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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Ely lost one of its real characters in Mike Hillman

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Mike Hillman, you had a full house at your memorial service on Dec. 30. So good at acting, MC’ing, storytelling, broadcasting, and generally conversing, he should have been there to represent himself.

Mike’s passing, a big shock to everyone, and still so; it’s hard to imagine that he is not just down the street in his house, or over at the Front Porch talking up some town matter, or Ely’s history, or perhaps something he made up.

I knew Mike for many years, first noticing him when he was in theatre productions as a youth, and then when he was around town during high school, when he moved back to town with his family, when he took over at the radio station, when he was auditioning for NLAA roles, when he would stop in at the office to tell me one of his latest ideas, or when I’d hear him out in the lobby at the CC chatting with someone he’d run into at the library.

A recipient of the Music and Drama Community Service Award, Mike was a very talented person with writing, singing, dancing, acting, and storytelling skills. In many ways, I don’t think he was truly appreciated for all he had to offer. He was good, too, at being a City Councilor, for which I had hoped he’d represent us for a couple more terms.

I know the shock of his passing has hit many of us, as the passing of numerous contemporaries shocked him in the past several years.

Iron Mike was one of Ely’s characters, and as someone recently said, we seem to be losing many of them of late. It is odd not to have him passing by my house, next door here, on his bike in warmer weather, or walking, on his way somewhere, dressed in his wool Wintergreen jacket, thinking.

He has left us with his books and stories, in print, one way to remember him, and with memories of the characters he played. When I’d run into him, there was always a nod, wave, hello, or comment, sometimes a song. At times I’d ask him to briefly reprise one of those many show characters for me, like the Dentist in “Little Shop,” and he’d have it right at hand, just like it was yesterday, or the Captain in “HMS Pinafore.” An amazing memory, an encyclopedia of history–now laid to rest. A big blank spot left here without him.

You will truly be missed, Mike Hillman, and well remembered for your many contributions to our community!

Cecilia Rolando

Ely, Minn.