October 31, 1950  -  August 1, 2017

Michael David Ubbelohde, 66, Spooner, died on August 1 while cycling near his home.

Michael was a devoted husband and father, marrying his grade school sweetheart, Julie Eileen Erickson in 1973 and never looking back. He placed her and his two sons above everything else in his life, making sure to attend every sporting competition, school event, and important moment in their lives. This was never truer than when mike put his life on hold for several years after Julie contracted ovarian cancer.

He developed a love of the outdoors during hunting trips to the family cabin with his parents, siblings, and friends at an early age. He shared this love with Julie and his boys, taking the family on many camping, canoeing and cross-country skiing trips, as well as other family vacations. He would often spend free time running, biking, hunting with his dogs, and on the water. He also enjoyed taking frequent bird hunting excursions with his siblings.

In addition to the outdoors, Mike had many other hobbies. He taught himself photography and took pleasure in sharing pictures captured from nature, many of which are displayed in custom frames he built. He also learned home repair and spent many hours helping friends and family with their projects. This expanded into woodworking after he retired in 2006, when he started restoring furniture and crafting wooden canoes and kayaks.

Education was a passion Mike turned into a life-long career. After graduating from UW-River Falls in 1973, Mike taught with Julie in Arcadia, Wisconsin before moving to Spooner in 1980. In addition to teaching high school English, he coached track for his entire career, and had stretches of coaching football and girls’ basketball.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Julie, and his parents, Fred and Bonnie and his sister-in-law Susie Pepper. He is survived by his sons, Greg and David, his siblings Jon (Kristine), Elizabeth (Joe Erickson), Sarah Jane Craig (Doug Craig), Robert (Miriam), his in-laws Nancy and and John Nielson and Lynne and George McLoud, and numerous nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews. 

Memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spooner on Aug. 7 at 11 a.m., with a visitation at the Spooner Funeral Home on Aug. 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers please send memorials to N7724 McKinley Lake Road, Spooner, WI 54801

Last Update: Dec 16, 2018 5:42 pm CST