Michael J. "Big Mike" Johnson

Michael "Big Mike" J. Johnson of rural Eau Claire passed away at home on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, after a valiant battle against pancreatic cancer.

Mike was born in Eau Claire on Oct. 21, 1952, to Manley "Tuff" and Gertrude (Krenz) Johnson. He attended Porter and Cleghorn Elementary Schools, Central Junior High School, and Memorial High School, graduating in 1970. He studied quantity food preparation at Chippewa Valley Technical College for two years, graduating in 1972. During high school and college he worked in the kitchen at Mt. Washington Home and later as the Director of Food Service there. Mike worked a variety of other jobs in food service, bartending, farming, sales, transportation and construction.

Mike loved to play softball, basketball and golf. He was in a men's basketball league at the Y. Playing slow pitch softball was a favorite past time for Mike. In 1981 he hit a record six homeruns in one game. Legend has it that his powerful swing caused a softball to soar into the next field at Carson Park. In the '70s and '80s Mike played on the Houligans Slow Pitch team. Houligans became the first team in the nation to qualify for five straight ASA CLASS A National Tournaments. They also qualified for three straight USSSA Nationals and became the first team ever to be both ASA and USSSA State champions. Mike also played for Presto, Ken's Ace, Pizza Del Rae, Hop's Meats, Shoearama and Bankers Life over 40/45 slow pitch teams.

Mike lent his nickname to the golf outings of the "Pukester Open" at Princeton Valley from 1989 to 1992. He said that golf was his greatest challenge; this July he said that he wanted to get his strength back so he could play again!

Mike was also an avid fisherman and hunter. He once told the story of duck hunting with a friend in marshlands on a cold, rainy day. He found himself shivering on a muskrat mound, having shot only one duck that the shivering dog hunched down next to him on the mound refused to go after.

He fished all over the Midwest including walleye fishing on Lake Erie, northerns/walleyes in Canada, and halibut in Alaska. His al-time favorite fishing was Wisconsin lakes for bluegills. He loved having fish fries and relishing the tasty small filets. He took his nephews ice fishing for bluegills after his cancer diagnosis with his favorite ice fishing gang.

Mike was a great fan of the Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers and Blugolds. A favorite trip was to see the Packers play the Broncos in Denver at Mile High Stadium.

He organized and hosted a number of weekend bus trips to Brewer games, doing everything from selling tickets, arranging the bus transportation and hotel accommodations to cooking the food at the tailgate parties.

Mike also enjoyed watching his nephews play basketball. He attended almost every game that they played in their last two years of high school. He travelled to watch Ben at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and Zach at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Calif. He last saw them play at the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in Eau Claire this past July. Ben, Zach, and two friends won their division for Mike!

Mike was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by: his loving partner, Mary A. Eder; his sister, Mary (John) Thurow of Minneapolis; his nephews Ben (Stephanie) Thurow of Richfield, Minn., and Zach Thurow of Minneapolis; his grandniece Sophia Thurow; and many, many friends and cousins. Mike was loved by many for his caring nature, kind disposition and his zest for enjoying life to the fullest. He will be deeply missed.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of the Marshfield Clinic Cancer Center and the staff of St. Joseph's Hospital Hospice Services. A celebration of Mike's life will be held at Lake Hallie Golf and Supper Club from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23. The club is at 2196 110th St., Chippewa Falls. The private burial of his cremated remains will be held at a later date.

Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral and Cremation Services is assisting the family. To express condolences online, please visit obituaries at www.lenmarkfh.com.

Michael "Big Mike" J. Johnson