Michael Kelly Cates was born on January 5, 1986. He was very sickly and weak as a child, but it was his resilience and perseverance that helped Mike become the strong and proud man that he was.
Mike never really knew the meaning of the word easy; he faced several difficulties as he grew up, but he always faced them head-on. He was fearless on the football field throughout high school, and he worked tirelessly to help the ones he loved. He always carried a strong sense of family, he prided family above all else.
He went to college in Colorado at Lincoln Tech to earn his degree in Diesel technology, and further his God-given gift of engineering and mechanical skills. Michael’s degree led him to Wyoming where he would meet the love of his life, Jamie Thole. They met during the fall of 2011 where she was attending Gillette College. In 10 short years, they experienced several groundbreaking firsts. She got her first apartment with Michael, then he gave Jamie her first child, Maria Anarose Cates; shortly thereafter they got married and got their first house together. After two short years of marriage, they had their second child, Nathan James Cates. After six years of marriage, Jamie and her children experienced another first, they left their home state of Wyoming to go to New Mexico. Michael chose to relocate the family he created so he could do what he did best, take care of his family in need. Even though the transition was complicated at first and introduced a different living situation, Michael always made sure to take care of his wife and children. A weaker man would have fallen, Michael was balancing a career shift, working a second job, and using his non-existent free time to be Super-man to his family. Eventually, he was able to provide his wife and children with a home and property, and they lived there blissfully for 2 years. Michael Kelly Cates tragically lost his life on October 15, 2021, it was the only fight he ever lost. Michael is survived by his wife, Jamie Cates, and his children Maria Cates and Nathan Cates.
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