Saturday, August 31, 2024
With profound sadness, we announce the passing, of Michal, our loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, devoted uncle, great-uncle, stepfather, and friend to all whose lives he touched Michal left us peacefully at his residence in Chelan, WA in his 101st year.
Born in Minneapolis, to Mike Elavsky and Mary (Profant) Elavsky, both of Akeley, Minnesota, and both of whom had come to the US via Ellis Island from Czechoslovakia.
Mike was raised on the Elavsky-Profant homestead in Hubbard County, MN. Family history has always been of interest to Mike, and he visited the Slovak village of his parents and kept in touch with the family up to the present.
Mike embraced several roles during his long life; in 1942, he joined the Navy Sea Beas and spent WWII in the Pacific, in the Mariana Islands of Saipan and Tianjin, among others, where he was ground support for B-29 Transports during 1943-44 bombing of Tokyo. After the war, he and his wife bought a dairy farm in Hubbard County, MN. He married Lorraine L. Sloan in 1942 and has two surviving children, Marlys (Elavsky) Appleton of Riverdale, NY, and Gregory W. Elavsky (Sharon) of Kalispell MT. Mike also leaves many beloved nieces, nephews, and a great nephew in Minnesota. His six siblings preceded him in death, and his son Michael Elavsky (2020) and daughter Cheri Elavsky (2021).
His first marriage ended in divorce. In 1956, he married Mae D. Brown (d. 1993). In 1995, Mike married Doris Strandberg (d. 2010). They led an active life filled with hunting, fishing, family, and traveling, including regular visits to MN and a trip to the Holy Land Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.
In the early sixties, Mike transitioned to teaching/coaching middle school students, and, after acquiring a master’s in education, was a high school principal. Teaching wasn’t the calling that agriculture was, however, and he soon acquired apple trees in Okanagan and cherry acreage in Wenatchee Heights. Mike was a successful orchardist for more than 50 years. He retired to Chelan in 1994, where he continued to fish, hunt, and enjoy life, bagging several elk in western states and enjoying hunting trips in MN.
Mike was known for his multiple practical talents in many areas as a member of the Greatest Generation, but especially for his accepting and humble nature. He valued friendship, his family, and enjoyed history, and current events. As a lifelong learner, histories of the US Presidents, the Civil War, and WWII were part of his library. He was interested in others’ opinions and always had a modern and flexible worldview. His decades-long friendships gave him great joy throughout his life. Faith was a part of his everyday life. He lived his faith as a practical matter through his empathy, care, and kinship with others.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 17th, 2024, 2:00 pm, at Chelan Senior Center, 534 E. Trow Ave, Chelan, WA. He will be laid to rest in Akeley, MN.
In place of flowers, contributions may be made to Chelan Valley Hope. Arrangements by Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.
