Michael Scott Zobel

Lifetime Alaskan Michael Scott Zobel, 41, passed away Sept. 5, 2013, due to a plane crash flying solo hunting near Eureka.

A Celebration of Mike’s life will be held 5 pm Sunday, September 15 at the Wasilla High School Gym, Wasilla. His uncle, Bill Creech of Garibaldi, Oregon will officiate.

Michael was born Oct. 31, 1971, in Anchorage to Richard and Beverly (Jay) Zobel. Mike attended school K-6 at Valley Baptist Temple Christian School, Wasilla Middle School and graduated from Wasilla High School in 1990 where he played football. He was a 2002 graduate of the Alaska State Trooper Academy.

Michael married Cami Evenden on Jan. 21, 1994. The couple lived in Wasilla until 2005, when they moved to Tok before making their home in Anchorage since 2011. Over the years, Mike worked for Pepsi Cola Company, as an Alaska State Trooper, with Carlisle Trucking, and currently on the North Slope with CH2MHill (formerly VECO). He was a member of Wasilla Christian Church. Mike was always volunteering his time and service to family and friends. He never met a stranger. He was active with Tok Area EMS, and as a Central Mat-Su Firefighter and volunteered with Ranchos Delo Ninos Orphanage in Mexico where wife, Cami, served on the Board of Directors.

He enjoyed family, snowmachining, hunting, dirt bikes, muscle cars, pilot and flying his Cessna, living life full-out, trapping, meeting new people, four wheeling. On this, his last hunt, he came home with a bear, caribou, and moose. The family wishes to thank those courageous co-workers and individuals in his hunting party who climbed up to the plane and spent four days bringing Mike “home” and keeping his body safe from all harm. We are all very grateful.

His family wrote: “When friends and family talk about Mike, his mother and father list many qualities — loyalty, honesty, fun-loving, a kidder, awesome son. Friends describe him as a special friend, considerate, hardworking, helpful, trust-worthy, prankster, full of laughter. His wife, Cami describes him as loving, kind, helpful, a flirt, a tease, tender, loyal, generous, a wonderful provider, has a servant’s heart, never knew a stranger. Mike is the love of my life. There will never be another Mike. He gave me confidence and gave me the ability to make my dreams come true and reach my goals. Son, Keith says my dad was a good dad. He taught me to hunt and watched me play hockey and helped me when I needed him. He was a good Dad, Mom and I will miss him. I know he loved me and Mom and took care of us. He liked to play hard and he worked hard and wants me to do the same thing. Mike and his love of life, laughter, and joy of life will be missed by us all.”

Surviving are his wife of 20 years, Cami Zobel, Anchorage; his 15-year-old son, Keith, Anchorage; parents, Richard and Beverly Zobel, Wasilla; sisters and brothers-in-law, Angela and Wes Rawlings, Richland, Wash., and Jennifer and Brian Johnson, Kennewick, Wash.; nieces, Gabi and Maddie Thompson, Kennewick, Wash., Flower Evenden, Palmer and Jordan Rawlings, Richland, Wash.; nephews, Ross Rawlings, Richland, Wash., and Brandon Thompson, Wasilla, Freedom and Forrest Evenden, Palmer; aunts, Bessie and her husband, Jim Young, Wichita, Kan., Mary Jay, Scott City, Kan., Lou Jay, Great Bend, Kan., Virginia Marek, Wasilla, Rosie Longfellow, Topeka, Kan., uncle and aunt, Len and Nina Zobel, Fredricks, Colo., and uncle and wife, Bill and Sherry Creech, Garibaldi, Ore.; grand-parents, Don and Irene Bishop, Garibaldi, Ore.; brother-in law, Brian Evenden Burleson, Texas; father-in-law and wife, Wayne and Sandy Evenden, Piqua, Ohio; mother-in-law and husband, Debra and Billy Patton, Burleson, Texas; and many cousins, extended family members and grateful friends throughout Alaska.

Preceding him in death were his grandparents, Larry and Dorothy Smith of Denver, Colo.; and Fred and Eva Jay of Leoti, Kan.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mike Zobel Memorial Fund at Mat Valley Credit Union, Palmer, Alaska or Denali Federal Credit Union, Anchorage.

The family requests that friends write down their thoughts and special memories to give to Cami and Keith either at the Memorial service, email or Facebook to be later shared in a memory book

Arrangements were by Cremation Society of Alaska. Words of comfort can be shared with Mike’s family online at alaskacremation.com.