GEORGE WILFORD MICHEL, was born on May 2, 1945 in Zurich, Switzerland. He passed away on February 13, 2021 in his home with his wife and children. He was the fifth child of Werner Hans Michel and Therese Sophie Jost Michel. At the age of two his family immigrated to Canada. They stayed briefly in HillSpring before moving to Glenwood. George’s early years were spent herding cattle, milking over 25 cows, hunting, working and going to school.
George loved mechanical things. He took a car motor apart, set it back together and made it run at the age of sixteen. He has built many vehicles over the years, including a three-wheeler, a 2-seat fancy car where one seat was behind the other, tracked vehicles, a wooden car and truck, and various multi-seat vehicles including a wooden Thomas the Train.
After completing high school, George served a mission to Austria. When he returned, he worked in Calgary during the winters and helped his dad on the farm during the summer. After his marriage to Patricia in 1972, he worked mostly on the farm which he eventually purchased from his father.
Over the years, George had many jobs to supplement income from the farm. He worked unloading cars off trains, building snowmobiles, a helicopter mechanic, a truck driver, a school bus driver and finally as a hydro-electric plant operator and eventually manager. This last job resulted in a move to Revelstoke, BC for ten years and then to Squamish, BC for five more years.
George was talented at woodworking as well as metal work. Over the years, he renovated and added onto the tiny house until it was a large comfortable home with custom furniture and cabinetry. When he retired at age 65, he returned to Glenwood to find that his house was unhealthy. Together with his wife and children, they gutted the house and put it back together and it now looks even better inside. Then he turned to building cedar chests and other chests for his children and was trying to build them for his grandchildren, but only was able to complete some of them.
George liked learning new things. He learned to snowmobile and loved going every winter. After his mission, he took flying lessons and purchased a Cessna 172. He really loved to fly and made many local flights and even flew to Banff. Unfortunately, the upkeep on the plane was too much and he had to sell it. Later, he bought a boat and learned to waterski. He taught his children and some of his grandchildren to waterski as well. He also learned to scuba dive and enjoyed a diving trip to the Bahamas.
George served in many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a Venturer leader, a teacher, and a Branch President. George and Patricia also served a Home Storage mission in Lethbridge for 18 months.
He is survived by his sister, Madeleine Kurtz; his wife, Patricia Jean Cahoon Michel; his five children, Tricia (Nels) Anvik, Clinton (Kerri-Beth) Michel, Candice (Donovan) Watters, Tanya (Erwin) Fung, Trina (Jordan) Greenwood; and seventeen grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his father, Werner Hans Michel; his mother, Therese Sophie Jost; and his brothers, Konrad and Bill Michel.
A Private Family Service will be held on Wednesday, February 17th at Noon.
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George loved mechanical things. He took a car motor apart, set it back together and made it run at the age of sixteen. He has built many vehicles over the years, including a three-wheeler, a 2-seat fancy car where one seat was behind the other, tracked vehicles, a wooden car and truck, and various multi-seat vehicles including a wooden Thomas the Train.
After completing high school, George served a mission to Austria. When he returned, he worked in Calgary during the winters and helped his dad on the farm during the summer. After his marriage to Patricia in 1972, he worked mostly on the farm which he eventually purchased from his father.
Over the years, George had many jobs to supplement income from the farm. He worked unloading cars off trains, building snowmobiles, a helicopter mechanic, a truck driver, a school bus driver and finally as a hydro-electric plant operator and eventually manager. This last job resulted in a move to Revelstoke, BC for ten years and then to Squamish, BC for five more years.
George was talented at woodworking as well as metal work. Over the years, he renovated and added onto the tiny house until it was a large comfortable home with custom furniture and cabinetry. When he retired at age 65, he returned to Glenwood to find that his house was unhealthy. Together with his wife and children, they gutted the house and put it back together and it now looks even better inside. Then he turned to building cedar chests and other chests for his children and was trying to build them for his grandchildren, but only was able to complete some of them.
George liked learning new things. He learned to snowmobile and loved going every winter. After his mission, he took flying lessons and purchased a Cessna 172. He really loved to fly and made many local flights and even flew to Banff. Unfortunately, the upkeep on the plane was too much and he had to sell it. Later, he bought a boat and learned to waterski. He taught his children and some of his grandchildren to waterski as well. He also learned to scuba dive and enjoyed a diving trip to the Bahamas.
George served in many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a Venturer leader, a teacher, and a Branch President. George and Patricia also served a Home Storage mission in Lethbridge for 18 months.
He is survived by his sister, Madeleine Kurtz; his wife, Patricia Jean Cahoon Michel; his five children, Tricia (Nels) Anvik, Clinton (Kerri-Beth) Michel, Candice (Donovan) Watters, Tanya (Erwin) Fung, Trina (Jordan) Greenwood; and seventeen grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his father, Werner Hans Michel; his mother, Therese Sophie Jost; and his brothers, Konrad and Bill Michel.
A Private Family Service will be held on Wednesday, February 17th at Noon.
To Send Condolences click here
To Watch Livestream Click Here