Michael William Packard passed away on October 19, 2019. He was born on July 10, 1949 to Jane Jenkins Packard and Stanley Packard in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Michael grew up in Mansfield, Pennsylvania and graduated from Mansfield High School in 1967. He attended Mansfield State College for one semester before beginning work at Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative. Michael was trained as a lineman by his father and his mentor, Robert Schwab.
On September 6, 1969, Michael married Paula Sue Rogers at the Muhlenberg College Chapel in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This September they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family gathering in Port Aransas. In June of 1975, Michael and his family moved to Colorado so Michael could work as a lineman for Intermountain Rural Electric Cooperative and attend college in the evenings. While in Colorado Michael completed an associate degree in mathematics at Arapahoe Community College. He attended the University of Colorado for one year and began his lifelong fascination with computers.
After three years working at Finley Engineering in Lamar, Missouri, Michael returned to rural electric utilities at Dickens Electric Cooperative in Spur, Texas as Operations Manager. The Packard family moved to Victoria, Texas in 1983 and Victoria Electric Cooperative where Michael stayed for eighteen years. In 2000 Michael left VEC to become Assistant Manager at South Texas Electric Cooperative in Nursery, Texas. In 2014 he retired after serving STEC as General Manager for 11 years. Michael’s most treasured work memories were the 14 years he spent with the great STEC employees, including his son John.
Michael is survived by his wife Paula and two children, Amy Packard and her husband Chris Jowaisas and John Packard and his wife Amber Packard. Michael is also survived by five grandchildren: Henry, Catherine, and Elizabeth Jowaisas; and Sophia and Hannah Packard. He is survived by a sister, Jeanette Nicolaisen and husband Ian of Madison, Wisconsin, and a sister-in-law, Linda Buonagurio and husband Mike of Leander, Texas.
Michael was a great father to Amy and John. He played endless homemade games, helped with school projects, and made up silly jokes. Michael loved the visits every time Amy arrived from Seattle with her children and every time he saw John’s children, so he could make the jokes and play the games all over again.
Since retirement Michael enjoyed growing flowers in his backyard, controlling every device in his home with computers, playing with his dogs Ike and Tanner, and hitting as many golf balls as possible. Paula was his golf partner as well as his life partner.
There will be a private burial service for Michael at the Sullivan State Road Baptist Church cemetery in Mainesburg, Pennsylvania. Memorial contributions may be made to the Victoria Ballet Theatre or Our Lady of Victory School. You may sign the guest book or send condolences at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
