Obituary

Michael E. Maier, of Bellingham, Wash., passed away peacefully and in the company of his wife Mary, after living with progressive dementia for eight years. Michael was born in Gulfport, Miss., to Glen and Frances Maier, where Glen was serving in the Navy at the time.

The Maier family lived in many places during Michael’s childhood, including Rathdrum, Idaho, Yakima, Everett, Redmond, and Seattle. Michael recalled playing in the woods and creeks of Carkeek Park during his elementary years in Seattle. In the mid-1950s, the family settled in Cheney, Wash. Michael graduated from Cheney High School in 1961, and then enrolled at Eastern Washington University. While earning a BA in psychology, he also completed ROTC training and graduated as an officer in the Army.

Michael served four years of active duty in the Army, spending a year in northern Germany and a year in Vietnam. In Vietnam, he worked as an aerial observer. Alongside a pilot, he rode in a bubble-front observation helicopter and searched for the enemy. Michael described this as the best job he ever had. He loved to fly and was an excellent navigator. In 1969, he retired from the 1st of the 9th Cavalry with the rank of Captain.

Back in the US, Michael studied geology as a graduate student at Western Washington University, and eventually made his career as a title officer at Ticor Title, and later at Chicago Title. During his first marriage, Michael had two daughters, Monica and Kathryn. Monica fondly recalled making dinner with her dad, flying kites and hiking together during her childhood.

In 1991, Michael married Mary Chaney at the First Congregational Church of Bellingham, where they attended for the rest of his life.

Michael’s interests included nature, travel, reading, and history. He was an avid hiker and hiked many trails in the North Cascades. In about 1985, he climbed Mount Baker.

Michael and Mary were fortunate to travel regularly, enjoying trips to England, Scotland, Australia, Italy, Greece, France and Ecuador. He liked to research the landscapes and history of places they traveled. One of Michael’s favorite places they visited was Sterling Castle in England.

In 1993, Michael and Mary had a house built on Racine Street. They both thoroughly enjoyed the design and construction process. Michael worked on the landscaping and raised-bed vegetable gardens. He was knowledgeable about rhododendrons and planted some 40 rhodies in the yard. In his garden beds, he grew very tasty carrots, beans, lettuce, and sugar peas. Mary enjoyed eating them!

Michael also liked geology and could tell about many kinds of earth formations and rocks. On road trips to Montana and other locales, sometimes with dear friends Dick and Kay Porter, Michael pursued roadside geology, expertly identifying different landscape formations as they drove along. Michael also read extensively, especially books about history, World War II, and Vietnam, and magazines such as Smithsonian and National Geographic. He and Mary participated in an active book club for many years.

In 2016, Michael was diagnosed with dementia, and he and Mary moved to a condo in Fairhaven. Michael really enjoyed the view from the condo, looking out onto Bellingham Bay. He was a keen observer of nature, watching the weather, the birds and the beautiful sunsets.

Michael is survived by his wife Mary; his daughter Monica Fiscus and husband Ben of Black Diamond, Wash.; his daughter Kathryn Maier of New York; and his brother John, of Bellingham. Michael’s extended family includes Mary’s son David Chaney, of Geelong, Australia, and his sons, Ben Chaney and Tom Chaney; Mary’s daughter Nancy Chaney, her husband Peter MacMillan, and their son Barrett, of Seattle; and Monica’s step-grandchildren Noah and Brooklyn, whose visits Michael thoroughly enjoyed.

Services for Michael will be held Friday, Dec. 6, 1:30 pm, at First Congregational Church, Located at 2401 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA.