offer. I designed his Mego-Eat logo. It was a great little get together and I met some great MM members there. Later he wanted to start doing toy shows and I designed his Vancouver Toy Junkies Logo. While I lived in Olympia, I was able to attend all his shows. Later, after moving to Ellensburg, making it to his shows became far more difficult. I did manage to make to many of them, towards the end, I was missing more shows than I was able to attend. I currently use the VTJ logo as my profile pic on FB. If you never got a chance to make it to his toy shows, you will never understand what the Mego/Vintage toy collecting community has lost. Happy birthday old friend. You will be missed by so many. :(

                          Comment

                          • ToyTalk
                            Career Member
                            • Mar 25, 2020
                            • 574

                            #14
                            That was one of the most touching tributes I have ever read. Thank you for sharing
                            Looking for FTC figures from 5-10 years ago

                            Comment

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