In Memory of Mike Ethier(from the girls-"Our Dad")
Donation protected
UPDATE: December 1, 2023
***FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS***
Thank you for your patience as we've finalized Michael Ethier's funeral arrangements. A funeral service will be held Monday, December 11, 2023 at 12:45 p.m. at Ernst Funeral Home, Waukee. Interment, with military honors, to follow at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa. There will be a celebration of life following the interment at the Veterans Reception Center in Van Meter, Iowa.
If you are flying in, Des Moines International Airport is closest and there are a number of hotel options near the Iowa Veterans Cemetary. If you have any other questions, please let us know. We hope to see you there.
UPDATE: November 23, 2023
Gratitude brings peace.
This Thanksgiving, we hope and pray each of you are able to find moments of gratitude. While the empty seat at our table this year is fresh and painful, we know with certainty that Mike would not want us to be muted in grief today. He would want us spending time with our loved ones, giving time to those who need a helpful hand, and sharing stories that bring laughter and levity to our hearts.
Mike's funeral will be held on Monday, December 11th at 2pm at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa. Details will be finalized after the holiday and sent out, but we know many of you need the time to make travel and work arrangements. A second memorial at Fort Campbell will follow at a later date.
Please continue sharing this link and encouraging those able to contribute to Mike's fund.
Original Post:
Help us bring Mike home!
We are overwhelmed with how many people have asked how they can help support Mike, his family, and his girls. Right now, our priority is getting Mike home to Iowa and making sure his beautiful girls are able to visit him. Any funds raised through this account will be used to pay for expenses not covered by military or VA benefits. On behalf of Mike's family, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for keeping Mike's selfless spirit alive.
Most importantly, we ask that you honor Mike's life and keep his memory alive by living intentionally with the values most important to him.
- Love the people in your life unconditionally.
- Treat your enemies so well they think you're BFF's.
- Be generous with your time and resources.
- Build giant fires.
- Light fireworks every chance you get.
- Say "I don't know...." in your best Christopher Walken impersonation.
- Change the world.
- Let loose and have fun.
- If you make a commitment, stick to it.
- Let kids be kids.
- Don't leave home without a Chapstick.
- Decorate your home...then go to Hobby Lobby and do it again.
- Let your daughter (or son) paint your nails.
- Yell at stupid people (politely),
- But be kind at the same time.
- Lend a helping hand every chance you can.
- Spend an afternoon in Home Depot...NOT Lowes.
- Make kids laugh in a Batman voice.
- Interrogate your loved ones and uncover their greatest Christmas wish.
- Golf a lot, and don't pay attention to the score unless you're winning.
- Smoke the s*** out of some meat.
- Go to a Royals game.
Love, with all your heart.
Organizer
Patrick McCann
Organizer
Woodlawn, VA