Michael Musich

Michael Henry Musich, 69, peacefully passed on to his Heavenly Rewards on January 23, 2025, from Ely’s Boundary Waters Care Center, having lost his eight-year ordeal with colon cancer. Born March 2, 1955, at Ely’s former venerable Shipman Hospital, Mike may have lost his life but never lost his love for his hometown’s glistening waters, lush green forests, Minnesota-blue skies, occasional snow and cold, and most of all its cherished small-town values that shaped his entire life.

Mike was a proud “west-ender,” growing up in the family home on West Chapman St., in the shadow just one block away from the historic Lincoln Elementary School, the site of which is now occupied by major portions of Ely’s hospital, nursing home, and Carefree Living complex. Drumming in school bands and the Dillonaire Drum and Bugle Corps and logging many hours in his dad’s former Fortier Drug Store during his junior and senior high years kept his formative years on the straight and narrow, or at least attempted to!

A 1973 Ely Memorial High School alumnus, Mike graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, in 1977, and from the St. Louis University School of Law in 1980. After serving  in the St. Louis Public Defender’s Office for several years, he joined a law firm specializing in corporate litigation with offices in St. Louis, Kansas City and Los Angeles. After retiring in 2015, Mike moved back to Ely permanently, residing in the Musich family’s Eagles Nest Lake home.  He became an active Rotary Club member and an enthusiastic  volunteer and board of directors member for Northwoods Partners, Ely’s fine senior living support organization. His volunteering included picking up and delivering groceries to seniors, which was always accompanied by long chit-chat sessions, and driving seniors to medical and other appointments in Ely, Virginia, Duluth and as far away as Rochester’s Mayo Clinic.

Mike was smart, intelligent, quick-witted, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. He was a voracious reader with an eclectic taste in topics, and a music lover with a collection of nearly a thousand CDs whose musical interests encompassed the entirety of the genres of his adolescence and adulthood, favoring classic rock and “jazzy blues.” His oft-felt outer shell of crustiness totally belied the inner softness and generosity of his heart and soul. In large and small unheralded and unspoken ways, he charitably donated to both organizations and individuals in his beloved hometown that truly made a difference in the lives of many.  His meaningful random and intended acts of kindness were numerous and usually known only to him and the recipient. He never sought and always shunned recognition for any of his many good and positively impactful deeds. For many years in St. Louis and Kansas City, Mike, without an ounce of fanfare, actively participated in a charitable program that provided financial and moral support for underprivileged single mothers and their children. Living in St. Louis two hours away from a life-long handicapped cousin residing in a special care home in southern Illinois, Mike multiple times per year visited, entertained, shopped with her, took her to church, and unfailingly made sure that in the absence of her deceased parents and sister, she always felt the love of her aunts, uncles and cousins in faraway Ely and Niagara Falls.

Mike was preceded in death by parents Albert and Caroline Musich, brother Jim, grandparents Enrico and Maria Buraglio and Matt and Mary Musich, and all aunts and uncles in the Musich and Buraglio family trees.

He is survived by older brother John (Christine), Troy, Michigan, niece Lisa (Charles) Musich, Palo Alto, California, and nephew Brian (Stephanie) Musich, New York City. A special survivor is “Atticus Finch,” his cherished nine-year-old lake home companion English Cream Golden Retriever whom Mike would probably tell you he will miss most of all and then let it up to the rest of us to determine if he was serious. Knowing Mike, he would be serious! Atticus captured Mike’s heart to the max!

The family offers its deepest gratitude to the following lake neighbors and town friends whose friendship, support and assistance to Mike was of immense value, especially during his significant medical struggles the past year: Jeanne (Kobe) Schwartz, Kathy (Vertin) Erchul, Diane Vertin and Frank Guldbrandsen, Mitch and Michelle Lekatz, and Frank and Shirley Sayovitz. And an ultra-special thanks to Ron James, Eagles Nest Lake neighbor, who made himself available 24x7 the past year to assist Mike with his daily living during the most difficult months of his medical battle. Thanks are also offered to the medical and nursing staffs of Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, Boundary Waters Care Center,  Essentia Health cancer medical staff in Duluth and Virginia, and East Range Hospice Care.

Anyone desiring to offer condolences should direct them to John Musich, 5135 Cardinal Drive, Troy, MI, 48098 (johnmusich1964@gmail.com). Charitable contributions in Mike’s memory will be welcomed by the Ely Educational Foundation, Northwoods Partners, Ely Community Resource, and the Rotary Club of Ely. Private burial arrangements are being handled by Kerntz Funeral Home. In keeping with Mike’s wishes, there will be no visitation, church service or memorial celebration of life.

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