HARTWICK—Mike Burgess passed away on September 10 at the age of 69. If you didn’t know him, he was that guy with the easy smile and friendly demeanor. If you did know him, you knew he had abundant stories, looked you in the eye when speaking to you, and would lend a hand any time you needed it.
He had deep roots in this region, growing up in Hartwick, moving away only briefly for a little bit of military service, a…