Mick Mickelson, 52

Merlin Ray "Mick" Mickelson, 52, of Mountain Home, died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, at his home.

Funeral Services were held Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

Mick was born Oct. 31, 1953, one of identical twin sons of Bob and Judith Mickelson in Albert Lea, Minn. Mick's twin brother died one week later due to complications. Mick was raised in Albert Lea until the age of four, then the family moved to Gurnee, Ill., where Mick graduated from ROTC and Warren Township High School in 1971.

He joined the Air Force in 1974 and was stationed in such places as Colorado, Nevada, Thailand, the Philippines, Germany, Spain and Italy, Turkey, Great Britain and finally Idaho.

He received three Commendation Medals during his years of service as a bomb loader.

While stationed in Las Vegas he met and married Deborah in 1977.

Mick was always wanting to learn everything and anything when it came to history, his family said. He enjoyed being a collector, doing wood crafting and working on vehicles.

Mick is survived by: his wife, Deborah; his daughter, Courtney, and one grandson, all of Mountain Home; his mother, Judith; two brothers, John and Bruce, and a sister, Barbara, all of Illinois.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bob, his identical twin brother, Marlin, and twin brothers Marty and Marvin.