Mike Shipka

Mike Shipka, 96 years old, passed away peacefully, on April 19, 2025, at Heritage Manor, Chisholm, Minnesota, after a long, fulfilled life, with his family by his side.

Mike was born, September 9, 1928, in Carson Lake, Minnesota, to Yugoslavian, immigrant parents, Trivo and Marta (Lukić) Šipka. He spent his childhood and proudly grew up in Carson Lake. He went to work, at age 15, for the BNSF Railway Company, as a water boy, to help support his family. Shortly thereafter, he and his family moved from Carson Lake to Pengilly, Minnesota, where he lived for the next 65+ years; always calling Pengilly his home “God’s Country.”

He started his mining career with Jones & Laughlin Steel, in Calumet, Minnesota, as an iron ore car sampler; and eventually went to work for M.A. Hanna Company, working many mines across the Iron Range early-on, before settling-in and retiring from Butler Taconite, in Nashwauk, Minnesota, as a maintenance mechanic and lastly as a pit foreman, in 1985, at the sudden plant shut-down, with 38+ years of service. He ultimately ended his mining career, working as a consultant, with National/US Steel, in Keewatin, Minnesota, several years later.

In 1951, he proudly served his country; he was drafted into the Korean War, 1 st Cavalry / 7 th Cavalry Regiment, 3 rd Battalion, King Company, 2nd Platoon, where he was wounded and awarded two purple hearts.

In 1957, he married his “bride,” Barbara Royal. He enjoyed cooking and was known for his butchering skills, putting on big BBQs, and dark-house spearing on Swan Lake; he was proud of his sauna, his Serbian language and ethnicity, and loved his music, especially Slovenian; and had a work ethic second-to- none. Above all, he loved his family.

Mike is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, of 68 years. Two loving daughters; Shelley (Rick) LaDoux & Jacolyn (Richard) Sjodin; daughter, Linda Blake. Proud grandpa to his two “milos” (sweethearts) - Mika LaDoux & Monica (Zach) Landry; and grandsons Benjamin Sjodin, Joe (Claire) LaDoux, Mike LaDoux, Sam LaDoux, & Daniel Sjodin; Beau & Gia Blake.

Mike was proceeded in death by his parents and siblings; brothers, Joe & Sam; sisters, Daisy Budrow, Millie Vangen, & Olga Richards; numerous nieces and nephews.

His family would like to thank all the staff at Heritage Manor for their exceptional care and love bestowed on him these past several years, as well as the extraordinary care of Fairview Hospice, these past several months.

Per Mike’s request, there will be a private gathering with his family.

“Tako to ide” (that’s how it goes) . . . . . “do vi đenja” (until we meet again).