Obituary - Michael Curtis Sangrey

Michael Curtis Sangrey, 62, passed Friday May 25, 2018 in his home surrounded by his wife and family.

Mike was born on Sept. 15, 1955, in Havre to Minnie Sangrey and Victor Lamere Sr. He was raised in Helena and Rocky Boy. He graduated from Box Elder High School in 1973, and attended SIPI, Haskell, later graduating from Northern Montana College in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education health and physical education.

While in high school, Mike excelled in track, football, high school rodeo and basketball. He enjoyed participating in independent basketball and softball tournaments throughout Montana and the surrounding states throughout his teen years up through his 50s. His favorite team was the Rocky Boy "Rockets." He took up roping for a few years with his brothers and nephews. He loved to tell stories about his tourney days and the many adventures he had along the way with his brothers. Mike was very active as he worked out and lifted weights daily. After college, he started coaching for junior high and high school teams. He enjoyed teaching and always had a way to create a positive relationship with the students that he taught and coached. He worked for the Rocky Boy Health Board, Rocky Boy Schools and Stone Child College. He loved traveling and taking family vacations, and coaching and teaching his children how to play sports. He always kept them active throughout their childhood, and he and Delphine would coach and teach them how to play each sport. Mike's greatest joy was being a Papa. He loved his grandchildren so much and spent as much time with them as he could, and he claims they never cried when he was with them.

Mike was strong in his faith, attending church and sweating with his brothers.

Mike always had a story to tell, and the majority were funny. He loved to joke and laugh, creating many nicknames for his family and friends. He also had a way of remembering everything that happened right down to the year and the specifics of each event.

Mike was proud of all his family's accomplishments. He enjoyed his nieces and nephews and supported them all. Mike was also a father figure to many. He had a big heart and took in anyone that reached out to his family. He had a way to show all the people that were close to him that he loved them. He considered all his friends as brothers; Mikey and Cory's friends he took in as his own.

Mike was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2017, and life changed for all of us as we all worked out our schedules to make sure we took our dad to each appointment. It was through this time that we truly saw how strong our dad really was. He faced it all like a champ, like it was game. We made it through the first, second and third quarters, and it was his final quarter when we were told by doctors that he was "Cancer Free." We Won! We were able to take that ugly disease and free our dad from it. He would always say, "We are going to beat this," "We got this," and "I feel good and strong," and "You know that we did this together as a family." Our dad is the strongest person we know. He taught us how to fight until the last buzzer rings, to go in faith and hope, to love one another, and to always be thankful for and blessed by family. Through it all, he always had a positive attitude, and was grateful for the time that he got to spend with his family. We spent the last nine months together united as a team, as a family, to support our dad as he played his toughest game. The time spent together was cherished. We truly were blessed, as our dad always made us all feel loved, confident and inspired, and every time we were met with a hug and an "I Love You." Mike was blessed as he felt that he lived a fulfilled life, he got to do things and visit places with his family, he truly lived, and always made a point to tell his family to do the same, to go out have fun, see new things and experience life. He would always worry about his wife, Delphine, and told his children to be sure to take care of her, to never forget him, and to make sure to always tell his grandchildren that he loved them so much and will always be with them, as they were his greatest joy.

Mike is survived by his wife, Delphine; daughter, Cory (Cameron) Billy; sons, Michael (Loni) Sangrey Jr. and Robert "Bob" Oats; brothers Sam (Harriet) Sangrey, James Sangrey, Richard Sangrey, Billy Lamere, Larry (Margaret) Denny, John Colliflower III, and Kenny (Patsy) Gopher; sisters Patsy Rainingbird, Madeline Gardipee, Mona (Odin) Henderson, Mildred Lamere, Judy (Martin) Parker, Victoria (Pete) Demontiney, and Cindy Small; adopted children, Shana (Steve) Henry, Glen Doney, Ken Anderson, Robert Luna, Jennifer (Steve) Parker, and Ashley Small. Papa Mike will be missed most by his grandkids with whom he spent the majority of his time, Payson and Presleigh Billy, Kellcyn and Kai Sangrey, Quannah Three Fingers, Taij and Pheonix Henry, Kirsten and Brayden Lamere and Jaymin, K.K., Star, Destiney and John Oats; and great-grandchildren, Harly Weasel and Thaney and D'Angelo Oats.

Mike is preceded in death by parents, Victor Lamere Sr. and Minnie Sangrey and Andrew and Dorothy Small; sisters Inez Sangrey, Charlotte Sangrey, Sybil Sangrey-Colliflower, Rena Gardipee and Betty Lamere; and brothers Dennis V. Sangrey, Eugene Lamere, Victor Lamere Jr., Robert Lee Lamere, Melvin Lamere, Roger Saddler, Jr. Small and Bobby Small.

Wake services were at the New Senior Center on Saturday, May 26, 2018, and continued until Sunday afternoon, when Mike was moved to St. Mary's Catholic Church. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 28, 2018, at St. Mary's, with burial followimg in the Rocky Boy Cemetery.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Please visit Mike's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.