Deacon Miguel "Mike" Arredondo

DEACON MIGUEL ARREDONDO "MIKE" EAST CHICAGO, IN Deacon Miguel "Mike" Arredondo, age 56, of East Chicago, passed away Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at St. Catherine Hospital. Miguel is survived by his wife, Leticia Arredondo; two sons: Miguel S. Arredondo and Carlos S. Arredondo; mother, Eugenia Arredondo; three sisters: Theresa Arredondo, Susan Chinn, and M. Eugenia Alavanja; brother, Mark (Tracy) Arredondo; in-laws: Ernesto (Diane) Heredia, Gustavo (Carole) Heredia, Sandra (David) Kapella, and Celia (Scott) Heredia; aunts and uncles: Juanita Sanchez, Jesse (Eva) Arredondo, Dr. Jose (Dolores) Arredondo, Camila (Rolando) Trevino, Ramon (Trisha) Arredondo, and Lorenzo Arredondo; nieces and nephews: Jonathan (Darien), Jacob, Rebecca and Mark Arredondo, Michael, Benjamin and Angela Chinn, Niko and Gino Alavanja, Jessica and Celia Heredia, Dan (Heidi) Heredia, Corina and Alissa Kapella, and Tammy Templeton; and numerous cousins and friends. Preceded in death by his father, Miguel V. Arredondo. Funeral services will be held on Saturday May 31, 2014 with a Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 10:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, 1849 Lincoln Avenue, Whiting, IN with Most Reverend Dale J. Melczek, Bishop of Gary, officiating. Burial to follow at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Gary, IN. Visitation will be on Friday, May 30, 2014 at St. John the Baptist Church beginning with the Rite of Reception at 2:00 PM and continuing until 8:00 PM. There will be visitation again on Saturday at the Church from 9:00 AM until the time of the Mass at 10:00 AM. A lifelong resident of East Chicago, Miguel became a Lake County Sheriff's police officer in 1979 and served for 24 years in the department, including eight years as Chief of Police from 1994 to 2002. He previously served as East Chicago Building Commissioner. Currently, Miguel was the Manager of Code Enforcement for the City of East Chicago. He was former owner of Arrow Security. Miguel was a graduate of Bishop Noll Institute (1975), Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (1979), Calumet College of St. Joseph with a B.S. in Law Enforcement Management (2004) and Indiana University Northwest where he earned his Masters of Public Administration in 2008, and The Lay Ecclesial Ministry in 2011. On June 1, 2013, Bishop Dale J. Melczek ordained Miguel as a Deacon for the Diocese of Gary. He was a member of St. Patrick's Church in East Chicago for over 40 years before becoming a member of Sacred Heart Church in Whiting. Miguel was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police Chris Anton Lodge #125; American Association of Code Enforcement; and Indiana Association of Building Officials, Inc. He was very involved in community and civic affairs, serving as former chairman of the Northwest Indiana Safe Schools Commission. Miguel was a member of the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America Calumet Council, Ivy Tech Community College Development Council, Indiana Harbor Catholic Elementary School Advisory Council, Haven House Domestic Violence Shelter, and former member of the Bishop Noll Institute Board. Miguel will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He was very passionate about serving his church and his community, dedicating his life in service of others. Please omit flowers; donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Fife Funeral Home, East Chicago, in charge of arrangements (219) 398-3210. To share a memory or send a permanent online condolence, logon to: www.fifefuneralhome.com.