Mick Colgrove passed away peacefully in his home in Osage on Monday, Aug. 30 at the age of 81 surrounded by family.

Mick was born Jan. 28, 1940, in Park Rapids to Theodore and Mary (Lund) Colgrove. They resided in Ponsford where his parents operated a general store and dabbled in farming and lumber. They moved to Osage when Mick was about 14 and continued in retail and logging. Mick graduated from Park Rapids in 1958.

Until about the age of 21, he lived in various places including Idaho and eventually ended up back in the grocery business with his parents in Remer. This is where he met his first wife Annmarrie “Ann” Miller and was introduced to aircraft. He quickly obtained a private pilot’s license with instructor certification and flew as many hours as he could while getting a two-year bachelor’s degree at Bemidji State. In college, he joined the ROTC and then the National Guard where he advanced to Second Lieutenant.

On Oct. 16, 1965, he was married to Ann in Remer. By December 1965, he was hired by Northwest Orient Airlines as a second officer navigating the “big planes.” He studied, worked for, and took every promotion available and soon became a Captain working his way to captaining 747s by about 1980. He retired in 1999.

Mick and Ann had three children and maintained residences in Osage, and beginning in 1991, Homer, Alaska. They were active and adventurous. Almost nothing was daunting to Mick, and he was often spontaneous. Upon retiring he bought a very seaworthy boat and fished and explored the Cook Inlet area around Homer. He became an excellent fisherman. His wife and children were given many educational and travel opportunities.

In early 2004, Ann was lost to cancer. On Dec. 18, 2004, Mick was married to Jill Kaufenberg. They continued to reside in Osage and Alaska, as well as Arizona, and traveled many places.

Mick is remembered as a very generous man, faithful to his family and friends. All of his life he had the uncommon ability to pursue anything with passion and seriousness, yet be fun-loving, whimsical, and humorous. He was an excellent hunter. He took naturally to the air and to the sea, with understanding and respect, not fear.

Mick was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, Faith Lutheran Church of Homer, Alaska, and served on the Osage Lions club.

Mick is preceded in death by his parents, Theodore and Mary; and his first wife Annmarrie.

He is survived by his wife, Jill of Osage; son, Chris Colgrove of Osage; daughters, Carin (Mike) Arvik of Park Rapids, and Jody (Shawn) Larson of Park Rapids; stepchildren Mark Kaufenberg of Osage, Joe (Jennifer) Kaufenberg of Babbitt, Tony (Melissa) Kaufenberg of Brainerd, Matt (Sarah) Kaufenberg of Park Rapids, Patrick (Bridget) Kaufenberg of Park Rapids; 16 total grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, three sisters, Gloria Lindberg of Longville, Jan (Jerry) Carpenter a Longville, and Joyce (Lyle) Mitchell of Park Rapids.

Arrangements are by Cease Family Funeral Home of Park Rapids, MN, ceasefamilyfuneralhome.com