Michael A. Tumey

1954 - 2016

Michael Alan Tumey, firefighter/EMT, health-care worker, mountain climber and father, died on Dec. 13, 2016. He was 62. Mike was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up in nearby Bettendorf. He first came to Alaska in 1973. After returning to Iowa to be with family, Mike moved to Alaska for good in 1979. He settled in Girdwood, where he ran a house-painting business, served on the Alyeska Ski Patrol and was a member of the volunteer Girdwood Fire Department, where he served as chief and assistant chief at various times. As a member of the fire department, Mike saved many lives and helped countless people who were hurt in crashes on the Seward Highway, injured in accidents on the ski trails or suffering from other medical emergencies in the Girdwood area. After he moved to Anchorage in 1999, Mike worked as a nursing assistant for the Mary Conrad Center, which later became Prestige Care, an assisted-living facility for elderly and infirm residents. Mike was a caring health aide who gave comfort to elders in the twilight of their lives. Mike was an avid outdoorsman. He climbed many ice walls, rock faces and mountains in Alaska and elsewhere, and he enjoyed skiing at Alyeska and in the backcountry. He competed in iconic Alaska events like the Mount Marathon Race, the Lost Lake Breath of Life race and the Alyeska Mountain Run. He passed on his love of the mountains to his children. Mike was a dedicated environmentalist, and his passion was intensified by the Exxon Valdez spill. He participated in public-awareness campaigns, including one memorable protest at Exxon's Anchorage headquarters. He was part of a volunteer team that cleaned oil from Mars Cove in Cook Inlet, a project that was one of the bright spots in the Exxon Valdez response. Mike is survived by his children, Jania and Martin Tumey of Anchorage; his ex-wife, Yereth Rosen; and family members in the Lower 48. Those include his stepmother, Phyllis Tumey of Castle Rock, Colo., who was at his side in the last days of his fight with cancer; mother, Kay Van Camp of Bettendorf, Iowa; sister-in-law, Holly Tumey of Davenport, Iowa; brother, Todd Meyer and his wife Elaine of Castle Rock, Colo.; brother, Tim Jirus of Washington, D.C.; niece, Kelsey Cochrane of Denver, Colo.; niece, Kitty Tumey of Davenport, Iowa; nephew, Billy Tumey of Seattle, Wash.; and several other members of his extended family. Mike is also survived by his many good friends in Alaska and in the Lower 48. He was preceded in death by his father, Bill Tumey; his sister, Sue Tumey; and his brother, Dan Tumey. A celebration of life is planned. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Mike's name to organizations he admired: The Alaska Conservation Foundation and Hospice of Anchorage.