Michael Francis Kneeshaw, 61, passed away on December 25, 2016, after a 2-year battle with cholangiocarcinoma (bile-duct cancer). He went peacefully in the presence of close family and will be remembered as a loving father, great friend, and generous man who always put others before himself.
Mike was born December 18, 1955, in Seattle, WA, to Dave and Dee Dee Kneeshaw. He grew up in North Seattle, spending his summers and weekends on Vashon Island at a family cabin. He graduated from Seattle Prep in 1974 and attended the University of Washington. In 1977 he married Sue-Lon Webert. The couple moved to Vashon Island in 1981 where they restored an old home on Dilworth Point and raised two children.
As a lifelong Pacific Northwesterner, Mike enjoyed all sorts of outdoor activities like camping, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and taking road trips to visit National Parks with family. He enjoyed reading, Northwest history, and traveling overseas. He also had a green-thumb, spending countless hours gardening and improving the landscape around his Paradise Valley property he affectionately called “The Farm.”
In his professional life Mike wore many hats including being the distribution manager at Manca Imports, Aldus Software, and Fratelli’s Ice Cream. Leaving the city behind, Mike later became a stay-at-home dad for several years, volunteering in his children’s classrooms while they were young and worked part-time at McFeeds. He also ran his own cleaning and landscaping business on Vashon for several years.
Later in his life, Mike became actively involved in volunteer work. He was a 16-year member of the Vashon Island Eagles where he enjoyed cooking a weekly fundraiser lunch for many years and proudly served as its President from 2010-2012. Mike also helped the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum for years as an exhibit organizer and docent, and put his gardening knowledge to good use by volunteering with the Washington State University Master Gardener program for more than 20 years.
Mike is survived by his two children Jessica Valentine (Sov) and Jacob Kneeshaw; mother, Dee Dee Kneeshaw; sister, Patty Daniels (Mike); two nieces, Christina and Katie Daniels; partner, Sue-Lon Webert; and numerous other friends and family who will all miss him dearly. He is preceded in death by his father, Dave Kneeshaw.
There will be a celebration of his life held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the Vashon Island Eagles Club. Donations in memory of Mike Kneeshaw may be made to the Vashon Maury Community Food Bank (PO Box 1205, Vashon, WA 98070) or the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum (PO Box 723, Vashon, WA 98070).
Please visit our online guest book at www.islandfuneral.com
