Calvin L. Mischke, 75

Cal cashed in his winning ticket, walking the golden staircase on Wednesday evening Jan. 26, 2022, at Logan Health Medical Center.

Cal was born Feb. 7, 1946, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Lester and Fae Mischke. In his early years he was raised throughout Minnesota and the Dakotas. He acquired a love of fishing at an early age. One of his earliest memories was riding his pedal bike to the lake with his fishing pole.

After attending college in Minnesota, he moved west to Vida, Montana, where he met and married Bonnie Hoffman (1971 to 1990); they had three sons, Christopher, Donald and Lester. Their childhood memories included fishing and hunting at Fort Peck Reservoir. He worked at the Farmers Union as an insurance adjuster and the Wolf Point sheriff’s office. He moved his family to the Flathead Valley in the late ‘80s, settling in Bigfork.

He worked at the Lake County Detention office. Cal married Denise Bates (1995-present). In 1999 he made his lifetime love of fishing a full-time endeavor purchasing his charter boat “Lucky.” He fished with A-Able fishing charters on Flathead Lake. In his retirement years you could find him with his sons, installing satellites, snowplowing, or driving dump trucks.

Cal is survived by his wife Denise, his sons Christopher Mischke (April), Donald Mischke (Lisa) Lester Mischke (Danielle), stepdaughter Natalie Strickler (Evan), nephews, niece, beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Carl Mischke.

His services will be Friday, Feb. 4. Burial service will take place at Fairview Cemetery at 1 p.m., followed by a celebration of life at Easthaven at 2:30 p.m.

Those wishing to honor his life can make a donation in his name directly to Easthaven Baptist Church.