Sunday, January 5, 2014
As a four year old, I loved to tag along every time big brother Mike left the house to do farm chores. Only when he could convince me that the trees were swaying back and forth would I concede it was too cold to go along. Mike was always a caring big brother to Anne, Nellie and me. He tried his best to entertain us, going so far as to pulling out all the silverware and even the kitchen clock for baby Nellie to play with – but still she screamed. Just like many kids, Mike tried smoking when he was 16. He was taking grain to town and I tagged along. When he struck a match to light his cigarette, the whole pack of penny matches went up in flames. By now a wise seven year old, I told him he shouldn’t be smoking. I was only rewarded with a hard look for my efforts. Mike bought a bicycle but became disillusioned with it when having to push it through mud about as much as being able to ride, so he gave it to Anne and me to ride. When he worked for a farmer named Anderson, he was able to ride the man’s Shetland pony home for the weekends. We were thrilled when he allowed us kids to ride the pony. Mike got an essential service job with the CPR in lieu of having to serve in the Army. He was a hard worker. During the ensuing 44 years, he worked his way up from common laborer to Road Master. Mike was instrumental in our acquisition of CPR benches from closed railroad depots for our church. Mike’s love of fishing was evident. I remember our family on a Sunday afternoon fishing trip with Mike and Ann, his first wife who predeceased him. Ann, Mike and I waded out into the water and stood a ways apart from each other to cast our lines. Our girls tried their hand at fishing from shore, and my wife spent her time unsnagging their lines. Mike and I received not even a nibble. All the fish were drawn like a magnet to Ann’s line, and she kept reeling them in. Mike traveled for the CPR and he always came to see us when in the area. His visits were always greatly anticipated. The girls all loved their Uncle Mike. He will always be remembered as a fun-loving, caring, and thoughtful individual, big brother and great friend.
