Michael James McCarney

Lt. Col. Michael James McCarney (USAF, retired) – fitness enthusiast, sports lover, history buff, avid reader, foodie, and dedicated family man – died peacefully Jan. 8, 2015, in Portland, Ore., surrounded by his wife, two children and oldest sister. He was 68.

Mike was born Aug. 4, 1946 in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Patrick and June McCarney. He was followed by siblings Katy, Dan and Mary, forming a tight-knit group that he would enjoy visiting and keeping in touch with throughout his life.

Mike graduated from Iowa City High and then the University of Iowa with a degree in history – he would later earn a Master’s in administration from the University of Northern Colorado – before embarking on a 22-year career in the United States Air Force that took him and his family around the globe.

Mike met his beloved wife Elizabeth on a blind date while stationed in Grand Forks, N.D., the site of his first assignment as a Minuteman launch control officer with the 321st Strategic Missile Wing. They were then stationed in Cheyenne, Wyo., where Mike and Elizabeth welcomed son Daniel and daughter Sara while the young captain was posted to F.E. Warren AFB.

Stints in California, Alabama, Omaha, South Dakota and England followed, during which time Mike was promoted to Lt. Colonel and earned several leadership positions. He was particularly proud to serve as commander of the 66th Strategic Missile Squadron at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, S.D., and his role in preparing RAF Greenham Common in southern England for Soviet inspection as part of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty that helped end the Cold War.

“It was the most exciting day of my career,” he said of the Soviet inspection party’s arrival in the summer of 1988. “It required such a change in mindscape. Especially in Europe, where…your main priority has been to guard against entrance by Soviets.”

Mike then returned to Rapid City with his family in 1990, where he retired after more than two decades of service. A second career as a tour guide followed, allowing him to share his love of reading and history and a gift for public speaking to scores of visitors to the Black Hills. Mike was also an invaluable support to his wife, handling household duties and volunteering at school as she pursued her own career as a teacher.

After much prodding from his better half, Mike and Elizabeth moved to be near their daughter’s Portland home in December 2014. While he would succumb to a variety of maladies little more than a year later, Mike delighted in the company of Sara, her husband Jeff and their energetic young daughters Grace and Sophie. He also enjoyed frequent visits and phone calls from his son Dan, who followed in Mike’s footsteps as a fervent sports fan.

Mike enjoyed numerous hobbies and interests throughout his life, not least of which was his dedication to fitness. A self-described weakling in high school, he transformed himself into a physical powerhouse capable of dead lifting nearly 600 pounds through sessions that he meticulously logged for decades with his characteristic discipline. Mike’s loss of strength and the inability to exercise were among his greatest disappointments as his body began to fail.

Not just an athlete, Mike was also a scholar at heart, voraciously devouring fiction and historical works. Music, food, movies and following sports – particularly his brother Dan’s career as a major college football coach, an endless source of pride and enjoyment – were also important parts of his life.

Above all else, Mike enjoyed being with his family, consistently eschewing individual pursuits and opportunities to hobnob with Air Force superiors in the hopes of currying favor to spend time at home with the three people around which his world revolved.

Mike will be dearly missed by his wife of 43 years, Elizabeth; daughter Sara and son-in-law Jeff Harmon of Portland and their daughters Grace and Sophie; son Dan of San Antonio, Tex.; sister Katy and brother-in-law Dennis Mayer of Portland; brother Dan and sister-in-law Margy of Denton, Tex. and their children Jillian, Melanie and Shane; sister Mary McCarney of Minneapolis, Minn. and her children Michael, Garrett and Devin; sister-in-law Joan Erickson and husband Kirth of Billings, Mont.; and sister-in-law Barbara Lewthwaite of Canada.

He is preceded in death by parents Pat and June McCarney.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Cornerstone Mission or Hospice of the Hills (Rapid City, S.D.)