Michael J. McCleary
June 8, 1948 – October 20, 2026
Between those two dates there were 28,624 days. Mike made the absolute most of every one of them. He was born in Litchfield, MN to William George and Mary Margaret (Marie) McCleary, their second child. At some point, the growing McCleary family moved to Billings and eventually resided at 2009 Clark Avenue where the family would stay until Marie’s passing. It was on Clark Ave where he first met Jackie and the growing Fellows family. Mike found a love of baseball he never outgrew as well as cultivating many lifelong friendships. At the age of 8, Mike’s father William unexpectedly passed away. He struggled with school that year and had to repeat the 3rd grade. During his second go, he and Bob Zepp met and have been friends ever since. Not many people get the comfort and stability of a 70-year friendship. This was the first of many impactful events to shape him into the man he would become.
After William’s passing, Mike and all his siblings pulled together to take care of their mom. This was his motivation for joining the service after graduating from Central Catholic High in 1967. He knew the key to success was education beyond high school and he also knew Marie could not afford to send all of them to college. Mike knew military service was his ticket to education. On September 15, 1969, he and Jackie married before he deployed. According to Mike’s stories, during boot camp, his superiors saw his aptitude and intelligence and asked if he would consider training to be a medic. He said yes and was sent to the Naval hospital in Philadelphia for training. Mike rarely spoke about his time in Vietnam; however, he did talk about his time taking care of the wounded soldiers at the hospital. He spent many hours helping, listening to, and treating patients. This is where he learned to play cribbage, a game he loved and continued to play for life.
After his time in the service (1969 to 1973), he returned to his family to start school. He graduated from Eastern Montana College in 1976, and the family moved to Cascade for his new career. After 2 years in Cascade, they moved to Great Falls. Mike started his work as a loan officer with First Federal Savings Bank (later Heritage Bank and eventually U.S. Bank) and he would continue that path for the next 40+ years. Also, during that time, Mike became one of the first certified residential appraisers in the state. A profession he loved and eventually trained his youngest child. Throughout his time as a loan officer, Mike helped so many people get into homes, many of whom may not have had an opportunity otherwise. He knew the power of homeownership and how instrumental it is to a thriving community. Mike routinely would forgo his commission on loans to help the individual in front of him. His selflessness knew no bounds.
His work as a banker/loan officer sparked and fueled his passion for volunteering and public service. He spent many years on myriad boards in Great Falls, including Neighborhood Housing Services, the Great Falls Housing Authority, St. Vincent de Paul, The History Museum, The Montana Veteran’s Memorial, and the Marine Corps League, sometimes volunteering for up to 40 hours a week.
To know Mike was to love him. He always had a smile for you and his laugh was so infectious you could not help but join. He truly looked for the best in all people he met and the joy in every day. One of his last joys was gardening. He was gifted with roses and this last summer; the harvest was bountiful. To say he will be missed is an understatement.
He is survived by his soulmate and wife of 57 years, Jacqueline; son, Patrick, and daughter- in-law, Kathleen; daughter, Sienna; grandson, Sean; granddaughters, Eileen, Molly, Bridget and Deirdre; brother, Bill; sister, Patricia. Mike was preceded in death by his daughter, Leah; brothers, Jack and Tom; and his parents, Marie and William.
On a final note, the last game of cribbage he and Jackie played, Mike won.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Montana Veterans Memorial or to the Cascade County Historical Society (History Museum).
On Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 5:00-8:00 PM, there will be a memorial gathering at the Great Falls History Museum (422 2nd Street S.), and on the following day, Friday, November 13, 2026, there will be Funeral Liturgy at 12:00 noon at St. Ann's Cathedral. Condolences for the family may be shared online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.
