Pastor Michael Cone

Pastor Michael T. Cone

September 15, 1948 – August 10, 2020

“All the days ordained for me were written in Your Book before one of them came to be.”  Psalm 139 v 16b

Michael was raised in Oklahoma City and attended First Lutheran Church with his parents, Helen (Bottolfson) & Thomas F. Cone and was inspired to go into ministry.  He attended North Western Seminary in Minneapolis-St. Paul.  He interned in Dallas TX and was ordained at his home church.

His first call to ministry was in Kansas. His second call was to Ardal & Geysir Churches in Arborg and Geysir MB. His second wife and her daughters joined him in Canada. After they returned to the States, he left ministry to work at a drug and alcohol treatment home in Winnipeg.

Michael married Norma Sigurdson January 20, 1980 and that summer accepted a call to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tisdale and Bethesda, Beatty SK where he served for 8 yrs. As a Sabbatical, he became Chaplin and Public Relations person for Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute in Outlook SK. He returned to congregational ministry serving at Peace, Yellow Grass and St. John, Lang, SK; Unity, Medicine Hat, AB; Zion, Beausejour MB; Redeemer, Oklahoma City, OK; and Emmanuel, Emerson and Zion, Friedensthal MB.

Many people have expressed their thankfulness for his ministry, especially his councelling. In his younger years, Michael fellowshipped with the youth through confirmation classes and sleep-over movie and games nights. With the young adults in Tisdale they formed a slow-pitch team. He was proud that this team, after every game, fellowshipped at the local ice cream business and that weekly, other teams would change their after-game socializing from the bar to the ice cream shop.

Michael retired in 2005 due to a stroke and several T.I.A’s; then he helped with ministry in the Interlake area.  Michael & Norma wintered in Frankston TX near Uncle Sonny, who lived with Michael’s family after returning from military service. Michael had another major stroke while in Texas.

In April 2017 Michael moved to the Pioneer Personal Care Home in Arborg MB.  November 2019 he was transferred to geriatric-unit 4 in Selkirk where he enjoyed being in a male-only resident unit.

Michael took his final breath in the presence of his wife of 40 years, Norma.  Also mourning Michael’s passing are his maternal cousins from South Dakota, his paternal relatives from Georgia, Florida and Texas, Norma’s Sigurdson and Keller families, and many friends.

A small group of family & friends will meet at the Riverton Hall at 1:30 P.M., Tuesday, September 15th, 2020, the day Mike would have turned 72, to remember Michael’s ministry. Due to covid-19 regulations, please wear a mask when entering, signing the guest book and getting your assigned seating. Burial will take place at a later date. Donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or to your own church.

Condolences may be left on his tribute wall at www.gilbartfuneralhome.com.

Gilbart Funeral Home, Gimli in care of arrangements.

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