Mr
. W. Michael “Mike” Reathaford, 79, of Galesburg, Illinois died 7:05 p.m. Monday, September 21, 2020 at Galesburg Cottage Hospital.
He was born July 11, 1941 in Galesburg to William Landis and Dorothy Bernice (Lagnese) Reathaford. He married Nancy L. Phillips, June 26, 1965 in Galesburg. She survives.
Also surviving is a son, Michaelangelo Reathaford of Galesburg, a daughter, Amy Bernice Reathaford of Galesburg, and a brother, Robert (and Arlene) Reathaford of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He is preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Pearl “Polly” Ann Jones.
Mike graduated from Galesburg High School in 1959 and later from Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois. He served in the United States Navy during Vietnam from 1960 to 1964. He was an electric meter foreman and instructor for Illinois Power Company for 42 years and retired in 2006. He was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Galesburg. He was a 4th degree Knights of Columbus member. He was a member of the Illinois Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local #51 for 41 years. Mike enjoyed fishing, building models, rebuilding old radios, listening to multiple genres of music and was an avid reader.
Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, September 28, 2020 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Service Galesburg Chapel with the Rosary being prayed at 4:30 p.m. A funeral mass will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Father Lee Brokaw and Msgr. Ernest Pizzamiglio will officiate. Due to guidelines associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing and facemasks will be required with limited seating. Cremation will follow the funeral mass. A private committal service will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Galesburg with military rites by the VFW/American Legion Honor Guard. Memorials may be made to Corpus Christi Catholic Church or Hope Lodge in Rochester, Minnesota. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.
Ralph Foster
My another face from the past comes to visit--I believe they are mild memories of the beginning of the good life
so many of us have lived in the blessed life so many of us have lived during our time on earth. Bless you all. Ralph Foster
Jerry (Woodie) Wood
Sorry to hear about Mike's passing. I think we played L.L. together. He was a nice guy. Wish is family well during thid sad time.
On the other stde he'll find a place to rest his spirit and return in your dreams. Look for a twinking star in the sky,He's telling you all is good up here and not to worry. RIP MIKE
Your Friend
Woodie
Philip J Stewart
I want to offer you, Nancy, your children, and other members of Mike's family, a word of comfort. An emotion that you will experience, particularly after all these years together, is grief. I recently read a book by Martin Prechtel entitled "The Smell of Rain on Dust". This is from the book, "Grief is praise, because it is the natural way that love honors what it misses". We will all miss Mike. I will miss knowing that he is in Galesburg, in your house with you. I will miss going fishing together, which we always planned to do, but never got around to. I know that sometime in the future and a better place, we will have that opportunity again. I remember something else about Mike, "He loved cherry pie". As young boys we would sit in my mom's kitchen and devour one.
May GOD bless you and give you peace,
Phil Stewart