Michael Ray Kettell
March 10, 1966 - September 27, 2024

Michael Ray Kettell was born on March 10, 1966, at Weld County General Hospital in Greeley, Colorado, where his parents were attending CSC.

As a toddler, he accompanied his parents to pilot training at Williams AFB, Arizona. He spent many happy hours at the pool with his mom and was diving off the low board into the deep end of the pool at age two. He had no fear.

Mike was an Air Force brat who lived in Delta, Colorado, while his dad was in Vietnam, then moved to Charleston, South Carolina; Altus AFB, Oklahoma; Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and back to Utah, where he graduated from Clearfield High School in 1984. He always called Delta, Colorado his home and loved spending time there with his grandparents and his Delta family.

He chose to attend Arizona State University and earned a degree in business. He went to work in real estate development before he even graduated, then became a partner at KBK in Scottsdale, where he honed his skills working with his mentor Greg Kilfoyle. He was active in the 20/30 Club, did volunteer community service in Scottsdale, and served as a Big Brother.

In 1995 he met a beautiful girl, Shannon Nelson Gorman, and they were married in September of 1999 in Telluride, Colorado. During their marriage they were blessed with three daughters: Lauren, Anna, and Gracie. Lauren passed away in 2020 after fighting cancer for several years. Mike loved his girls and was shattered by Lauren's passing. He never really recovered.

Each summer for many years, Mike, his dad Maury (Scrappy), his cousin Todd, and his little brother Josh met for an annual fishing/camping trip high in the Colorado Rockies. Mike loved the companionship, the thrill of catching a wily trout, and the sharing of stories around the campfire.

Mike was always larger than life. When he was in the room, you knew it! His brother Josh once wrote, "I often joke that without Mike in the group, we are like a bunch of lost souls... there are some people in this world that are like oxygen to a flame. Mike is one of those people."

Sadly, Mike died in a car accident near Delta on September 27, 2024, after a summer of camping with his beloved dog Sadie. We hope he is at peace and hugging Lauren.

He is survived by his parents, Maurice and Pamela Kettell, his wife Shannon, his daughters Anna and Gracie, and his brother Josh (Shelly).

He loved his family above all else. He loved deeply and was loved in return. He is gone but never forgotten. May his flame keep burning.

Our family would like to extend our sincerest thanks to all those who asisted in the recovery effort.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/deltacountyindependent/name/michael-kettell-obituary?id=56474785