David John Mickelson was born March 18, 1938 to Walter E. and Ruth (Heckenlaible) Mickelson in Anoka, Minnesota. He departed this life on May 22,2021 in North Platte, Nebraska surrounded by loved ones.
David graduated from St Frances High School in 1955 and worked various jobs before joining Olson Plumbing as a beginning to a 60 year plumbing career opening his own shop, Mickelson Plumbing in 1977. He married Betty Huckenpoehler along the way and had son David and daughters Roxanne and Rhonda.
Dave loved to hunt and fish and he had a Mountain Sheep, a couple of caribou, and a 9 ½ feet brown bear from North West Territories and Alaska. Elk and deer from Idaho, Minnesota, and Nebraska. While on one of those Idaho hunts with Rick Novak and the boys. He met a gal in Salmon, Idaho who liked to hunt and fish as well as he did. Joyce Blackman Franken was a hunting guide in the Frank Church Wilderness area and they were so much alike it was scary. They did the hunting & fishing and wilderness trips from Frank Church to Wyoming’s Bridger Teton's, Council Idaho, and Palisade, MN. From Joyce’s family farm in the Ozark mountains, to The San Juan's in Colorado. Sports shows, and fishing the Salmon River, Lake Millelacs, English River, and Lake McConaughy. The lakes in North Island, New Zealand, and rivers of South Island New Zealand.
Dave and Joyce married in July 1987, and he added Carson, Cami, and Wes Blackman to his family and along came grandchildren and great grandchildren who never knew anyone but Grandpa Dave.
They operated Mickelson Sheep Ranch near Elk River where they furnished 4-H lambs and did sheep dog trials and raised hundreds of baby lambs down thru the years while keeping the plumbing shop and Joyce with Edina Realty.
Dave loved to travel and they went to all the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Sweden, Denmark,and Monte Carlo, Rome with daughter Rhonda. The last big venture was over a month in North & South Islands of New Zealand and Australia, which Included digging for opals in Coober Pedy West Australia, visiting sheep stations and dairies.
A family vacation for the blended family in 1999 to celebrate Joyce’s first Edina Realty million dollar sale was shared by 17 family members to a dude ranch in Fortine, Montana owned by Wesley’s friend; where ages of soon to be born to 2 to 61 had a wonderful time. To celebrate their 79th & 80th birthdays the Mickelson kids set up a Montana trip complete with white water rafting where everyone had a great time.
Dave & Joyce retired to Roscoe, Nebraska in 2009 to do Real Estate, Mobile Notary and Home Restoration.
Dave was a good husband, a good father, a good friend to have and a good man.
He leaves to morn, his wife Joyce of Roscoe Nebraska; children David Mickelson (Linda) of East Bethel, Minnesota, Roxanne Olson (Tim) of Luck, Wisconsin and Rhonda Mickelson (Paul) of Cedar, Minnesota, and Carson Blackman (Jenny) of Roscoe, Nebraska, Cami Prochnow (Mike) of Seward, Nebraska and Wes (Tim) Blackman of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Also left to morn are his grandchildren Nikki Roorda (JR) and Braylon of Zimmerman, Minnesota, Parker and Connor Mickelson and children of Elk River, Minnesota, Zach Olson of Luck, Wisconsin, and Sidney Olson (Tanner) of Maple Grove, Minnesoat, Britni (JP) Blackman and girls of Valentine, Nebraska, Jared (Missy) Blackman and family of Palisade, Nebraska, Katie (Shane) Stuckman and family of Muscatine, Iowa, Morgan Prochnow of Omaha, Nebraska and Chase Prochnow of Seward, Nebraska; sisters Jean Anderson of Lake Park, Minnesota, Lois Landborg of Serpent Lake, Minnesota; brother, Chuck (Verna Mae) Mickelson of Cedar, Minnesota; a host of nieces and nephews in Minnesota, as well as special friends, Rick & Burnsie of Novak Fleck, Minnesota, Dave & Joyce Kaust of Maryland, Judy & Larry and Bernie, Russ & Rusty, and Gary from Elk River area.
Cake and Ice cream at Keith County Senior Center to remember Dave will be held at 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time on the 25th of May 2021.
A Celebration of Dave’s Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 18, 2021 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in East Bethel, Minnesota.
Draucker Funeral Home in Ogallala, Nebraska has been entrusted with arrangements.