Born October 27th, 1946 in Watertown, South Dakota, passed March 7th, 2025 at St Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, WA. My dad, Mike, was my hero, my #1 fan, and without question the best person I have ever known. He was happily married 56 years and never stopped loving my mom. Mike worked hard his entire life without complaint and always put family first. He raised his family in South Seattle and worked my entire life in the cold storage industry. I never really knew how hard he worked... just knew dad was at work and would be home after he was done. Somehow, he never missed a baseball game or family adventure and taught us to appreciate everything in life.

Mike took a job at Bellingham Cold Storage in early 2000's, his fellow employees and employers soon became some of the best people and employers he ever worked for. Even when he retired in 2015, he was still part of their work family and was included in all the company events. They are truly special people who I have always respected. Mike was part of Northwest Fisheries that he was very proud of and continued to keep a pulse on the industry he loved until his passing.

Mike married his high school sweetheart, Kathy, my mom. They spent a lifetime together until she passed 8/16/2021. After my mom passed, the amazing community they lived in, the Skagit County Country Club, jumped in and gave him the friendship and support he needed; the love and care they showed was so impressive it's hard to put to words. He was simply loved. My dad

walked through life making friends the entire way. His passing is an end of a generation of knowledge, along with genuine commitment to family and friends that leave a hole in time that

will never be filled. If you knew him, you liked him. He left behind a sister Margy, daughter Stacy, son Ken and his wife Jodi, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

My dad loved all his kids, grandkids, and great grands without fault. He never asked for anything and only wanted to know they were okay and maybe a 'Thanks Grandpa". Mike never gave up on

family and even though we all have come short of our potential and his love; you would never have known it by talking to him. My dad made me so proud, and I will never be able to put into words

just what he was to me other than…EVERYTHING.

A time of viewing will be held Monday, March 24th, 2025, 12:00pm until 2:00pm at Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon.  A Chapel Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, March 25th, 2025, 10:00am at Holy Rood Cemetery Chapel in Shoreline, WA.  A Graveside Service will follow on March 25th, 2025, 11:00am at Holy Rood Cemetery Shoreline, WA.

Please share your thoughts and sign the online guest register at www.hawthornefh.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA.