- Date Of Birth: February 7, 1939
- Date Of Death: December 27, 2014
- State: Nebraska
Mike died Saturday, December 27, 2014, at the Norfolk Golden Living Center.
Mike was born on February 7, 1939, in Denison, IA, the son of Donald and Viola (Steckelberg) Champion. He was raised in Denison and graduated from Denison High School.
Immediately following high school, Mike joined the US Marines. After two years of service, Mike earned his honorable discharge.
He returned to Iowa and attended Iowa State University where he studied to become a type setter: After which, Mike moved to ONeill, NE, where he worked for the Frontier Newspaper. Several years later, Mike went to work for the Wayne Herald Newspaper. Mike began his career at the Norfolk Daily News in 1966. He retired in 2001.
On October 16, 1970, Mike married Janice Crumly in Madison, NE. The couple made their home in Norfolk.
Mike loved to fish, hunt and playing golf. After his retirement, they resided seven months of the year in South Dakota and enjoyed wintering in Norfolk. He was an avid Husker fan and enjoyed the Denver Broncos and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Mike is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jan, and two daughters: Glenda Homann, of Spearfish, SD, and Cheri Forney, of Norfolk; three grandchildren and six great grandchildren; one sister, Marilyn Champion, of West Virginia and one brother, Jack Champion, of Omaha.
