Mike Uhlorn was born Oct. 15, 1954, to Gerald and Joanne Lightfield Uhlorn in Cottonwood. On Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, Mike lost his life to the horrible effects of cancer.
He was the oldest son in a family of seven and grew up knowing the value of kindness and the hard work ethic of life on a farm. These values carried on throughout his life as shown through the many phone calls for help or advice from his trusted friends, family and customers.
Growing up in Cottonwood included school at St. Joseph Elementary School, then Mike attended St. Gertrude’s Academy until his junior year when consolidation of local schools formed Prairie Schools. He graduated from Prairie High School in the spring of 1972. Working with his dad on all types of farm machinery influenced Mike’s decision to attend Lewis-Clark State College where he graduated with a degree in Industrial Mechanics. He continued the importance of education by becoming a member of the advisory board for many years for the IndustrialMechanics program at LCSC.
After graduation, Mike moved back to the Camas Prairie where he started his mechanical career at John Hoene Implement in Grangeville. He was lured back to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley to work at many businesses including Idaho Truck, TISCO, Poe Asphalt and finally Rush Truck, where he worked for more than 34 years and finished his career as the service manager. He resided in Culdesac, so he could still watch those combines and tractors working in the fields.
Mike fell in love and married Cheryl Wessels. The two have a son, Chad Uhlorn, who resides in Nampa with his family. They later divorced. Along came Kim Jeffreys, who stole his heart again. They married and Mike gained another son, Kevin, and daughter Angie. There were years filled with many trips to ball games and the crazy life with teenagers all with a smiling Mike in tow. That union also ended in divorce.
Mike was very devoted to his work and customers, but when it was time to play, he was drawn to the outdoors where he loved to fish, camp and go on many back road trips, that is if he wasn’t playing with his grandkids. When Mike was younger, he used to follow his uncles to trap shooting where he started out setting traps. He was encouraged to try shooting and found out he was pretty good. He continued this hobby by becoming an active member of the Culdesac Gun Club and shot competitively in both Idaho and Washington until his health prevented him from participating. If you ever went fishing with Mike, you probably have stories to tell. Many would say they got home way after dark, or maybe some heroics of ending up in the water to save that fish or a pole. With Mike, life was a joyful adventure.
Mike’s parents, Gerald and Joanne, preceded him in death. He is survived by his son Chad (Janine) and grandkids Dustin and Macy, stepdaughter Angie, stepson Kevin (Katie) and grandkids Aiden and Niveen, and his siblings, Barb (Ken) Clark, Margie (Dale) Kinzel, Shelley Wessels, Darrel (Mary) Uhlorn, Janice (Dave) Baldus, and Greg (Peggy) Uhlorn and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Vassar Rawls Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. All are welcome to celebrate Mike’s life at a memorial service to be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 9, at All Saints Catholic Church, 3330 14th St., Lewiston, followed by a dinner at the church.
The family requests donations be made in support of the Technical and Industrial Division at Lewis-Clark State College, LC State Foundation, 500 Eighth Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501 or online at lcsc.edu/giving/how-to-give to assist students in purchasing the tools required for their programs. Indicate funds are “In Memory of Mike Uhlorn.”
