Michael Earl Holeman

On Friday, August 22, Michael Earl Holeman passed peacefully at home, with his loved ones at his side. Mike fought cancer bravely for seven years; his strength and grace will be long remembered by those close to him. Special gratitude is extended to Tracey and Samantha, who provided caregiving in his last days. Mike was born in Olney, Illinois on August 17, 1970 to Glenda (Cluck) and Donald Holeman. The family moved to Kalkaska, MI in 1979 and Mike spent the majority of his life in Kalkaska, where he enjoyed lasting friendships, built Total Communication Services into a successful business and raised his daughter. He attended NMC and studied auto mechanics after high school. Mike was the family go-to on anything mechanical. He shared his gifts generously and could always be counted on to help build and repair whatever needed fixing. Everyone that knows Mike knows that he lived large and he loved even larger. He could often be found on the golf course, riding his Harley Davidson, snowmobile or “buggy,” or spending time with good friends and family. Raising his daughter, Samantha Marie Holeman, was his greatest joy, and he was her biggest supporter. He cheered mightily from the sidelines of thousands of soccer games and was cheering from home when she recently graduated from Ferris State University. He also shared a love for the Minnesota Vikings with his big brother, and made many friendly bets with his friends who were Lions fans. Although Mike was no angel on Earth, with plenty of colorful stories to share, he could always be counted on to do the right thing when it came to helping people and his community. He especially had a soft spot for charitable events benefitting children and animals. He used his business and his time to support local charitable events and shared his home with many rescued shelter pets over the years. Mike’s friends in Kalkaska and beyond are too numerous to count; he was a loyal and true friend, always ready for an adventure! Mike is survived by the love of his life, Tracey Conrady and her extended family, including the grandbabies who knew him as “Papa Mike”; his beloved daughter Samantha Holeman; his parents Donald and Glenda Holeman of Kalkaska; his siblings Dale Holeman (Lisa Monnier) of Mancelona and Kelly Holeman (Dennis Rosinski) of Rapid City; his nephew Maxwell Holeman-Perrin of Traverse City, and his devoted canine companions Cash and Jazzy. He is also survived by his aunts and uncles Alan and Barbara Holeman and Donald and Judy Mitchell, along with cousins Leslie (Krystal) Donelson, Dallas (Terese) Donelson, Christine (George) Weikamp, and David (Kim) Holeman. He was preceded in death by his grandparents; Earl and Mildred Holeman, Dallas (Corinna) Cluck, Ersel Cluck, and his cousin Tara (Holeman) Morgan. Mike will also be remembered by Samantha’s brothers Kyle and Travis Adams, along with Amie Christensen, mother of Samantha, and his best friend Ken Spencer. The family would like to thank David Gruse, who was a loyal and supportive friend, visiting and maintaining Mike’s property during his illness. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 28 at Kalkaska Funeral Home. Visitation will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with a funeral service to begin at 1:00 p.m. Following the funeral, the family will hold a private graveside service. A celebration of life event is planned for Saturday, August 30 at 2:00 p.m. at Mike’s Riley Rd. residence. Everyone that knew and loved Mike is welcome to come celebrate Mike’s life and legacy. Donations of pet supplies, food, toys, and cash will be collected at the event and donated to the Kalkaska County Animal shelter. Attendees are welcome to wear sports jerseys from their favorite teams, even if it’s not the Minnesota Vikings. Memorial donations to Munson Hospice House, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, or the Kalkaska County Animal Shelter in Mike’s name are greatly appreciated and will benefit the causes that Mike held dear. The family would like to thank Hospice of Northern Michigan, especially Teika, for their compassionate care. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home; addresses for those that wish to donate directly to the aforementioned charitable organizations are as follows: Colorectal Cancer Alliance 1025 Vermont Ave NW Suite 1066 Washington, DC 20005 Kalkaska County Animal Shelter 605 N. Birch St., Kalkaska, MI 49646 Munson Hospice House ℅ Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation 1150 Medical Campus Drive Traverse City, MI 49684 Arrangements are in the care of Kalkaska Funeral Home, with a special thanks to Gil and April Smith, for their support and participation in Mike’s memorial service.

Michael Earl Holeman

August 17, 1970 - August 22, 2025