Milan John Chestovich

Milan "Mickey" Chestovich passed away on September 11, 2018, after living 14 years with prostate cancer. He was born on May 30, 1942, in Gary, Indiana to Joe and Josephine (Konjak) Chestovich, the second of three children.

After graduating from Tolleston High School, Mickey became the first in his family to go to college, earning his tuition to Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, by spending his summers laboring in the U.S. Steel Gary Works with his dad. In 1965 he graduated with a Bachelors in History. That same year he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving a tour in Vietnam. While in the Air Force he also took classes at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he met Barbara (Shears), who would become his wife of 47 years. After four years of military service Mickey entered law school at Valparaiso University and graduated in 1972. Mickey started his career in the legal department at National Steel Corporation, ultimately working for the company 31 years in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Mishawaka, Indiana. He joined the legal department of AK Steel in 2004, finishing out his career and retiring in 2011 in Middletown, Ohio.

In retirement, he began his second "career" as a volunteer with Abilities First, where he worked with autistic children, and with Atrium Hospital in the same-day surgery center. He was a lifelong student and voracious reader of American History and he enjoyed many hobbies and interests, including gardening, stained glass, and weightlifting and personal fitness.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara, daughter Alison, son Paul, daughter-in-law Ann, granddaughters Lily and Gabriella, and any number of friends, who will lovingly remember him swimming laps in the neighborhood lake and running laps in the corporate parking lot, eating the oddest assortment of hand cut vegetables and fruit at every meal, his unwavering loyalty to the Chicago Bears, his unabashed appreciation of any movie with a happy ending, and the times he would laugh so hard he would nearly choke, even if (especially if) he was the only one who got the joke.

In lieu of flowers, Mickey requested that memorial gifts be made to the Indiana University School of Medicine to support prostate cancer research or to Abilities First. Anyone who wishes to honor his last request should please make their check payable either to IU Foundation - IUSM (Indiana University School of Medicine, c/o IU Foundation, P.O. Box 7072, Indianapolis, Indiana 46207-7072) or to Abilities First (4710 Timber Trail Drive, Middletown Ohio, 45044). Please indicate "In memory of Mickey Chestovich" on the memo line.

A Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 29 at 10:00am at Anderson Funeral Homes, 1357 E. Second St, Franklin, Ohio. Visitation will be Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at the funeral home.

Please visit www.anderson-fh.com to send an online condolence.