Michael Davern Fitterer

1955 - 2011

BORN

1955

DIED

2011

About

Central Washington University Washington State University

Michael Fitterer Obituary

Michael Davern Fitterer, 55, was born on November 9, 1955 in Ellensburg, Washington and he passed away peacefully on March 16, 2011 on a fishing boat in the ocean off of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Little "Mikey" grew up playing sports in the family's front yard with his brothers, sister and all the neighborhood kids. He attended Lourdes Academy and graduated from Ellensburg High School in 1974. Mike was voted most inspirational player on Ellensburg's 1973 State Championship Football Team. He also excelled in Track and Field. He high jumped 6'5 1/2" and placed 3rd in the Washington State Track Meet that same year. Mike was voted most inspirational player of the year in Track and Field. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in business administration from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg in 1978 where he also played Football and participated in Track and Field during his undergraduate years. Mike then worked in the restaurant business and later attended Washington State University earning his Masters in Hotel Motel Management in 1984. After three more years in the restaurant business he decided to follow his passion of cooking on the fishing boat Artic Ice, in 1987. Mike loved the fishing life and his co-workers loved him for the next 24 years. Mike had a great love of life. He was a true friend who looked you in the eye and really did want to know how you were doing. Mike respected all people and his great laugh endeared him to his many friends. When Mike entered the room with his big heart and loud laugh, if you could hang on, you knew you were in for a good time. Mike is survived by his wife, Terri of Stanwood, Washington, his mother-in-law Roxann Ellinger of Mount Vernon, brother-in-law George (Amy) Bennett Jr. and nieces BriAnne and Abigel, nephew Richard, stepson Chris Campbell of Mount Vernon, stepdaughter Nikole (Eric) Alexander and grandsons Chayse, Colby and Evan of Valdez, Alaska. He is also survived by his sister Jane (Jim) Henderson, niece Megan, nephew Matt (Tera) of Beaverton, Oregon, brother Jack (Judy) and nieces Lisa (Doug) Thurber, Kelly (Mike) Abbott and nephew Scott (Cherish) of Seattle, brother Richard (Lucy) and nephews Zane (Claire), Aaron, and Ray from Moses Lake, brother Brad (Connie) and nieces Alex and Mychal of Ellensburg, brother Pat (Kathy) and nieces Karly (Mike) Floyd and Mindy (Brad) Schultz of Yakima.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Margaret and George Fitterer and by his nephew Christian.
The Family wants to express their thanks to Golden Alaska Sea Foods and to all of Mike's fishing family for their kindness.
Memorial services will be held Saturday April 9, 2011 at 1:00pm at Saint Andrews Catholic Church in Ellensburg followed by a gathering at the Rodeo Grounds VIP Room. If you would like to send a note to the family please e-mail it to [email protected] . A memorial will also be held on May 1st at Fisherman's Wharf in Seattle.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Record from Apr. 7 to Apr. 15, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Michael Fitterer

7 Entries

Keith and Lise McGowan

April 13, 2011

Brad, we are sorry to learn of the passing of your brother, Mike. It sounds like he had a remarkable and joyful spirit that was clearly noticeable to those in his presence. Our thoughts and prayers will be you and your family in the midst of this loss.

richard fitterer

April 12, 2011

Little Mikey, a lifetime of good memories, mostly funny, a few only funny in retrospect.
It was wonderful to see a lot of friends at Mikes wake. I'm afraid I didn't recognize many after all these years but appreciate your love and respect for my little brother.
I'm expecting him to break out, if any one has the energy, Mike did.

Richard

Jody Ayers

April 10, 2011

What a surprise to learn of Mike's passing! I hadn't seen him since just after high school, but I remember the smile and always looking for some kind of fun!! He will b greatly missed.

Kay Cory

April 9, 2011

Mike's smile always lit up the room. We'll all miss him.

Laurie Perry

April 8, 2011

Fitterer is the name that we always used to refer to Mike. He fished with my husband for several years and what I knew from him was, that he was a true friend. I remember how he loved his mother so much and how much respect that he had for her. Even though I had not met many of his relatives he would talk of all of his nieces and nephews and how he loved his brothers and family and how he proud he was of them. His family meant so much to him.

I had seen Mike fishing for years, we had camped with him and he had been to our house, helping us tear it apart. We had been to his home and never did I realize in all of that time that he was bald. The day came when we were going to Arctic Alaska Christmas party and we went to pick Mike up and he was decked out in the fanciest suit, that of course came with a really good story and he had no hair. He had been hiding that under all those baseball hats with his long hair hanging out the back that he loved to play with.

Mike also seemed to do things to extreme when he did them. Never a few drinks or cheap vodka but everything had to be the finest. He called us onetime and said, "Hey LP, I need you and Laurie to join us for dinner." So we asked him where to meet him and he said the Metropolitan Bar and Grill in Seattle, one of the finest steak houses. Well we did not order our meal because he ordered for all of us. His mother, his date, Lorin and I. He did not get one 70 oz lobster tail but a couple of them added by Chateaubrian and escargot for appetizers. And then countless bottles of very fine wine. Dinner was amazing and he was so proud. I remember how happy he was that his mother was there. When we went to leave he had a limo waiting for us.

He never would say, "Hey, let's have hamburgers" but there had to be some special touch that Mike would do to everything.

You could always count on him to make you smile and really to listen. Mike was one of those people that no matter what time pasted between you, he did not forget the friendship that was once shared. He was a listener too. When he asked you how you were he was really listening and wanted to help with a solution.

During the past years I did not really get to see him but every year he would call on New Year's Eve. Without fail he called us. I would usually be getting ready and we would talk. It always made me feel so good that he took the time to do that.

Mike loved his friends and we also loved him too and will miss him so.

May you rest in peace Fitterer and we will see you in heaven one day.

Your friends, LP and Laurie

Jeff Hocker

April 8, 2011

Wow...where do I begin and where do I stop? Mikey.....My best friend from early childhood, my soul brother, my blood brother. Yes indeed Mike, you taught me how to laugh and how to look at the postive things in life. It is true when you walked into a room your big heart and "hardy laugh" made everyone feel good! I learned alot from you "Magoo" and you made me a better person. I will cherish our many special memories for ever!!!!! I will see you again someday my ol' friend.....and we will continue our many laughs.

I Love you man.....

Your other brother, the blonde one.

Jeff Hocker
Ellensburg, WA.

Rick McDow

April 7, 2011

We'll meet again someday.

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