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Abba Aficionado

Michael Baksh would turn up the stereo after dinner at his home in Englewood, N.J., and swing his wife, Christina, and their two young children, Ava and James, to the sounds of Abba. They would dance until they dropped. "It wasn't every night," said Mrs. Basch. "But it was a lot of nights. It was a lot of fun. He really appreciated his life."

Mr. Baksh, 36, a Pakistani immigrant who grew up in Washington Heights, loved all kinds of music.

He even wrote songs and performed with a rock band, Sage, in the early 90's. The band recorded a dozen or so songs, including "What Color Is A Soul?" which was played at his memorial service last month.

Mr. Baksh had just started his first day as an insurance executive at Marsh & McLennan on Sept. 11.

An exuberant man, with dark handsome looks, he could be hard to forget.

He caught his future wife's eye in a geology class at Hunter College in 1985. She introduced herself, and asked him out for a soda.

During their courtship, they went dancing every weekend.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 10, 2001.