Mike was born on February 16, 1931, on the family farm south of Grinnell to Harvey and Rachel Mason Mikel. He was raised on the farm and attended rural school. In 1949, he graduated from Grinnell High School. In January of 1950, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and served during the Korean Conflict. After the war he served on the U.S.S. Curtiss. He was awarded two purple hearts. On August 24, 1955, he was married to Agnes Hillmann at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple operated a grain and livestock farm in Chester Township, north of Grinnell. They enjoyed wintering in Mesa, Arizona. Mike was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, the Farm Bureau, the Sonora Grange and the Hawkeye Country Travelers. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye, Iowa State Cyclone and Arizona Diamondback fan and enjoyed collecting John Deere toy tractors. His passions in life were his grandchildren, great grandchildren, rural life and traveling around the United States in his motorhome. Survivors include his wife, Agnes Mikel of Grinnell; his seven daughters, Debra (Steve) Styers of Omaha, Nebraska, Laura (Ray) Hague of West Des Moines, Iowa, Connie (Craig) Weir of Grinnell, Diane Mikel of Springfield, Missouri, Brenda (Joe) Hicks of Wantage, N.J., Amy (Randy) Heil of Phoenix, Arionza and Sarah Mikel of Las Vegas, Nevada; his daughter-in-law, Brenda Hagedorn of Grinnell; 16 grandchildren; several great grandchildren; and one sister, Eleanor Mikel of Grinnell. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Douglas Mikel; one daughter, Lousie Ruth Mikel, one sister, Theresa Mae Mikel; and one brother, Harvey Mikel. Memorials may be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church or to St. Francis Manor and sent in care of Agnes Mikel, 921 Seeland Drive, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.