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Paul “Mike” Michael Mackin, 66

Paul “Mike” Michael Mackin age 66 of Blair passed away peacefully on June 25, 2015 with his family at his side, following a courageous 4 year battle with cancer and heart disease.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 Tuesday June 30, 2015 at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair. Interment will be held Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Greeley, Nebraska. Visitation will be held beginning at 3:00 PM Monday, June 29, with family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and a rosary at 7:00 PM at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home.

Mike was born on July 23, 1948 at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He graduated from Greeley Sacred Heart High School In 1966. Mike went on to further his education graduating from Kearney State College in Nebraska in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Math. With a degree under his belt, Mike went on to teach math, history, coach basketball and Principal of Macy High School in Nebraska. He then became manager of S.E. Smith and Sons Lumber Company in Blair, NE from 1976 to 1989. From there, he was an Architectural Sales Rep at Ashton Wholesale in Omaha, NE 1990-2000. He finished his career as Territory Sales Rep for Innovative Window and Door in Blair, NE 2000-2015. Mike was President of the Parish Council of St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair, NE, served on the Blair Rural Fire Board, former Blair Chamber of Commerce member, he belonged to the Knights of Columbus and past president and board member of Blair Little League.

Preceded in death by parents, Kate and Paul Mackin of Greeley, NE. Survived by wife and best friend, Holly, of 44 years. Proud and loving father and grandparent of son, Patrick (Krin) Mackin, daughter, Mandy (Craig) Wetterberg, and grandchildren, Kayci and Morgan Wetterberg; sisters, Sharon (Ray) Marco, Sue (Tom) Tierney, nieces and nephews and many other family and friends, and his loving dog Snooky.

Omaha World Herald 28 June 2015

Mackin, Paul Michael "Mike" Survived by wife and best friend, Holly, of 44 years. Proud and loving father and grandparent of son, Patrick (Krin) Mackin; daughter, Mandy (Craig) Wetterberg, and grandchildren, Kayci and Morgan Wetterberg; sisters, Sharon (Ray) Marco, Sue (Tom) Tierney; nieces, nephews and many other family and friends; and his loving dog Snooky. MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be held at 10am Tuesday at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair. Interment will be held Tuesday at 4:30 pm at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Greeley, Nebraska. VISTATION will be held beginning at 3pm Monday with family receiving friends from 6-8pm and a ROSARY at 7pm at the funeral home. CAMPBELL-AMAN FUNERAL HOME 444 S. 17th Blair, NE 402-426-2191 www.campbellaman.com

Article by Tammy Bain, Enterprise, Blair, NE

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Mackin remembered for community involvement, family devotion

Holly Mackin sat down with a cup of coffee at her dining room table in her home overlooking Lake Arrowhead in Lakeland.

She and her husband, Mike moved here 2 ½ years ago when their former home blocked construction on state Highway 133.

This home is “just perfect for the kids and grandkids,” Holly said.

Mike had agreed. “If we could just have 10 years here,” Holly remembered him saying.

Mike died from colon cancer and heart disease June 25.

Time spent with his children and grandchildren was nothing new to Mike. Holly and the couple’s son, Pat, remembered a father who supported every school activity, from baseball to dance. He even cheered on soccer, although he wasn’t a fan, and finished reading the entire newspaper at games.

“If we didn’t do good, he’d still praise us all,” Holly said, remembering the first time she golfed and earned an unfavorable score. Still, Mike praised “that one good hit,” Holly said with a laugh.

Years ago, Mike worked as a manager for S.E. Smith and Sons, shifting careers to a sales representative in Omaha, and later a salesman back in Blair. With service in organizations like the St. Francis Borgia Parish Council, Blair Rural Fire Board and Blair Area Chamber of Commerce, he became well-known around the community, Holly said.

Mike bought candy for Blair Little League’s concessions and helped prepare its fields. He volunteered for events like the Blair High School Mike Lehl Track Invitational. He perceived each service as a social event more than an obligation, Pat said.

Often, when the family sat down at a restaurant, Pat and his sister, Mandy Wetterberg, would joke that “the mayor” was making the rounds – shaking hands and saying hello to his many friends, often calling them by nicknames he gave them.

When Mike died, one man told the family that Mike’s inclusiveness in a group at the Blair family YMCA was how the man found acceptance upon moving to Blair.

Mike told stories that became “bigger and better,” Holly said. Before moving to Blair, he’d been a school teacher, coach and later a principal, once coaching the actor Rodney Grant, who starred in “Dances With Wolves.” Grant told one interviewer that Mike influenced him to becoming the best he could be, Holly said.

Mike taught his children similar traits, Pat said.

“He was a big character builder,” he said. Mike taught his son that it’s OK to earn a C in a class, and “how to face the music when times get tough.” Pat said. That lesson helped a lot during the funeral, he said. Mike also instilled a deep Catholic faith in the family and made sure they never missed Mass.

At home, when Wetterberg’s computer crashed just before a college final project, Mike purchased a new one and took it to her at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“He was always there in our hour of need, and he never complained about it,” Holly said, adding that Mike’s attitude was, “Well, we’ve got to fix it.”

Just a few months after moving to Lakeland, Mike went in for his second back surgery and found he previously suffered a minor heart attack, which hadn’t been discovered by a doctor. When the family finally had his heart disease stabilized, he began feeling ill again in November, Holly said. The day after Thanksgiving, a large mass was removed from his colon. The cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. It then went to his liver and stomach.

“He hit every brick wall,” Holly said.

Mike told Holly that the chemotherapy would give him more time on the lake with his family, but it didn’t work.

He spent the last week of his life at his home. Friends, family and his dog, Snooky, surrounded him. The family commemorated what they thought would be his last day by singing the University of Notre Dame’s “Victory March” to the longtime Irish fan. Holly joked that it pushed Mike to fight for two more days.

One day after burying Mike in Greeley, where he grew up, Holly looked outside her lake home and spoke confidently.

“God came calling,” she said. “He had other plans.”

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~