Michael Duane Canfield

Mike was born on March 9, 1945 in Kansas City, KS to Lillian (Seymour) and Chester Canfield. He was an “Original Dotte”, attending Wyandotte High School and graduating in 1963. He was a natural athlete, playing on championship basketball and baseball teams. Mike signed with the New York Mets right out of high school as a left-handed pitcher and later with the California Athletics. He married his high school sweetheart, Gayle (Dowd) in 1964 and had three beautiful daughters; Amy, Sarah, and Erin. Mike played Minor League Baseball until 1967 and then started a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging at Marion Laboratories.

1989 found him retiring and moving to Warsaw and Truman Lake. He and his second wife Billie had 43 wonderful years together volunteering, fishing, drinking beer, enjoying nature, especially the abundant songbirds, watching a lot of KC Royals baseball, and loving their four dogs, the last being his constant companion and ride-along buddy, Jack, in his restored ’89 white Suburban.

Mike is joining his parents, older sister Jewell Smiley, brother-in-laws Charlie Brough and Jerry Hurla, nephew Doug Brough and dogs Lady, Daisy, Buttermilk and Jack.

Mike is survived by Billie of the home, Amy (Mike) Hathaway, Sarah (Friend Mike Squires) and Erin (Doug) Fletcher, granddaughters Reagan Hathaway, Jayme Fletcher and Maddy Fletcher, sister Doris Hurla, his extended Marion “Family”, and scores of other family and friends. He will truly be missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, so in lieu of flowers please give to an animal shelter near you, food pantry or a charity of your choice. Mike believed very strongly in giving, helping, sharing, and mostly loving, and felt he was blessed by having so many wonderful people in his life and only regretted not being able to thank each and every one of you for your friendships.

A special thank you goes out to Doctors Foster, Caruso, Lundgren and all his nurses and care staff.