Michael “Mike” Thomas Bodgan

Published 11:36 am Monday, July 30, 2018

December 25, 1935 – July 13, 2018

Michael “Mike” Thomas Bodgan passed away at Touchmark Retirement Community in Bend, Oregon, on July 13, 2018, with family by his side. He was born in Portland, Oregon, on Christmas Day 1935, and has lived in Oregon nearly his entire life. Mike resided in Salem for 26 years, Tualatin for 28 years, and moved to Bend in October of 2015.

He graduated in 1953 from Jefferson High School in Portland, then in 1958 he received a bachelor’s degree in forestry (Forest Products) from Oregon State University. Mike put that degree to good use working as a purchasing agent for Western Kraft Paper Mill in Albany for 25 years. After Western Kraft was acquired by Willamette Industries, Mike transferred to the Corporate Office in Portland where he became a Purchasing Manager of the Paper Group.

On January 21, 1961, he married pharmacist Marilyn “Nan” Steele. They met on July 4, 1960, while climbing Three Fingered Jack with mutual friends. Mike and Nan shared a love of reading, classical music, opera, and all kinds of outdoor sports, which included cycling, skiing, and hiking. They completed several bicycle tours together in both Europe and the east coast of the United States. Mike was an avid fly-fisherman who enjoyed this sport during their travels, casting his reel from Alaska to Tasmania and numerous places in between. Mike spent most of his spare time fishing on the Santiam and Deschutes rivers of Oregon.

For those very reasons, he was a member of the Oregon Fishing Club, the Prime Timers (for active seniors) and the Bike Bunch in Portland. Mike was also a brother in Sigma Alpha Epsilon, a member of the Polish National Alliance of the U.S, and holds a place in the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame (Induction Class of 2017).

Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Witold Bogdan and Anna Julianna (Klemo). He is survived by his wife, Nan Bogdan; daughters, Lori Broznowski and Diana Dahlin; granddaughters, Sofie Broznowski and Anna Dahlin; and grandson, William Broznowski. There will be a celebration of Michael’s life at Touchmark later in August for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Bend Partners In Care Hospice or the OSU College of Forestry in Corvallis, Oregon.

The family would like to thank Partners In Care Hospice for their capable and compassionate care during Michael’s illness. Baird Funeral Home of Bend is in charge of arrangements: 541-382-0903 orbairdfh.com.