Mike Donelan

Mike Donelan, 69, of Arvada, passed away on February 21, 2022 at his apartment. Michael John Donelan was born on July 9th, 1952, in Mitchel, SD, to Helen E (Zeien) Donelan and Lyle James Donelan. He grew up in Rapid City, SD and graduated in 1970 from Central High School. From an early age Mike enjoyed designing and building model cars; as a teenager he had his own paper route for many years.  The hardest part of the job required cajoling and sometimes begging for his monthly collection monies from his many newspaper customers. He enjoyed spending his money on meals at the first Taco John’s in South Dakota, nearby on Campbell Blvd.

Mike attended the SD School of Mines, joining the ROTC, before moving to Wyoming to work at the Tesoro refinery in Newcastle. He moved to Denver in 1977 working as a gas station manager for Tenneco Petroleum. Mike met George Ivey and Richie Bravo in 1977 and they became lifelong companions. He moved on to employment at Mountain Bell (known later as US West) working in finance as a System 38 computer operator, teaching himself much of what he was expected to know about computing; he was a member of the Communications Workers of America union. Mike’s favorite charity was “Max Fund”, a no-kill animal shelter. Over the years Mike and George acted as servants for their many home bound kitty cats. Mike enjoyed being “Uncle Mike” for Kala, Rick, and Jackie… delighting in their many antics, relishing the naughty ones. He often encouraged the “rebel within” in his family and friends. He graduated to “Great Uncle Mike” to Emma, James, and Jacob. Mike had an incredible memory, sharing bits and bytes from decades gone by, to the amazement of all. While Mike was not active in any church, he was very spiritual, and recounted memorizing mass in Latin while serving as an altar boy in Rapid City.

Mike and George took a trip to Hawaii where Mike broke his wrist. When he was going thru PT, he told his sister how he was learning to pick up tennis balls, then asking her if she had any balls she needed removed, he said he would gladly fly to Minnesota to pick them up by hand.  In 2015 Mike traveled to Alaska on an extended cruise with his siblings and cousins. He also attended Zeien family reunions, reuniting with cousins he had spent a few childhood weeks with every summer in North Dakota.

Mike was eternally optimistic and had a wonderful, biting sense of humor which some did not like; but then “who cares”!  He was active in politics, taking stances on democracy and those opposed to it.  He spent much time yelling at his computer, responding to commentors, and getting short bans from the likes of “fakebook”.  Mike often said, “We make plans and God laughs”. In his later years he found pleasure in his Mercedes Benz, getting his pals to drive it for him (because of his failing vision) and finding new places to eat. The pandemic made him a favorite son and take out customer of local restaurants and food delivery services.

Mike is survived by his 3 sisters, Patricia (Hartley) Silver of North Hollywood, Calif., Colleen (Bob) Rostad of Arvada, Colo., and Bonnie (Jim) Donelan-Dunlap of Rochester, MN.  He is preceded in death by lifelong companions George Ivey and Richie Bravo, and many others in the gay community lost to the HIV epidemic. His ashes will be scattered according to his wishes, at a later date.

Memorials are suggested to the Max Fund Animal Shelter, 720 W. 10th Ave. Denver, Colorado 80204.