Michael Frederic Michels, 83, passed away March 4, 2020 at Sheridan Memorial Hospital from a head injury received from a fall.
Mike was the only child born to Andy and Ruth (Fretheim) Michels on May 6, 1936. He was baptized in Scarville, IA by his uncle, Rev. S.J. Fretheim. Mike was confirmed in the Plentywood Lutheran Church, graduated from Plentywood High School in 1954 and attended MSU in Bozeman. In 1952, Andy bought the McNulty farm and Mike worked there and in Andy's Garage until 1959. He was employed by Williston-Scobey Transfer for 2 years. He married Pauline Wagar Robinson and they were later divorced. Mike worked with Hank Bedwell in the dirt moving business until he purchased the local Enco Service Station in 1961. While operating the station, he obtained a contract to haul safflower to Culbertson and purchased his first large truck, a 1944 Peterbilt. He hauled crude oil for several years and in 1969 he sold the service station to Merle Bykonen and purchased his first oilfield rig-up truck. He continued farming, ranching and trucking until 1978 when the "oil boom" hit and at that time, sold the cows, rented out the land and bought an oilfield crane.
By 1981, he had built MICHELS TRUCKING, INC. and serviced a large area in Montana and North Dakota. As a result of an oilfield slowdown, he sold the business to Mitchell Oilfield Service in Sidney, Montana and went back into the cattle business with D.A. They "survived" working together until 2011 when they sold the cows. Mike had a love of music and played the steel guitar in a band in high school. He also played electric guitar and took fiddle lessons as an adult. He especially enjoyed western swing - "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" and "Asleep At the Wheel" bands. He enjoyed watching and listening to the musicians on the Saturday night "Country Reunion"show. Mike and Sharon were married in 1975 and enjoyed many travels throughout the U.S. and Caribbean and a drive down the California coast on Highway #1- an item that was on his "bucket list". Mike had a great love of animals: his dogs Hank, Thumper and Honey and shop cat Noisemaker. He had Heidi cat at home. As a young boy he raised red cocker spaniels.
Mike was a volunteer fireman, a local ambulance driver, a member of the Jaycees, the Plentywood Elks Lodge and served in the National Guard for 9 years.
Mike is survived by his wife Sharon of 45 years; a daughter Kathy Hoffart (Frank); sons Doug and D.A.(Stefanie); and step-children, Jill Cooke (Darrin), Jan Nolan (Jim), and Jay Larsen (Brenda). His grandchildren, Michelle Lindblom O'Laverty (Bill), Jeff Lindblom (Tami), Tyler and Reilly Nolan, Olivia Larsen Seidel (Trevor), Logan Larsen, Leif Larsen, Marenn and Kali Larsen. His great grandchildren Megan and Bill O'Laverty and Gavin, Heath, and Alonna Lindblom. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Andy and Ruth Michels, and in-laws, Clair and Gladys Johnson.
Fulkerson Funeral Home Plentywood MT
Mike was the only child born to Andy and Ruth (Fretheim) Michels on May 6, 1936. He was baptized in Scarville, IA by his uncle, Rev. S.J. Fretheim. Mike was confirmed in the Plentywood Lutheran Church, graduated from Plentywood High School in 1954 and attended MSU in Bozeman. In 1952, Andy bought the McNulty farm and Mike worked there and in Andy's Garage until 1959. He was employed by Williston-Scobey Transfer for 2 years. He married Pauline Wagar Robinson and they were later divorced. Mike worked with Hank Bedwell in the dirt moving business until he purchased the local Enco Service Station in 1961. While operating the station, he obtained a contract to haul safflower to Culbertson and purchased his first large truck, a 1944 Peterbilt. He hauled crude oil for several years and in 1969 he sold the service station to Merle Bykonen and purchased his first oilfield rig-up truck. He continued farming, ranching and trucking until 1978 when the "oil boom" hit and at that time, sold the cows, rented out the land and bought an oilfield crane.
By 1981, he had built MICHELS TRUCKING, INC. and serviced a large area in Montana and North Dakota. As a result of an oilfield slowdown, he sold the business to Mitchell Oilfield Service in Sidney, Montana and went back into the cattle business with D.A. They "survived" working together until 2011 when they sold the cows. Mike had a love of music and played the steel guitar in a band in high school. He also played electric guitar and took fiddle lessons as an adult. He especially enjoyed western swing - "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" and "Asleep At the Wheel" bands. He enjoyed watching and listening to the musicians on the Saturday night "Country Reunion"show. Mike and Sharon were married in 1975 and enjoyed many travels throughout the U.S. and Caribbean and a drive down the California coast on Highway #1- an item that was on his "bucket list". Mike had a great love of animals: his dogs Hank, Thumper and Honey and shop cat Noisemaker. He had Heidi cat at home. As a young boy he raised red cocker spaniels.
Mike was a volunteer fireman, a local ambulance driver, a member of the Jaycees, the Plentywood Elks Lodge and served in the National Guard for 9 years.
Mike is survived by his wife Sharon of 45 years; a daughter Kathy Hoffart (Frank); sons Doug and D.A.(Stefanie); and step-children, Jill Cooke (Darrin), Jan Nolan (Jim), and Jay Larsen (Brenda). His grandchildren, Michelle Lindblom O'Laverty (Bill), Jeff Lindblom (Tami), Tyler and Reilly Nolan, Olivia Larsen Seidel (Trevor), Logan Larsen, Leif Larsen, Marenn and Kali Larsen. His great grandchildren Megan and Bill O'Laverty and Gavin, Heath, and Alonna Lindblom. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Andy and Ruth Michels, and in-laws, Clair and Gladys Johnson.
Fulkerson Funeral Home Plentywood MT
Michael Frederic Michels, 83, passed away March 4, 2020 at Sheridan Memorial Hospital from a head injury received from a fall.
Mike was the only child born to Andy and Ruth (Fretheim) Michels on May 6, 1936. He was baptized in Scarville, IA by his uncle, Rev. S.J. Fretheim. Mike was confirmed in the Plentywood Lutheran Church, graduated from Plentywood High School in 1954 and attended MSU in Bozeman. In 1952, Andy bought the McNulty farm and Mike worked there and in Andy's Garage until 1959. He was employed by Williston-Scobey Transfer for 2 years. He married Pauline Wagar Robinson and they were later divorced. Mike worked with Hank Bedwell in the dirt moving business until he purchased the local Enco Service Station in 1961. While operating the station, he obtained a contract to haul safflower to Culbertson and purchased his first large truck, a 1944 Peterbilt. He hauled crude oil for several years and in 1969 he sold the service station to Merle Bykonen and purchased his first oilfield rig-up truck. He continued farming, ranching and trucking until 1978 when the "oil boom" hit and at that time, sold the cows, rented out the land and bought an oilfield crane.
By 1981, he had built MICHELS TRUCKING, INC. and serviced a large area in Montana and North Dakota. As a result of an oilfield slowdown, he sold the business to Mitchell Oilfield Service in Sidney, Montana and went back into the cattle business with D.A. They "survived" working together until 2011 when they sold the cows. Mike had a love of music and played the steel guitar in a band in high school. He also played electric guitar and took fiddle lessons as an adult. He especially enjoyed western swing - "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" and "Asleep At the Wheel" bands. He enjoyed watching and listening to the musicians on the Saturday night "Country Reunion"show. Mike and Sharon were married in 1975 and enjoyed many travels throughout the U.S. and Caribbean and a drive down the California coast on Highway #1- an item that was on his "bucket list". Mike had a great love of animals: his dogs Hank, Thumper and Honey and shop cat Noisemaker. He had Heidi cat at home. As a young boy he raised red cocker spaniels.
Mike was a volunteer fireman, a local ambulance driver, a member of the Jaycees, the Plentywood Elks Lodge and served in the National Guard for 9 years.
Mike is survived by his wife Sharon of 45 years; a daughter Kathy Hoffart (Frank); sons Doug and D.A.(Stefanie); and step-children, Jill Cooke (Darrin), Jan Nolan (Jim), and Jay Larsen (Brenda). His grandchildren, Michelle Lindblom O'Laverty (Bill), Jeff Lindblom (Tami), Tyler and Reilly Nolan, Olivia Larsen Seidel (Trevor), Logan Larsen, Leif Larsen, Marenn and Kali Larsen. His great grandchildren Megan and Bill O'Laverty and Gavin, Heath, and Alonna Lindblom. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Andy and Ruth Michels, and in-laws, Clair and Gladys Johnson.
Fulkerson Funeral Home Plentywood MT
Mike was the only child born to Andy and Ruth (Fretheim) Michels on May 6, 1936. He was baptized in Scarville, IA by his uncle, Rev. S.J. Fretheim. Mike was confirmed in the Plentywood Lutheran Church, graduated from Plentywood High School in 1954 and attended MSU in Bozeman. In 1952, Andy bought the McNulty farm and Mike worked there and in Andy's Garage until 1959. He was employed by Williston-Scobey Transfer for 2 years. He married Pauline Wagar Robinson and they were later divorced. Mike worked with Hank Bedwell in the dirt moving business until he purchased the local Enco Service Station in 1961. While operating the station, he obtained a contract to haul safflower to Culbertson and purchased his first large truck, a 1944 Peterbilt. He hauled crude oil for several years and in 1969 he sold the service station to Merle Bykonen and purchased his first oilfield rig-up truck. He continued farming, ranching and trucking until 1978 when the "oil boom" hit and at that time, sold the cows, rented out the land and bought an oilfield crane.
By 1981, he had built MICHELS TRUCKING, INC. and serviced a large area in Montana and North Dakota. As a result of an oilfield slowdown, he sold the business to Mitchell Oilfield Service in Sidney, Montana and went back into the cattle business with D.A. They "survived" working together until 2011 when they sold the cows. Mike had a love of music and played the steel guitar in a band in high school. He also played electric guitar and took fiddle lessons as an adult. He especially enjoyed western swing - "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" and "Asleep At the Wheel" bands. He enjoyed watching and listening to the musicians on the Saturday night "Country Reunion"show. Mike and Sharon were married in 1975 and enjoyed many travels throughout the U.S. and Caribbean and a drive down the California coast on Highway #1- an item that was on his "bucket list". Mike had a great love of animals: his dogs Hank, Thumper and Honey and shop cat Noisemaker. He had Heidi cat at home. As a young boy he raised red cocker spaniels.
Mike was a volunteer fireman, a local ambulance driver, a member of the Jaycees, the Plentywood Elks Lodge and served in the National Guard for 9 years.
Mike is survived by his wife Sharon of 45 years; a daughter Kathy Hoffart (Frank); sons Doug and D.A.(Stefanie); and step-children, Jill Cooke (Darrin), Jan Nolan (Jim), and Jay Larsen (Brenda). His grandchildren, Michelle Lindblom O'Laverty (Bill), Jeff Lindblom (Tami), Tyler and Reilly Nolan, Olivia Larsen Seidel (Trevor), Logan Larsen, Leif Larsen, Marenn and Kali Larsen. His great grandchildren Megan and Bill O'Laverty and Gavin, Heath, and Alonna Lindblom. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Andy and Ruth Michels, and in-laws, Clair and Gladys Johnson.
Fulkerson Funeral Home Plentywood MT
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