To view the funeral service, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGe1BH9hcoE

MOHALL - Bert J. Michels, of Mohall, a man with two birthdates and several names, went to his heavenly home on December 3, 2020.
He entered this world in his family's small country house outside of Ellery, IL. on November 18, 1927, but the nurse who came to fill out the paperwork a week later wrote down November 12, 1927, on his birth certificate.  Although his mother tried to fix that, it would be problematic the rest of his life.
Among family members, Bert was known as Bud, among school friends he was Junior, later on he was called Mike and in his work relations, he was Bert.  He was the first born son, an event that was greeted by loud cheers of "It's a boy!  It's a boy!" from at least one of his four sisters.  The family would later have another daughter and one more son.
Bert played football and basketball in high school in Albion, IL, and often told the grandkids about getting to play against the Harlem Globetrotters. Bert went on to attend college at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston where he played football.  After one year of college, he joined the Army.  While in the Army, he married his high school sweetheart Ruth Ann Crome in Warrington, VA.  Upon discharge, they returned to Albion, IL, where they began their family and he began working for Calvert Drilling Co.
The first oil boom in North Dakota lured the young Michels family to Bottineau, in 1955, where two more children were born and turned their family of five into a family of seven.  Bert continued with Calvert until about 1959 when the family moved to Crosby, and he and two partners, Lonnie Rosberg and the late Eugene McGhan, created Production Service, a roust-about and pumping service.  He continued operating Production Service out of Mohall until 2009, when he retired.
Bert was an outdoorsman who loved to fish, hunt, work on his hobby farm where he had horses, and tending to their garden.  He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Mohall.  Our family is deeply appreciative to the staff of the Mohall Good Samaritan Society nursing home for the care they gave to our parents.
Family: Bert's loving family includes his wife of 73 years, Ruth Michels, Mohall; his five children, Robert (Carol) Michels, Billings, MT, Stanton (Marian) Michels, Mohall, Jeffrey (Debbie) Michels, Boise, ID, Rebecca Lynn (Harlan) Christianson, Mohall, and Bradley (Susan) Michels, Ellijay, GA; 12 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Glenna Frankland, Albion,, IL, and Jean Spann, Phoenix, AZ; sister-in-law, Kate Michels, Ellery, IL; and many nieces and nephews.
Bert was preceded in death by: his parents, Bert and Matilda Michels; siblings, Helen (Fletcher) Wiles, Geneva (Vern) Cowling, Elizabeth (Leo) Bowers, and Larry Michels.
Funeral: a private funeral will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020.  A link to a video of the service will be posted to his online obituary after the service.
Burial: a public graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, at the Mohall Community Cemetery, Mohall.
Visitation: 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 9, 2020, at Brose Funeral Home, Mohall.  Friends may also sign the online guestbook at brosefuneralhome.com.
Memorials: Memorials preferred to the Mohall Ambulance service or to a location of your choosing.