Memorial services for Michael V. "Mike" Wegrzyn are 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 6, 2021 at H2O Church in Ada, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Chaplain, Sam Garner will officiate.

Michael V. "Mike" Wegrzyn officially ended his tour of duty, completed end of watch, his mission accomplished, shuffled off his mortal coil on 28 ^th November 2021. Mike always suspected that he was loved by a few, respected by many and was feared by many more.

Mike had the good fortune to be born in America, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on February 6, 1947 to Joy and Emil Wegrzyn. Mike's father was a first generation American of Polish immigrants. His father was a World War II combat veteran which is probably where Mike was first exposed to patriotism, something he carried forward until his tour of duty ended.

Mike was the eldest of three children, one brother and one sister, and he took great joy in telling his siblings that they were adopted (which they were not) and that "mom likes me best", a line that the Smother's Brother's eventually stole from him.

To the eternal relief of his teachers, Mike graduated from Tulsa's Nathan Hale High School in 1965 and immediately entered the United States Army where he was immediately given an all-expense paid excursion to sunny South Vietnam with unplanned stops at the 45th Surgical Hospital and the 2 ^nd Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (2 ^nd MASH). He served with the 1 ^st Infantry Division, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team and the 101 ^st Airborne Brigade. Upon returning home, Mike brought with him three Purple Hearts, three Bronze Stars for Valor in ground combat, the Army Commendation Medal for heroism, a Silver Star for gallantry in action, the coveted Combat Infantryman's Badge along host of other awards and commendations.

Back home at Tulsa, Mike's first attempt at a college education failed miserably. His attendance at the University of Tulsa, while the Vietnam war was still ongoing, was a recipe for disaster. The truly liberal anti-war college and the combat veteran were like matter and anti-matter coming together. After several semesters Mike decided that the University of Tulsa was not a fit place for a patriot to seek his education. Mike left this institute of 'lower education', as he put it, and sought employment worthy of his skill set.

Mike eventually settled in as a Deputy Sheriff with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.  It just so happened that the Sheriff and most of his top staff were retired members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.  Encouraged by Sheriff Dave Faulkner, Mike applied to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and was accepted.

Mike was one of thirty-four men accepted to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1970, a year that saw over 1200 job applicants for the same position.  When asked by his mother why he would choose such a dangerous job, Mike replied that he didn't know how to live without people shooting or throwing hand grenades at him.  Mike served his State and fellow man for thirty years excelling in many fields of endeavor including being nationally recognized as an expert witness in traffic accident investigation and the fields of hazardous materials and trucking safety.  Mike retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol at the end of 1999 after suddenly realizing that it made more sense to run away from disaster instead of running towards it.

Mike's likes and dislikes were well known.  He liked work, sweat and a challenge, such as Georgie's street rod shop building which came as a kit.  All he had to do was bolt it together, just 4,800 bolts and nuts 16 feet off of the ground.

He was proud of his 1964 Corvette Sting Ray, Georgie's 1969 Camaro Z28, and his "wood" shop.  Mike was a wood craftsman of the first order building such items as grandfather clocks, roll top desks, and cabinets of all styles and sizes.  He took great pride in stating that he didn't own a hammer and nails (which he did).  All of his work was done with locking glue joints, precision fitting and usually were made of Walnut, Cherry or Red Oak.

Next to his God, family and country, Mike loved his dogs. The loss of one of his animals, usually due to old age, caused the big guy grief and tears that would put a two year old to shame.  If you knew him well, he would tell you that he liked his dogs better than most people he met, and he meant it! Mike's dislikes were few but were deep rooted. He disliked thieves, liars, hypocrites, politicians and Hippies of or from the 1960's.  He truly disdained "Hanoi Jane Fonda".

Mike is survived by his child bride and best friend of 41 years, Georgie.  He was asked once, how long they had been married, to which he replied, "We have been happily married 3 years."  Of course at that point Georgie gave him a stout punch to the shoulder.  He never quit teasing her and she never quit getting even! His standard line with a grin on his face was, "I've tried to report domestic abuse, but nobody would come out and take my report", guess they are afraid of Georgie too!

Mike has 3 of the most beautiful daughters, Kimberley, Shandy and Randi.  According to him, they were smarter than he was, beauty and brains! He considered his eight grandchildren as his children because they got equal amounts of discipline and spoiling from him.  He always believed that children were just young adults in training and needed more than spoiling to become good citizens.  Children didn't win many arguments with Mike as he would usually shut them down with the phrase "Do what you're told the first time, it might save your life someday." Wonder where that came from? It's obvious that it worked for him and he would cite his grandson, Dylan, as his best example of success.  Poor little Kollyns (Randi's 4 ^th ) was the last to endure Mike's favorite child line - "Go away kid, you bother me."  Which in child-speak must have meant "come jump in my lap and wear me out", unfortunately Ms. Kollyns ended up taking this line to her daycare which left her mom searching for an explanation.

Mike was God fearing but you would not find him in any organized church.  His childhood experiences with the Roman Catholic nuns and their pool cues, yard sticks and other devices for punishing children left him bitter and continually wondering how such people were doing God's work. Instead Mike found God in everything and cherished what the Lord had abundantly provided for him.  He was known to have said "God was with me in the jungle, I was never alone and he (God) didn't need me to be sitting in a pew to shower me with his blessings and protection." Mike tried his best to live a Godly life daily and said, "If I didn't do a good enough job, I'm sure God will "splain" this to me and maybe even let me try again to do better."

Mike was preceded in death by his parents; sister Patty Butler; father-in-law George W. Smith and grandson, Chance Ryan.

Memory of Mike will live on through his wife Georgie of Ada, brother Steve Wegrzyn & wife Patricia of Welling, children Kimberley & Brent Riley of Edmond, Shandy Wegrzyn & Corey Wigington of Ada, Randi and Justin Pope of Ada, grandchildren Dylan and Amy, Skylar Paige and Cotey, Bret, Kamryn, Karsyn, Cash, Aubrey, Kollyns and great grandchildren Brylynn, Dakota (Vlad the destroyer), Riley, Kyren and Wrynli.

Pallbearers will be the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Honor Guard. Honorary Pallbearers are: Bill Bolin, J.B. Bolin, Chico Allenbaugh, Terry Glover, Jack McNutt, Steve West, Joe Cantrell, Roy Rogers, Shelby Humphrey, Spencer James, Cecil Higdon, David Scarlett and Robert "Bob" Long.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Mike by making a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org