Michael Steven Wakkinen

Michael Steven Wakkinen Sr. (often called “Mike”, “Coach”, “Daddy-o”, or “Spanky”), 67, passed away December 12, 2018, at the Cheyenne (Wyoming) VA Hospital. Michael was born in Lynwood, California, on June 7, 1951, and spent the first 17 years of his life in southern California. Michael’s parents are the late Gerald William Wakkinen and Francis Rose West.

Michael graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in California in 1968 and then attended one year of college in Cypress. While at Cypress Community College, he played offensive line on the football team for one year before joining the United States Air Force. After serving six years in the Air Force, he worked several jobs before studying at Ricks College and eventually attending and graduating from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana (with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science). He would later convert to being a Griz, which he believed to be one of the best choices in his life (of course, next to marrying his wife, having a football team of children, and being baptized into Christ’s Church).

Michael’s interests included the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his family, and any type of sporting event. Michael married Esther Ellen Gouchenour on March 30, 1973, in Great Falls, Montana. They have been married 45 years and look forward to spending eternity together. He loved his family and experienced much joy with his eternal sweetheart, 11 children, 28 grandchildren, and numerous other extended family members (too many to list). Michael is survived by his wife (Esther), 11 children (Michael, Elizabeth, Howard, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Jeffery, Gregory, Jaclyn, Rosemary, and Alexandria), step-mother (Betty), five siblings (Sue, Pam, Julie, Ken, and Mark), and many others who he loved and appreciated. He is preceded in death by his parents and three siblings (Daniel, Guy Jr., and Kathy).

A celebration of life as a part of funeral services will be held on December 21, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Conrad, Montana. 

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