• Michael Alex Wagenfehr

• Dec. 15, 1947-Oct. 27, 2024

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Livingston resident Mike Wagenfehr passed away on Oct. 27, 2024, after a short illness.

Mike was born Dec. 15, 1947, in Phoenix, Arizona and was a long-time resident of Glendale, Arizona, but he always yearned for the call of Disneyland and mother nature’s Disneyland — Yellowstone National Park and Montana.

There were idyllic family summer trips to visit an uncle who lived in the Gallatin River Canyon and later his parents’ cabin in the canyon. These vacations were occupied with trips to Yellowstone, collecting berries, fishing on the Gallatin River, hiking, and sneaking into Ted Turner’s ranch and fishing on Spanish Creek.

Mike cooked one summer after high school at Mammoth Lodge. He later cooked and tended bar at a variety of restaurants and resorts while starting to work in real estate and eventually had a career as a real estate appraiser while taking care of his elderly parents back in Arizona.

Upon his parents passing he returned north to South Dakota, Big Sky, Bozeman, Gardiner, and eventually Livingston.

Mike was always affable, outgoing, and had a pet cat. Mike enjoyed Disneyland, music, cooking, bowling, and billiards. He was a model railroad enthusiast at one point having a display that occupied him and his parents’ whole large living room. He’ll be missed by family, friends and Leo, his pet cat.

Mike is survived by his brother Robert Wagenfehr of Glendale, and three nephews and two nieces. He is preceded in death by his parents Alex and Mildred Wagenfehr, and brothers William and Joseph Wagenfehr.

1. Mike Wagenfehr was a cherished friend, companion and remarkable soul. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Mike found his heart’s true home in Montana, where he spent much of his time basking in the beauty of Yellowstone National Park.
2. His spirit was one that resonated deeply with the wilderness and the people surrounding it.
3. Mike was a man who enjoyed life’s simple pleasures, a good game of pool, going down to the bowling alley, and the warmth of a glass filled with Jack and Coke.
4. His joy was infectious and his friendship unwavering. Those who knew him will remember his unique sense of humor and his stories of adventure.
5. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of his friends and family, who will always cherish the times they shared with him.
6. Rest in peace, Mike.
7. John Wayne Brown, Mike’s friend