Age 57 of Inver Grove Heights
Passed away peacefully November 21, 2022, after a lengthy battle with ALS(Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). Preceded in death by brother, John; father, Clifford E.; grandparents, Albert & Elsie (Blowers) Soucek, Clifford W. & Leone (McFadden) Coonrod. Survived by loving wife of 33 years, Judy Salz; son, William Clifford; daughter, Kristen Taylor; mother, Nona (Soucek); brother, Bob (Angie); niece, Nakita; nephew, Cobra; also, other family & friends.
Mike was born in Jackson, MN on June 16, 1965, and moved to Janesville, MN at thirteen months. His love for sports and outdoors was displayed at Janesville High School in football, basketball, and baseball. His father, Cliff, introduced Mike to a love of hunting and the outdoors that remained with Mike throughout his life, and he continued to pass this love onto his children and their friends.
After high school, Mike did a bit of college in Winona and also worked several years in construction where he honed his skills in this craft. Eventually Mike knew he wanted something different and went to Mankato Technical College for electronics. Upon graduation he landed a job with Unisys Defense Division as the third Field Engineer(FE) at Scott AFB, Illinois. Out on his own, he took up golf with co-workers, travelled a bit for work, and did an extended stay at the Coast Guard Base Ketchikan in Alaska, which he loved. Returning back to Bellville, IL is where and when the story takes a few twists and turns.
Unisys frequently needed FE’s to travel among USG sites for installs, training, and vacation coverage. In May 1989, a fellow FE from Grissom AFB in Indiana traveled to Scott AFB to assist with a mainframe install. The FE was young but was trained on the system and was “in charge” of helping the three local FE’s install this new system. After a first long day, the traveling FE was looking for a bit of shop talk and such and asked the Scott’s AFB crew, ‘Who was interested in getting some food and drinks?’ The other FE’s knew the traveler very well and had the invite directed more towards them. Having other commitments, they declined, and Mike offered up that he was able to go out. So, Pizza Hut it was (with a few beers). The travelling FE was in fact Judy (or Jude as Mike would “rename” her). They found out they grew up in similar areas (MN/IA), were close in age, and had the same small-town background. The install finished and Judy went back to Indiana. About a month later Unisys needed Jude to do vacation coverage at a Coast Guard site in St. Louis which was right next to Scott AFB. Jude reached out to Mike and asked if he could show her the sites around St. Louis as she was there for about a week. Well, this would be the beginning of Mike’s new journey. Something very special began in May of 1989.
So, Mike did a lot over the next few years: Mike quit his job, moved to Kokomo, IN, went back to college(IU Business Degree), had two kids, and returned to construction and desktop support to help pay the bills. In 1993, Mike was a solo parent as Jude accepted a job back to Eagan, MN. Mike needed to finish up his undergrad degree and Jude needed to find a house. By July 1993 all were under a single roof in South St. Paul, MN.
Judy continued with Unisys (now Lockheed Martin) and Mike started his 22-year career at the University of Minnesota (U of M). With his IT and business knowledge – plus great people skills, Mike moved up within the U of M and was a manager for the U of M OIT (Office of Information Technology) organization.
Mike continued his love of hunting/fishing and bringing his children into the “customs” established down by Whitewater State Park. Mike traveled; hunting turkey and pheasant in South Dakota, antelope in Wyoming (maybe a prairie dog too), and salmon fishing on Lake Superior and Alaska. Always bringing back many of the infamous Mike’s stories that grew better each time he told them. “Hunting” also expanded to Morrells mushrooms with GPS coordinates “sweet spots” he closely guarded.
Somehow, he also talked Jude into the great outdoors with camping. It started out in tents but Mike made Jude really happy when the 27-foot Travel Trailer was purchased. Having her own little house to set up was more her speed and Mike coordinated many, many camping trips with folks from all over and at a wide variety of campsites. The camper made it out to Rushmore, Badlands, Yellowstone, Glacier, Tetons, Yosemite, and others and of course camping across the great Midwest.
Mike continued his love of sports and continue to play ball with Jude as the faithful cheerleader. He loved golf and was part of an annual event (GBHO) with high school buddies that he attended for 25 years. He gave this love to both his children and loved the annual Father’s Day golf rounds. He was that 40-something Dad that taught himself (with many a sore tailbones) to snowboard once the kids became proficient. Throw endless footballs and softballs in the backyard and played cut-throat croquet, darts, and pool. Add in a few years of coaching and mentoring the kids in their sports travels and the term “busy” was an understatement.
Mike’s love for woodworking had humble beginnings back in Kokomo with the need for a TV stand arose and not having any money. Plywood, circular saw, router, and a gallon of paint was cheaper and sparked a renewed interest in this craft he learned long ago. What started with a few tools grew (and grew and grew….) and ended with a complete woodshop, numerous home improvements, building a new house for his growing family, beautiful furniture, and an infamous lawn chair upgrade with “custom” beer holder. This of course to assist in watching his local sports teams and NASCAR.
With all these varied interests (technology, hunting, fishing, camping, golf, softball, and woodworking) Mike still had time for date nights, and concerts with Jude. Mike and Jude spent time (sans kids) motorcycling, driving the 1964 Dart convertible, snowmobiling and four-wheeling with others and creating hilarious memories along the way.
So as this journey comes to an end – keep the stories light, share a beer with friends, always be ready to laugh at the world (because it really doesn’t care what you think or do), don’t waste time or energy on hurt or anger and above all – love. It was such serendipity how our paths cross – but cross they did and now this wonderful network of love and friendship is his legacy.
Visitation 4-7 PM Friday, December 2nd. Funeral Service 11:00 AM Saturday, December 3rd both at Roberts Funeral Home, 8108 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to support:
ALS Association MN/ND/SD Chapter (http://webmn.alsa.org/goto/mikecoonrod),
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (https://www.jdrf.org/minnesotadakotas/) &
MN Conservation Volunteer (https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/).