Michael Nicholas Kaiser, 82, died Aug. 20, 2021 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. He was married to his beloved wife Nancy for 58 years until her passing in 2019.

He served as executive director of the Joint Planning Commission of Lehigh and Northampton counties for 50 years, helping shape the growth of the Lehigh Valley from 1963 until his retirement in 2013.

He was a man of great curiosity and many diverse interests cultivated in a lifelong pursuit of ever changing hobbies. Never one to undertake anything in half measures, he was a voracious reader, an avid gardener, a greatly skilled photographer, a lover of music and a determined but less than accomplished classical guitarist.

He loved travel with family, scuba diving, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, competitive cycling as the patriarch of the ‘Kaiser Dynasty’ and served on the board of directors of the Lehigh County Velodrome in the 1980s. He did not shy away from wine, Nancy’s expert cooking, a fine cigar or a good argument.

He was perhaps happiest in his role as grandfather and reveled in playing Uno and creating elaborate ice cream sundaes with his granddaughter. He and his wife were blessed to have many dear friends with whom they maintained lifelong relationships from their home in Cetronia.

He is survived by a daughter, Wendy, of Havertown; sons, Mike, of Nashville, Tenn., Chris, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a granddaughter, Molly, of Washington, D.C.; a sister, Mary Lou Thomas, of Philadelphia and the Thomas children and grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held 1 p.m. Aug. 25 at Bloomfield Cemetery in New Bloomfield. Arrangements entrusted to the Bachman, Kulik and Reinsmith Funeral Home, 17th and Hamilton streets, Allentown.

Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.