Michael Crossley

Michael K Crossley, 70, passed away on Feb. 11, 2022, after a hard fought and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Mike was born June 23, 1951, to Joseph Edward and Kathlyn Hobson Crossley in Downey, Idaho. He was the fifth of six children. He grew up in Bancroft, Idaho, until the age of 10, when the family moved to Brigham City, Utah. Two years later, they moved to Willard, Utah, where he resided until his death. Mike graduated in 1969 from Box Elder High School, where he enjoyed playing basketball and football. After graduation, Mike married Sheryl Harding. Their marriage was later sealed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ Ogden temple. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls, and New York City. Mike was a member of the Willard First Ward, where he served in many callings—scouting, Primary teacher, 2nd counselor in the Bishopric, executive secretary, and Sunday School teacher at the Pioneer Nursing Home branch. He enjoyed serving on the Willard City Planning Commission and was also a Willard City Councilman. Mike worked for Continental Bakery and as a flooring contractor for Van Kampens Furniture. He retired from Autoliv in 2007 as a supervisor in the maintenance department. After retiring, he drove a school bus for the Box Elder School District until 2019. Everywhere he worked, he made life-long friends, often meeting them at the Old Grist Mill in Brigham to visit. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting, and working in his peach orchard. He became a fixture in Morgan during the summer where he sold “the best peaches in Utah” and chatting with people who stopped to buy his fruit (often leaving the actual selling to the kids and grandkids who were helping him). On the days he took peaches up, he was the trending topic on Morgan Moms Facebook page. He especially enjoyed travelling with best friends Terry and Tonya Fowles. Their wrong turns usually led to the best adventures. Mike was a hard worker who could fix just about anything, a skill his family very much appreciated, even if there were usually a few parts left over when something was put back together. He loved pie and pickles (but not together), embarrassing his kids and grandkids in public and cheering them on in all they did. He had a great sense of humor, playing practical jokes on friends and always laughing no matter how many times he heard his kids tell the same joke over and over. He is survived by his wife, Sheryl Crossley; children, Trista Crossley (Bryan), Shayla Nelson (Richard), Brock Crossley (Ketrina), and Maresa Whimpey (Chad); grandchildren, Bryanne, Alyssa, Taylor, Sadie, Gage, Brighton, and Penn; siblings, David Crossley (Hiltrude), Kathy Fontaine (Paul), and James Crossley; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Rondo Crossley and Danny Crossley. The family would like to thank family and friends for the many acts of kindness they offered during Mike’s illness. The family also gives special thanks to Dr. Vincent Hansen, Dr. Eric Johnson and their staff, the nursing staff in the McKay Infusion office, and Encompass Hospice and their caring staff. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m. at the Willard LDS Church, 80 N. 100 W. Friends may visit with the family on Friday from 6-8 p.m. at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 E. 200 S., Brigham City, and Saturday from 10-10:45 a.m. at the Willard LDS Church. Interment will be in the Willard Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Huntsman Cancer Institute or pay a good deed forward. “How lucky we are to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” Click this link to view additional details about Michael's Services, including any available live streams: https://my.gather.app/remember/michael-crossley