Michael David Farrell

1955 - 2023

Michael D. Farrell, age 68, died at his home in Council Bluffs, Iowa on December 6, 2023. He made it through one more Nebraska Husker football season. He was born to Donald Farrell and Jane Gillespie Warth on September 22, 1955. Mike was the middle child in the set of 3- older brother Steve and younger sister Cindy who both survive Mike and already miss him greatly.

There's no way to adequately condense the adventures of Mike that started before high school and really took off when Mike provided much relief to Mr. Moxley when he graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1974 as Mr. Moxley would no longer have to call Jane to discuss her son. Mike graduated from Buena Vista College as he said by skin of his teeth with a degree in education. He lived for 35 years in Minnesota, most of the time along the North Shore of Lake Superior, working as a teacher, in a lumber yard and finally taking disability retirement from his job as a gambling addiction counselor which he loved. He camped and fished and whiled away his time hosting family and proudly showing off the North Shore, attending the Bayfront Blues Festival and sitting around campfires. After several years of wintering in the south in his RV, he made the decision to leave Minnesota and was in Florida, Arizona and Nevada. It took some convincing but Mike moved home to Council Bluffs about 6 years ago. Even then, Mike traveled to California, Cabo San Lucas and his grand adventure of going to Thailand.

During those years up north, from Mike's first marriage came his absolute greatest joy, his daughter Angie Ellenberger. Mike is survived by Angie and her husband Bryan and grandchildren Cayce, Bryson and Ayla. Mike was able to make the trip to Wisconsin a couple of times in the last few years to see them. He came home smiling ear to ear saying he thought he might be too old to be around the young ones.

Mike is survived by his nieces Sarah Larson, Stacey Muell, Molly Keller, Amy Forsythe and Abby Collins and their families. He loved to know what the latest news was for every one. Mike is also survived by his aunt Sharon Farrell whom he loved and referred to as "Doll" and his Farrell cousins and the gang of Husker Gillespie cousins. Mike is survived by dear friend, Joan Leopold; RV pals Dalene and Burrell, friends Deb Ellison, Susan Hawkinson and Danny O'Neill from up North who kept in touch with him along his travels, and high school pal Dave Van Houten who was a recent, happy reconnection. And so many others he met along the way.

Lessons we learned from Mike: Travel. Go see things and learn about other people. You will realize life isn't all about you. Go listen to live music. Your head and heart will feel better. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. YouTube can teach you anything and if you need help, call a small local company and give them a boost. Give people the benefit of the doubt-you never what they're going through. But pay attention if your dog doesn't like someone.

And Mike said "Go have a hoot!"