Michael 'Mike' Edward Allison, 51

Michael "Mike" Edward Allison, 51, of Columbia Falls, passed away at his home on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, following a battle with cancer.

He was born on June 10, 1956, in Ukiah, Calif., to Dr. William and Ebbe Allison. Michael spent the first 13 years of his life in California, attending St. Mary's Parochial School and was very active in Boy Scouts, Pop Warner Football and Little League Baseball. He hit a grand slam homer to win a ballgame.

In June 1969, he moved with his family to Kalispell. He was a student at the Kalispell Junior High that fall and graduated from Flathead High School in 1974. Living on the family farm in the Deer Park area, he became very active in Future Farmers of America, raising animals and working on the farm. He was an officer in FFA and attended a Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., where he met Mike Mansfield and sat in on the Congress.

Mike loved the great outdoors. In his early adulthood he played softball with friends. For a short time he flew small airplanes, but it was a passion that ran a lifetime. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and hunting with family and friends. Mike especially enjoyed trips into the Bob Marshall and hunting trips over east of the mountains with his father, brothers, sons and nephews.

He also enjoyed watching his son, Garret, participate in motocross events. Later in life he enjoyed golfing with friends.

Mike spent most of his life helping his father on the farm and together they built and operated Elk Park Arena while enjoying their horses. He was an officer on the Montana Reining Horse Association board and managed several MRHA derbies at Majestic Arena, as well as sponsoring MRHA events at Elk Park Arena. He and his horse, Ready Freddie, participated in horse shows in Montana, Idaho and Canada.

Mike worked as a lead saw filer and millwright in lumber mills in the Columbia Falls and Evergreen area. He helped rebuild Superior Lumber Mill twice after it was destroyed by fires.

In 1974, he married Jane Weaver and had three children, Josie, Weston and Travis. Later in 1987, he married Mary Kay Bain Nau, bringing Erin, Zack and Darin to the family, and the following year Garret was born.

Mike is survived by his mother, Ebbe Allison, of Columbia Falls; seven children, Josie and Tim McCollum, Weston and Nikki Allison and Travis Allison, all of Kalispell, Erin and Jason Senst, Darin Nau and Garret Allison, all of Columbia Falls, and Zack Nau of Virginia; four grandchildren, Russell McCollum, Daniel Senst, Xandon Allison and Vanyka Allison; as well as five siblings, his twin brother, Patrick, and Mechelle Allison, Valli and Owen Weaver, Matthew Allison and Mary Allison, all of Kalispell, and Bruce and Tammi Allison of Missoula; aunt, Evelyn Grinde, of Beaver Creek, Ohio; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Bill Allison; uncles, Dr. Bruce Allison and Owen Grinde; paternal grandparents, Dr. William and Valentine Martin Allison; the Martin family homesteaded the area where Martin City is now located. His maternal grandparents, Chauncey and Eva Beebe, homesteaded on the North Fork and were active in the early years of Glacier National Park.

Mike was loved by many and will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls. A Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Columbia Mortuary. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. The Rev. John Miller will officiate. A reception will be after Mass at the church. Burial will be after the reception in Fairview Cemetery.