Michael William Harris, 82, of Tucson, AZ, formerly of Coldwater, MI, passed away Friday, June 13, 2025 in Tucson.
A graveside service will be held Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Oak Grove Cemetery Chapel in Coldwater with Rev. Fr. Dan Hyman from St. Charles Borromeo Church officiating.
Arrangements are being cared for by Dutcher Funeral Home.
Mike was born December 11, 1942 in Coldwater, MI, the only son of Donald & Janean (Hilborn) Harris. His father died very young while serving in WWII, so as a child, he was greatly influenced by his grandparents who taught him a good work ethic and a love of the outdoors. Mike spent summers on Rose Lake boating, water skiing and scuba diving.
He was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and as a Boy Scout, achieving the rank of “Life” scout. Mike graduated from Coldwater High School in 1961 and attended Michigan State University for 2 years, never finding anything that was of interest to him.
He married Ivy Proctor, together they had a son before moving to California where he graduated from the University of California with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology.
Mike’s first job was in an egg processing plant, which turned into a 49-year career, working for many leading companies and he had become a recognized leader in the industry. He traveled extensively throughout the US and other countries where he was instrumental in the development and management of several new processing plants, implementing new equipment and technologies.
Mike married Irmgard Susi Miedi January 2, 1982 and eventually went to work alongside her in her logistics company, shipping fresh produce for export. They retired together in 2008 and settled in Sequim, WA. Together they took frequent trips to Germany to visit family and continued to travel for both business and pleasure.
Mike was a member of Christ Our Hope Catholic Church in Seattle, WA. He most recently attended the Immaculate Heart Novitiate Convent and Chapel in Tucson, AZ, where he was a devoted volunteer for the nuns that still lived at the convent.
Mike and Susi enjoyed spending the winter months in Sahuarita, AZ, where they had a very active lifestyle, including many outdoor activities. He enjoyed nature & wildlife photography, hiking, watching hummingbirds, deer and their dogs Angel and Prinz. They cherished each other and their families.
Susi preceded Mike in death on April 3, 2018. He relocated to Tucson, AZ in 2021 to be near family.
Mike is survived by relatives in the US and Germany. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his stepson Victor Velleca in 2018 and his son Brian Harris in 2020.
Memorials may be directed to The Valley Fever Center for Excellence https://vfce.arizona.edu/
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