Michael L. Milchak

1949 - 2021

Michael L. Milchak passed away on November 30, 2021 at St. Mary’s Medical Center Hobart, IN. 

 

Born as the second son of Andrew R. Milchak and Wanda L Milchak (Scott) on December 18, 1949 in Gary Indiana.  His brothers are Paul Milchak of Hobart, Indiana and Rudy Milchak (wife Tara) of Tucson, Arizona. 

 

Early on he had a sense of adventure and ran away one morning in an attempt to evade a doctor's visit.  This sense of adventure shaped him and continued throughout the rest of his life.  Michael attended elementary, middle, and high school at River Forest.  He was very active and participated in basketball, choir, band, and the hand-bell group.  He also participated in numerous school plays like Oklahoma, Music Man, as well as Holiday Madrigal Dinner Musical Productions.  In 1968 he traveled to Europe with the school choir and hand bell group.  After exploring Germany, France, Holland, and Belgium he returned home with a new perspective on the wider world and a new appreciation for being an American.

 

Throughout his adult life he was a jack of all trades and worked an assortment of jobs.  Real Estate sales with Goff Realty; US Steel power, fuel systems, and water treatment; Westinghouse instrument technician contractor; Stauffer Chemical instrument technician and process control; AMOCO oil instrument technician oil and petrol processes; Eli Lilly instrument technician & quality control and safety rep.  He was a skilled Union rep serving as a mediator and negotiator for the Oil Chemical and Atomic workers union.  Mike had a challenging and diverse career indeed.

 

His hobbies included fishing with his son Robert which meant untangling and freeing lines and hooks from tree limbs, unhooking bullfrogs, and trips to Dairy Queen afterwards.  He was also thrust into service as an amateur firefighter when Robert caught the yard on fire and Kristina torched a bird's nest hidden inside a porch light.  Papa bear was a semi-skilled blanket fort engineer and expert storyteller.  He was a great listener and always appreciated the simple joys of life.

 

Grateful for having shared in Michael’s life are two children, three grandchildren: son Robert E. Milchak (wife Joella) of Peck, Idaho, daughter Kristina M. Milchak of Kamiah, Idaho, and grandchildren Thatcher, Triston, and Wyatt Milchak.

 

Michael was preceded in death by his mother and father.

 

Family and friends may gather at Rees Funeral Home, Hobart Chapel (600 W Old Ridge Rd, Hobart) on Friday, December 10, 2021 from 11:00-2:00 P.M. with a memorial service following at 2:00 P.M.