BRIGHTON, Colo. — Michael Thomas Ochs, 72, passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 26, in a car accident. Born Dec. 19, 1941, in Wichita, he was the son of Martin and Dorothy (Murphy) Ochs.
Michael moved from Hoisington to Denver, Colo. after trying his hand at farming. When he moved to Denver, he took up an apprenticeship for iron work. He met Mary Jo in a boarding home. They were married on May 29, 1971. He worked the iron, where he was known as “Iron Mike” until 1998, when neck injuries forced him to retire. Mike tried several different things to occupy his time, from volunteer firefighting to instructing at the local Iron workers apprentice program – but ultimately when his grandchildren were born they became his primary focus. Michael was a volunteer fireman for five years. He would travel to California and Colorado Springs, Colo., or just down the street to watch his “tweetie birds” for his kids. Michael was a very generous, kind-hearted, and a giving person. He was always ready and willing to help anyone and never needed to be asked. He would strike up a conversation with anyone, from a homeless person in Santa Monica, Calif., to the person beside him in an airplane. As long as politics where avoided, the conversations could go on for hours. He is going to be missed by family, friends, and anyone who spent any amount of time with him. He loved animals, every stray cat, bird, or wild animal from around the neighborhood took refuge at his home, because there were always scraps on the back porch.
Michael is survived by his loving wife Mary Jo (Ljunggren) Ochs; two sons, Jason (Randi) Ochs and Jeremy (Andrea) Ochs; two daughters, Julie (Fred DeMaio) and Jennifer Ochs; eight grandchildren, Steven, Megan, EJ, Matthew, Aidan, Madelynn, Delaney, and Connor; three sisters Judy (Rick) Pauli, Joanie (Jesse) Esparza, and Susan Lear; and granddog Parker. He was preceded in death, by his parents Martin and Dorothy Ochs; brother, David Peter Ochs; sister, Kathleen; and son, David Patrick.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Tabor-Rice Funeral home in Brighton, Colo. Visitation was held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, at Tabor-Rice Funeral home. Contributions can be made to the Every Creature Counts, 1245 Factory Circle, Ft. Lupton, CO 80621 or the Hudson Volunteer Fire Dept., 702 Cedar St, Hudson, CO 80642.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Tabor-Rice Funeral Home**
75 S. 13th Avenue
Brighton, CO 80601
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, Dec. 5, 2014