Michael Bruce "Mike" Pace

Michael Bruce Pace, 71, of Tomball, Texas, was welcomed into the loving arms of his Savior on Monday, September 22, 2025. He was born on August 3, 1954, to Talton and Diane Pace in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mike grew up in a military family and had the opportunity to live all over the country. He overcame two bouts of childhood cancer and decided to pursue a career in Sports Medicine at Stephen F. Austin State University. While at school, he met Phyllis Huggins, and they married December 29, 1979. They had three beautiful girls, Jessica, and twins, Jamie and Jordan. With the marriage of the girls, Mike welcomed three wonderful sons-in-law and six grandchildren, whom he treasured.

Mike became an athletic trainer at MacArthur High School in 1978 and continued to Spring High School in 1984. In 1988, he expanded his passion for rehabilitating injured athletes by going to work at Tomball Sports Medicine Center, where he had the opportunity to learn from and assist multiple doctors in orthopedic surgery and post operative care. In 1989, he was accepted to the Olympic Sports Medicine Program, where he served at two Olympic Festivals as well as the Pan-American Games in Havana, Cuba before being selected for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain as the athletic trainer for USA Baseball. Mike returned to Spring High School in 2000 and retired from public education athletic training in 2012. He spent the final four years of his career serving at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and was instrumental in establishing the Athletic Training Residency Program there. During his career, Mike held leadership positions in the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association and was a founding member of the Greater Houston Athletic Trainer's Society.

Besides family and career, Mike had many interests. He was a fisherman, camper, motorcyclist, woodworker, world traveler, painter, golfer, and poet, who loved classic rock music. Mike had a servant's heart and demonstrated his faith and love of God by serving his family, students, athletes, colleagues, friends, and his church in many capacities. He was dearly loved and will be truly missed.

Those left to cherish his memories are his wife, Phyllis Pace; daughters and sons-in-law, Jessica and Sam Radke, Jamie and Joseph Frasier, and Jordan and John Swokowski; grandchildren, Seth and Gwen Radke, Nathan and Evelyn Frasier, and Riley and Caleb Swokowski; in-laws, Donald and Nina Huggins; brothers and sisters-in-law, Tracy Alan and Rebecca Huggins, Matthew and Amy Huggins, along with several nieces and nephews; aunt, Pat Phillips and cousins, Scott Phillips, Mark Phillips, Brenda Phillips Toms, Pam Rios and Steven Lowrey.

He was preceded in death by his parents Talton and Diane Pace; mother-in-law, Edna Huggins; brother-in-law, Stephen Huggins; aunt, Nancy Lebert; uncle, Norman Phillips.

A service to celebrate the life of Michael Bruce Pace will be held Monday, September 29, 2025 at 11:00am at Houston Northwest Church. Visitation begins at 10:00am, with a graveside service to follow at Klein Memorial Park Cemetery.

Houston Northwest Church 19911 State Hwy. 249 Houston, TX 77070

Klein Memorial Park Cemetery 9714 F.M. 2920 Tomball, TX 77375

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Cancer Association.