Michael Wuertz Brelsford

Michael “Mike” Wuertz Brelsford received his angel wings on May 8, 2023 at Banner WMC.  Mike was born November 12, 1957 in Boise, ID to parents Janet and James Brelsford,

At the age of 11, Mike had to have an open heart surgery to replace a heart valve.  He said he was the first child to have open heart surgery in Idaho.  Then, at 13 another open heart surgery was needed to replace that valve.

Mike moved to Pasadena, graduated culinary school there and went to work at Benji’s Restaurant.  He had fond memories of that job.  After 12 years in Southern California Mike moved to Colorado Springs and opened two restaurants. This is where Mike met his first wife Sue and together they had a son Nicholas.  They divorced.  Wanting a change, Mike and his brother Jay opened a ChemDry carpet cleaning business in Phoenix.  Back to Colorado Springs Mike went and worked laying carpet and tile.  A good friend offered him a job to oversee his ranch in Glendo, WY.  And, the next chapter in Mike’s life started.  He learned to put up hay, deliver calves and ride a horse.  Thanksgiving 2000 Mike was flying to Boise and he met his future wife Mary Anne at the Casper Airport as she was headed to Boise also.  And, as they say the rest is history.  Mike moved to Casper.  He worked a short time at Meals of Wheels until he started a 12 year career at Rio Algom now Cameco Resources uranium mine.  Mike became a Meals on Wheels volunteer.  Another major heart surgery forced Mike into early retirement in 2015.  Mike was an extrovert so he missed seeing and talking to people.  His mother-in-law passed away from cancer so he and his wife started volunteering as an Angel at WMC Foundation.  Mike would say he was an “archangel”.  This then lead to Mike becoming a WMC volunteer at their information desk, escort and 3^rd floor surgery desk, where he brightened the lives of many people.  After Covid, he concentrated his WMC volunteering on 3^rd floor surgery.  It was a perfect fit.  Mike went through a lot of surgeries besides the 3 open-heart surgeries he had every joint in his body replaced and one even twice – our bionic man.  Because of this Mike was compassionate, loving and empathetic.  You could see this as he comforted patients, patient families and staff.   He loved helping out even during Covid.  He lent a helping hand to his friends at Dan’s Meat by wrapping meat and he volunteered extra at Meal on Wheels carrying bags to the driver cars.

Mike so loved his family.  He also loved to golf, Kansas City Chiefs, his country, conservatism and creating culinary dishes.  He was able to mark a few things off his bucket list– went to England & Scotland were he got to walk across the 18^th hole bridge at St. Andrews.  Also, he got to see his beloved Chiefs at Arrowhead 3 times & twice in Vegas and golf in Hawaii.

Mike just received The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for over 4,000 volunteer hours at Banner WMC.  He also received WMC Volunteer of the Year award, Angel Volunteer of the Year award.  At Meals on Wheels, he received his 20 years of service pin, Work Horse award and Genevieve Price award.  He said volunteering was “A Daily Dose of Humbling”.

He is survived by his loving wife Mary Anne, brother Jay, sisters Chris (Chris), Lynn (Allen), brother-in-law Fritz (Marci), sister-in-law (Sherri), granddaughter Madi, grandson Levi, 2 nephews, 6 nieces, great nieces and great nephews, cousin-in-law Roy (Mary).  He loved you all very, very much.

Mike was preceded in death by both parents, both in-laws, son, grandparents, uncle and his beloved dogs Dezi and Brin.

Our ray of sunshine.  He always had a smile on this face and if you’d ask him how he was and he’d say “I’m Happy ,You Happy,” or  “We Happy”.

Mike’s last act of volunteering was to be an organ & tissue donor.

I want to give a special thank you to the ICU staff at Banner for the wonderful, loving care they gave Mike, his family and me.

There will be a Funeral Service and Celebration of Mike's life on Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 2-6 pm at Three Crowns Golf Club, 1601 King Blvd, Casper, WY 82604.

Please, the family requests no flowers. Instead of flowers please make a donation in Mike's name to Banner/ Wyoming Medical Center Volunteer program, Meals on Wheels or the charity of your choice.