R. Michael McCloskey

R. Michael McCloskey aka Duke, I.B Groty, Uncle Mike, Dad, Grandpa but never Bob, passed away peacefully Saturday, September 28, 2024, with family by his side.
He was born to Robert Francis McCloskey and Sharon Jean Josephson McCloskey on August 18, 1949, in Seattle, WA. Mike graduated Mercer Island High School in 1967 and attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics. He played college football until a neck injury curtailed his action on the field. Not to be sidelined, he joined the crew and cross-country ski team. He was pilot qualified through ROTC but dropped from the program when he developed Diabetes at the age of 21.
He married Kathleen Jo Carney in 1971 and was mentored by Dave Lees of Lees Carney in Portland in the salvage side of that business. He later transitioned to grain merchandising. Mike and Kathy greeted one son, Chris, in 1980 and began their adventures around the northwest.
He left Portland to run Dillon Grain in Dillon, Montana then moved to Vancouver, BC to manage the export desk for Agro-BC and traveled the Pacific rim. Longing for the states, he signed on with General Mills in Great Falls as a barley merchandiser. His last post in the grain industry was with Palliser Grain of Calgary, AB running their one U.S. office.
Looking for a new commodity to trade, Mike became licensed as a financial advisor and went to work for Dain Rauscher in 1995. By 2000, the laws regarding CPAs and financial advising had changed allowing Mike to move to JCCS CPA to create their wealth management program. It was there he found his niche advising clients for the next 18 years.
Mike enjoyed many activities with his family and friends that included camping, fishing, hunting, clam digging and photography. He treasured the time teaching Chris and his friends to hunt and fish while coaching many of Chris's youth sports activities. He cowboyed several seasons on the Sun Ranch in southwest Montana and said he was born a century too late. Mike was a founding member of Sun River Rangers Shooting Society for cowboy action shooting. For many years, he was a member of the Russell Museum's Charlies Friends, the East Valley QRT, and a volunteer fireman with the Sun Prairie department. As a life member of Cascade County Search and Rescue he helped guide the unit to the successful realization of a county mill levy for SAR funding. His greatest accomplishment was attaining his EMT certificate after suffering a stroke in 1999 and becoming a staff member of ETC of Montana which offers emergency provider education across the state.
In 2016 he was fortunate to have received a kidney transplant and looked forward to renewed life with family and friends. But immunosuppressants made him susceptible to all sorts of infections and viruses. Over the next years he would experience many trips to the ER but maintained his optimism on life and his humorous character. He always had a smile on his face and a contagious laugh. He jokingly wondered if he could visit all the ER's in Pacific Northwest in his lifetime.
He is survived by his first wife, Kathy; their son, Chris (Leah); his second wife and best friend, Diane; and her son, Kevin Nelson (Kim Brown); mother-in-law, Carole Hull; sisters-in-law, Nancy McCloskey, Dee (Mike) Trombetta and Linda Deering; daughter-in-law, Vickie Nelson; grandchildren, Conner, Bryce, Alyssa and Brooke Nelson, Cierra, Chloe, and Chrystal McCloskey; nieces and nephews include, Kate McCloskey, Kellie Clark, Dugan (Ronnie Kai) McCloskey, Stephanie (Matt) Martinka, Stacie (George) Howell, Sarah (Eric) Lybecker and Kenny Suazo; And brothers from a different mother, Tom Mullane and Ken (Roberta) Threet.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Steve; father-in-law, Morris Deering; stepson, Keith Nelson; his beloved dogs, Caleb, Tuque, Spud, Maggie and CJ as well as his im"paws"ilbe cats Bridgette, Shadow and Paisley.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Benefis Foundation at PO Box 7008 Great Falls, MT 59406 as Mike was a frequent visitor to the Benefis facilities.
For their continued care and support over the last few years, the family wishes to thank Dr. Justen Rudolph, Dr. Dale Schaefer, Dr. Ronald Ray and his staff, Dr. Kluge, Courtney Forde FNP, Robert Carvell CPO of Hanger Clinic, the Benefis ER, ICU and laboratory departments, PT, OT and Speech therapists and Chris from CoAg services.
A celebration of life will take place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the Scottish Rite, 1304 13th Street South in Great Falls. Reception to follow.