Michael William Sobel

Michael William Sobel, 62, died in Waco, Texas, on April 17, 2021, after a short battle with cancer. Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 20, at Rodef Sholom Cemetery, 1400 Garden Drive, in Waco. Michael passed just as he lived; he wrote his own rules, he fought authority, and he flirted the boundaries of all natures. And if you said he couldn't do it, he would do anything to prove it was possible for him. His family knew him as a, albeit sporadic, source of deep affection, love, and humor. He was a determined individual who began his business career as a successful photographer opening his own photography store in Waco known as Flashback. As the digital age began, the business came to a close and, as any wild or wanderlust heart would know, when a change speaks as more than a desire, it is an unstoppable force. And with that force, Michael began a new career in scuba diving. This passion relocated him to Vietnam, Thailand, Honduras, and finally, Mexico where he would settle to make a thriving diving school for students from around the world. As much as people knew hanging out with him would end with a killer Bloody Mary hangover, he was the type of man that people would make the effort to see. He was the creator of good times. He was the joke teller and spreader of infectious laughter. The memory maker. He lived many lives and thousands of years in the 62 calendar years with us because he had the chutzpah to do it. His final years were spent in Vietnam with his latest family and group of expats equal in age, wit, and wild antics. He was retired, loved and had ample time to spend with his children. He will be deeply missed, but the many stories and memories of those who knew him will keep him alive forever. He was preceded in death by his son, Jacob Sobel, and his father, Jerry Sobel. He is survived by his mother, Abby Sobel; sister, Melanie Bauer; wife, Ny; daughters, Jennifer and husband, Brandon Bequeaith, Sarah, Nicole, and Sophia Sobel; sons, Zachary, William, and Noah Vasquez, and Nicholas Sobel; and grandchildren, Caleb and Sydney Bequeaith. Memorials may be made to Baylor Scott and White Hospice, 2911 Herring Ave, Ste 310, Waco, Texas 76708; Shepherd's Heart, 1401 N. 34th, Waco, Texas 76710; Talitha Koum, 1311 Clay Ave, Waco, Texas 76706; and Mission Waco, 1315 N. 15th St, Waco, Texas 76707. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our "Tribute Wall" at www.WHBfamily.com.