Owen Mikesell

Owen Ernest Mikesell  Jun 9, 1932 ~ Aug 28, 2019 

  Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great grandfather died peacefully at Summit Hills Retirement Community in Spartanburg, South Carolina on August 28, 2019.

Owen Ernest (Mike) Mikesell was the son of Mirinda Martha Wood and Ernest Wilburn Mikesell. Owen was raised with 2 younger sisters Gloria and Darlene in Blackfoot Idaho. After graduation from Blackfoot high school he joined the Air Force. Owen, who was known as Mike to his friends, was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado where he met his first wife Norma Rhodus. After completing his tour in the Air force, he went to work for the Martin Company in Denver Colorado as a Research and Development technician. Mike enjoyed the outdoors and was a Snow Skier, Hunter, SCUBA diver and SCUBA diving instructor as well as a member of the mountain rescue squad.

SCUBA diving was his lifelong passion. His passion for SCUBA diving and its associated training helped Mike save the life of a fellow employee which had been rendered unconscious after an electrical shock. The Martin Company transferred Mike to Florida where he met his second wife Bobbie Arrowood. Mike was the Launch pad Quality Supervisor at Cape Kennedy Air Force Station launch complex 19 and was fortunate to be able to work on all 10 Gemini manned missions as well as other unmanned Gemini missions. He worked as a Quality manager at International Telephone & Telegraph, Litton Industries, and Hytek Microsystems in California and Nevada. In January 1994, he retired from Hytek in Carson, Nevada.

Mike and Bobbie moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina in 2017 where Bobbie was born and raised.

Mike was preceded in death by his wife Bobbie on January 25, 2019 and both sisters.

Mike is survived by his children: Venece and Wilbur, grandchildren: Velency, Mirinda, Michelle, Sean, Daniel, David, Marianne, and Scott and great-grandson Dameon. Special thanks to Ron Minton (Nephew) and Debra Penland (Niece) who provided love, care, and support to Mike and his family.