Monday, November 1, 2021 9:13 pm
Submitted by Mari Heltne:
47 years ago today, on Halloween, Montri Sae Teaw flew from Bangkok, Thailand, to O’Hare Airport in Chicago.
Steve and I drove to the airport with friends to meet him, and he was the most beautiful baby we had ever seen. He was beautiful all of his 47 years.We lost Michael Montri Hubbard just after his 47th birthday, on Sept. 2, 2021 of complications from COVID-19.
He was convinced that the virus would be no worse than the flu. His friend had gotten it but did not get very sick. Neither would he, he said. He was not vaccinated. It cost him his life.
His life was so full. So very full.
The love of his life was his son Jao, now 9 years old. There are at least a thousand pictures of them doing things together and going fun places; golfing, swimming, walking the beach on the Pacific, going to Disneyland, to the Phoenix water parks, playing in the backyard, watching the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Minnesota Vikings play football on TV. Playing with Dante, the wonderful old boxer; and recently Jax, the new boxer given to Jao for his 7th birthday.
Mike loved dogs. All dogs, but especially his boxers. And now Jao does, too.
Mike’s high school years were happy ones, brightened by sports and loyal friends. In 1992 he went off to Northwest Missouri State University with Chris Olson and Sue Newhouse, two of the finest. After college he moved first to Kansas City and then to Tucson, Ariz., where he started his own finance company and was still its CEO. He became a great chef in the last few years, opening a Facebook room called HUBS GRUBS. Jao made several guest appearances as the mini-chef, showing off his own creations.
Mike leaves us with aching hearts, but with hundreds of memories that will someday return smiles to our lips.
He is greatly missed by his son Jao and by his parents, Mari Heltne, Steve Hubbard and step-mother Lindy Borske-Hubbard; his brother Dan and his family; his Grandpa Borske, and his step-siblings, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and so many wonderful friends. We hope, Mike, that you are up there golfing with Grandpa Hubbard, or cooking with Conrad and tossing some leftovers to your beloved Dante.
A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at some future date in Decorah, IA.
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