Michael "Mike" Paul Kanuika, 78, of Gradyville, PA, passed away on February 12, 2022. He passed away peacefully in his sleep into the hands of God and the family who preceded him. His passing came after being diagnosed with advanced Prostate cancer, which had spread rapidly to his lungs and bones. Mike fought the good fight, but God decided in his infinite wisdom to call him home. He is at peace now.

Mike was born in Philadelphia to the late William "Pop" Kanuika, who died in 1981, and Mary "Nan" Humenchuk Kanuika, who died in 1990. Mike grew up in Clifton Heights at 123 Oak Avenue, not far from Kent Mills, where his father often worked double shifts to support him and his five brothers and sisters. Mike graduated from Penncrest High School in 1963. After saving money, the Kanuika family moved to a small six-acre farm on Middletown Road in Gradyville, PA.

At the Kanuika farm in Gradyville, Mike and his beloved brothers Bill and Steve honed their love of farming and working on farm engines. Little did the three of them know where their fascination with engines would eventually lead them. All three of the Kanuika brothers started working on race cars at the farm in Gradyville, where they all developed a renowned reputation. It was that Kanuika mystique and the whispers that the Kanuika brothers knew how to make cars go really fast, which started bringing car racers from far and wide to the little farm in Gradyville. Mike became a master machinist working on and building high-performance race engines.

Mike later worked with his brother, Stephen "Steve" Kanuika, at the speed shop Steve built-in Concordville when the burgeoning racing business on the family farm in Gradyville, PA grew too large. These years, especially during the 1960s and 1970s, at the speed shop in Concordville were some of the happiest in Mike's life working side-by-side with his brother Steve and in later years with his beloved father William "Pop" Kanuika. Steve had become well known for his racing prowess and knowledge, along with Mike's expert machining skills; they drew many wanting them to build them a high-performance racing engine or have them tune up or improve their existing engines. Mike and Steve built motors and machined parts for many of the top racers of the day, including Jim "Jungle Jim" Lieberman, Lew Arrington "Brutus," and Roland Leong "Hawaiian," just to name a few. In fact, a Chevy race motor built by the Kanuika brothers in a Jungle Jim funny car, driven by Clare "Jungle Clare" Sanders, took the 1969 NHRA Funny Car Winternationals. An astonishing accomplishment from such humble beginnings. But Mike always remained down to earth and approachable, always willing to show you how he put together a head assembly, bored out a cylinder block, or ground a crankshaft.

Mike was a racer too. Mike built from scratch, including frame suspension body and motor, a dirt modified race car he regularly drove in the races at Grandview. Mike was quite the individual, always loving to tinker and build. Mike was one of a kind, and his absence will leave a large gap in all our lives. But we are comforted knowing that he is now in heaven.

Michael "Mike" Paul Kanuika is survived by two sons, Dominick Kanuika and Michael Kanuika, Jr.; and his sister, Mary Schober (Robert) of Huntington Beach, CA; In addition to his parents, Mike was preceded in death by his siblings, Kathryn "Kay" Gorman (1984), William "Bill" Kanuika (2004), Stephen "Steve" Kanuika (2009), and Patricia "Pat" Trimble (2018).

The graveside memorial service and interment will be held 11:30 AM Friday, February 18, 2022 at Edgewood Memorial Park, 325 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342 in the Maple Section, Lot 5. Memorial donations may be made to the Make-A-Wish, Gift Processing, 4742 North 24th Street, Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Arrangements were made by White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, LTD. of Ridley Park, PA. Condolences at www.whiteluttrell.com