H. Michael Ohlinger

Our beloved Mike left this world much too early. He was 61 years young and was a devoted husband, father, brother and friend.

Mike is survived by his wife Kim Ohlinger and their blended family including son, Oliver S. Ohlinger-29 (Bend, OR), stepsons Grant W. Dillon-26 (Beaverton, OR) and Shane R. Dillon-21 (Lake Oswego, OR), and border collie, Daisy. He is also survived by his sisters, Juli Koon and her husband Chuck (Corpus Christi, TX), Angie Marks and her husband Joe (Guysville, OH), close cousin Terri Roush-Vansickle, and many nieces, nephews and their children.

Quick-witted and charismatic, Mike could strike up a conversation with anyone. He was described by his friends as smart, genuine, fun and trustworthy. His family was everything to him, and he was always available for them; a constant, steady presence.

Mike was born in Gallipolis, Ohio and grew up near Athens, Ohio. He graduated from Athens High School and attended Ohio University (Go Bobcats!). Mike moved permanently to the west coast shortly after college and started a successful 35-year insurance career in Los Angeles, CA, eventually transferring to Oregon and settling in Lake Oswego.

Growing up playing ball as kid in Ohio, Mike was an all-round sports enthusiast, most notably Reds baseball and Browns and Ohio State football. He enjoyed friendly sports banter with family and friends, especially University of Oregon and Michigan fans. If you asked Mike to choose a favorite sport, he would say baseball. It was his first love, and he put that enthusiasm and knowledge to great use later in life as a kind and patient T-ball and baseball coach for his kids' teams.

Mike was also an avid reader. His taste in subjects varied, but he leaned towards literary classics (Melville, Dickens, Hemingway), along with American history, astronomy, anthropology and sports. He was a consummate learner and always seemed to have a book in his collection to reference or a studied insight to help with any report, test or school subject the kids came home with. The kids would say it was both a blessing and a curse. His love of classics also extended to classic black and white movies, all genres, but his favorites were monster movies. He was quite the character, and we loved him for it.

Mike described that his outlook on life changed forever when he became a father. He adored his son, Oliver, and prioritized his life around caring for, and being present for him. They enjoyed many activities together over the years including monster truck shows, wakeboarding, snowboarding and building Legos. He expanded that love and focus to include his best friend and wife of 16 years, Kim, and his stepsons, Grant and Shane. He loved the time and traditions they shared together, both as a couple and as a family. He was immensely proud of the kind young men all three boys have become.

Mike believed in the power of positivity (B+) and spoke often of how fortunate he felt in his life. He embodied the phrase 'work to live, not live to work' and lived every day with his priorities aligned. He was an example for us all, and he will be missed. A private celebration of life for family and friends will be held in February. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Oregon Food Bank in Mike's honor.