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In memory of

Michael Wiley

Portland

1963 - November 20, 2020

1963 - Nov 20, 2020

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Mike Wiley, 57, passed away at his Northeast Portland home Nov. 20 from the effects of a long battle with cancer. Mike was born July 28, 1963, in Texarkana, Ark., the youngest of six children of Jack and Mary B. Wiley.

The family moved to Tacoma, Wash., where Mike attended Jefferson Elementary until his widowed mother in 1974 married George R. Fortun and moved to Portland, Ore., where Mike gained three step-sisters. He attended Holy Cross Catholic School and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1981. A year later, Mike volunteered for the U.S. Navy, where his four-year career let him see the world while serving aboard vessels from submarines to oilers to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.

For twenty years he worked as a manufacturer sales representative for Stanley Tools, Larson Doors, American Standard, Basalite, and White Cap Construction Supply, in Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle. In September 2009, with his faithful dog Max, Mike founded Wiley’s Cooking Woods, selling high-quality logs, chunks, and chips for the restaurant industry and backyard smoker crowd.

Mike was a founder of the annual Wiley Krautfest from his garage, where generations of Portlanders gained an appreciation for smashed, pickled and aged cabbage. In recent years, the garage became a shrine for his beloved 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza. Mike was a member of the Portland Corvair Classic Car Club, whose members were helping him rebuild the car when he passed away.

Mike was a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America organization. He enjoyed camping and attending outdoor music festivals with family and friends. He loved watching his son Owen play sports and practice taekwondo. In recent years, Mike was never without his four-legged companion, Chi-Chi.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 16 years, Mary Lemkuil Wiley and son, Owen Wiley; siblings John (Amy) Wiley of Spokane, Wash., Karen (Patrick) Driscoll of Vancouver, Wash., Brigid Allen of Portland, Anne (Harry) Sibley of Vancouver, Kristen (Jack) Hammonds of Steilacoom, Wash., James (ex. Julie) Wiley of Vancouver, Kathi (Spence) Johnston of Portland; and nine nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Mary Wiley; stepfather George R. Fortun; sister Kathleen Novak; and brother-in-law Terry Allen.

Mike’s family would like to thank the doctors and staff of Oregon Health & Science University, who were instrumental in providing exceptional treatment and care for 8 years.

A celebration of Mike’s life is planned for July 2021.

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