In MemoriAm

Mike Voelker, with his wife Dolores, and their three children, Mark, Greg, and Anne started vacationing at Lake Mary Ronan in the early 1970’s, Mike and Dolores continued full time after retiring there in the early 1990’s. Family fishing was the draw for Mike. He simply liked trolling lakes rather than fishing rivers.

Throughout this time, Mike was constantly active and concerned about the lake’s environmental conservation as well as the health of the fishery.  He was worried even then of the fragility of the watershed and the effects of foreign matter into the lake. His efforts had positive results in the reduction of pollution when he was instrumental in facilitating the land swap with Plum Creek Timber and the realignment of Lake Mary Ronan Road between Mountain Meadows and the Lake Mary Ronan Lodge, a deal that also included paving Lake Mary Ronan Road from the end of State Highway 352 to the end of the county road. This effort took the roadway away from the edge of the lake, along with the roadway’s dust and general auto and road pollutants that had easy access to the lake. In those days, Mike was also active in the Lake Mary Ronaners, and their similar conservation efforts to protect the quality of the lake including fencing out the open range.

Mike was a career railroader, starting as a locomotive engineer with the Great Northern Railroad, and retiring as Director of Technical Training with Burlington Northern Railroad. He was an avid fisherman, gardener, and reader. Leukemia took Mike from us, Lake Mary Ronan and from life as well, all too soon in 1998.