Michael Dennis Lattery, Sr. Obit

MICHAEL DENNIS LATTERY, SR., received his final orders. He passed away peacefully at home in Crosby, MN, on Feb. 23, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. After being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in Feb. 2023, he faced it with the same grit, stubbornness, and inappropriate jokes that got him through everything else in life. Mike was a proud U.S. Navy veteran and often reminded people that he was once young, strong, and fearless—just not at the same time. He and his wife, Joanna, were married for 57 years, even though he never stopped trying to "fix things that weren’t broken" and “help everyone see the world his way.” Together, they enjoyed cruises, fishing, camping, and a trip to the Casino. He was the entertainment at family gatherings and if you were lucky enough to hear his chicken joke, you would soon find out the real punchline was watching him laugh so hard he couldn’t finish it. He never met a puppy he didn’t love—or one that didn’t instantly love him back. He is survived by his wife, Joanna; son Mitch Lattery (Kim), daughter Michelle Kasper, daughter Rochelle Koehn (Steve) and son Michael Lattery, Jr. (Kristi): 10 grandchildren (who inherited various degrees of his sarcasm); nine great-grandchildren (who still don’t understand his jokes); his brother Larry Heiniemi as well as many nieces, nephews (and a couple of those he had an extra special bond with, you know who you are); and his Navy brothers. Special thanks to his lifelong friends, Chris and Julie Ryan and Greg and Barb Olson, for putting up with him, and his "favorite" sister-in-law, Kay Nielsen. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, four brothers, and countless fish that should have been trophies. Services have been held. Arrangements are entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Baxter.