William “Bill” Michel

William “Bill” Michel was born on June 27, 1962, to George D. and Dolores Michel of rural Harmony, Minn. Bill was quite a character with a heart of gold. He will be missed by his family and many friends. Bill is survived by his three beautiful daughters, McKayla, Kendall, and Morgan. He was also blessed with two grandchildren, James and Irys. He is  also survived by five sisters: Diane Strahl, Gerri Harrington, Connie Ishizaki, Kathy McCloskey and Mary Tufte. Bill had 24 nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother David, serving in Vietnam.

It’s often noted that the younger children of a large family learn at a faster rate, yet most don’t realize how special Bill was. Before he was old enough to attend kindergarten, he taught himself to add single digit numbers by studying the living room clock. He had talents in so many areas, that he never realized were talents. He started playing piano and drums at a very early age and went on to sing in the Harmony High School choir, winning several music contests, singing duets with his cousin Penny. At the time of his death he was learning to play the violin from a friend’s daughter.

He was an animal lover from early on. Beside the usual assortment of the dogs and cats typical in most households, as a small child he spent hours in front of the TV sharing a cookie with Chippy the squirrel, whom his dad had rescued during an early Minnesota thaw. His love of all critters, big and small, continued throughout his life to a culmination of caring for numerous dogs, cats, horses, peacocks, ostriches, and donkeys while living in New Mexico.

He was a talented chef, allowing his creative side to shine through many aspects of the catering jobs he performed. Though the low drone of his chainsaw finishing an ice sculpture for a wedding reception sometimes competed with the happy couple’s vows, his presentation never disappointed. He threw his entire self into the details, sometimes much to the annoyance of his sibling “assistants.” While he was quite proud of the personal recognition he received from Vice President Gerald Ford for a perfectly prepared steak dinner, his biggest joy was in developing the menu as the original chef at The Old Barn Resort, spotlighting his famous Sunday Brunch.

During his journey through life, he never hesitated to re-make himself by trying new things, but more importantly he didn’t allow himself to be defined solely by the kind of work he chose to do at that moment in time. Instead he tried to adhere to his own three rules he lived by every day: 1) Make someone laugh, 2) Learn something new, 3) Laugh about something. Recently Bill had returned to Minnesota, and though he struggled with finding his way, his faith and love of family never wavered, making new friends in the Rushford community as well as reconnecting with lifelong friends and family. He loved all three of his daughters dearly and was thrilled to be “Grandpa.” He was a kind and humble man who needed little to be happy. He had a warm personality and a laugh that could fill any room, especially if there was a pool table in it. His journey ended where it should have, fishing his heart out on July 14, 2020.

Memorial service arrangements to be announced at a later date.