Mike Kifer
1949 – 2010
Funeral services for Mike Kifer, 61, of Oakdale, were held Monday, July 19 at the United Methodist Church in Oakdale with burial in the Oakdale Cemetery.
Military rites were conducted by AmericanLegion Post #172 and VFW Post #5287. Visitation was from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 18, at the Beyer Funeral Home in Neligh, Nebraska.
He died suddenly Wednesday, July 14, 2010, at Hastings.
Michael J. Kifer was born Januaryu 20, 1949 at Wagner, S.D. to Fora E. (Sonny) and Mildred L. (Geary) Kifer. He attended school at Pierre, S.D. before moving to Colorado and graduating from Basalt High School in 1968.
Mike enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1968 and served as a rifleman in Vietnam. He received his discharge as a CPL in 1970 and returned to Colorado where he graduated from Denver Diesel and Automotive School. He then went to work in the mining industry in Colorado and Pennsylvania before moving to Oakdale in 1984.
Mike worked as a mechanic in Tilden, Norfolk and Neligh before spending 20+ years at the Oakdale fertilizer plant starting with Knievel’s Inc. and ending with Ag Agronomy Center LLC. He was looking forward to retirement in January.
He was married to Teresa Bailey on December 4, 1976. To this union was born a son, Jacob. They were later divorced.
Mike and Karen Howard were married June 25, 1993, at Glenwood, Springs, Colo. They made their home in Oakdale.
He was a member of American Legion Post #172 and enjoyed riding motorcycles and fast cars.
Survivors include his wife Karen; son, Jake Kifer of Neligh; stepson, Robert and Tonya Petersen of Tilden; step daughters, Wendy and Tony Hombert of Jackson, Cindy and John Winkleblack of Tilden, and Kathy Peterson of Myrtle Creek, OR; sisters, Pat and Gery Landeen and Dixie Tindell of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Dianne and James Smith of Topeka, KS.; a half brother, Gary McKay of Champion, MI.; eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Beyer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
