John Michael Story

suddenly the stage goes quiet

the final note drifts away

while the strings

on your cello

vibrate then rest."

– (David E. Thomas, Sept. 12, 2013, "Ode to Mike Story")

John Michail Story died peacefully about noon on Sept. 11, 2013, at Hillside Nursing Home in the presence of a Hospice nurse. Earlier that morning he'd asked his friend Toni for paints and canvass, evidence of a creative spirit engaged to the very end.

Born on June 12, 1948, in Missoula, in the old St. Patrick Hospital, Michail is survived by his parents, Joel and Marie (Shelton) Story and younger brother Bob (Nancy) of Billings; his older sister Karen (Dahn) of Athens, Ohio; two nephews, Zachary Story and his namesake, Michael Dahn; two nieces, Miaghen Dahn, Katie Story; Katie's daughter Bentley, and cousins on the Shelton side of the family.

Michail grew up in Billings in the shadow of the Rimrocks, which he considered his personal domain. Very early explorations of ponds and pastures on a Big Timber farm may have contributed to a lifelong interest in birds and nature, and the year his family lived on La Vasseur Street in the old Shelton house also made an impression – for although Mike's extended wanderings included stays in Mexico and California, he always came "home" to Missoula.

Mike loved to laugh and even more, to recount stories that invariably began, "One time when my friend ___ and I ..." He was artistic and wonderfully talented, as capable of fashioning pieces of art out of wire or wood as a working telephone out of scrap metal and a board. He liked to sketch and to paint and sometimes sent drawings to friends to show he was thinking of them. Mike whaled on guitar, cello, and harmonica, and was associated over the years with a number of Missoula bands. As a toddler, he could already hum the tune to the "Irish Washerwoman." As an adult, when he let go with his riveting baritone, people stopped to listen, and (quoting Dave Thomas), "(he) ... gave life to the words of an old blues song ... !" The late photographer, Lee Nye, appreciated these talents and included Mike's photo in the montage of musicians at Charlie B's, formerly Eddie's Club.

Besides family, Michail leaves countless friends, fellow musicians and fishermen, and an impressive cast of characters, to mourn the loss of this loveable and gifted man. While they are too many to name here, John States and Roz Hudgens, Toni and Charles Lubrecht, David Thomas, Shirley Juhl, and Linda Bennett (now in Bali), are among so many who were very special to him.

A friend who worked at the psych ward in a local hospital remembers that Michail and the late Jay Rummel used to come weekly to play – and how much those sessions were appreciated by the staff and patients. Mike especially enjoyed performing in nursing homes and, for years, teamed up with his old pal, John States, to entertain the residents. During his time at Hillside when he was still well enough to play cello, his friend, musician Ellie Nuno, came with her friend, and the three of them played holiday music at Christmas. How ironic, Michail joked, that after all those nursing homes they had entertained in over the years, they were finally playing at "his" house.

Friends of Michail Story are invited to a Celebration event at 2 p.m., Sunday afternoon, Nov. 10 at Shirley Juhl's Crystal Theater, 515 S. Higgins Ave. Bring your instruments and remembrances. Poet David E. Thomas will read his tribute, "Ode to Mike Story," at the celebration.

Read John Story's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.