Mike was born October 25, 1963 in Roswell, NM to parents John and Mary Ann (Schear) Melton. Mary Ann married Leonard Licking, who adopted Mike in 1972. Mike started school in Albuquerque, NM until the family moved to Newell, SD where he attended Twilight country school and Newell High school.
In 1979, at the age of 16, Mike left home to work, after a friend said the oilfields of Montana is the place to be. He stayed in Montana for several years before returning to South Dakota working various jobs until returning to Sidney in 2002. After returning to Sidney, Mike worked management jobs at Napa, Eagle Country Ford and Mitchell’s Oilfield. As the Bakken boom began to slow down, he continued in the oil industry as a lease operator for Whiting Petroleum and a consultant with Airswift before being forced into early retirement due to cancer.
In 2015, Mike married Ehlla Tyutyunik and welcomed her son, Mike, as his own.
Mike’s ambitious, witty personality made it hard for him to sit still for very long and always took great pride in his work and gave 100% regardless if he was at work or home, day or night. In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time with family and friends; especially gardening with his wife Ehlla, fishing with his son Mike and participating in fishing tournaments. His heart of gold and contagious laugh drew people to him. Although small in stature, one would never guess it if you were to judge by his big heart he had for others and his willingness to help anyone in need.
In the words of Mike’s favorite movie, Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” No matter what piece of chocolate Mike got, he tackled it with his big heart, great smile and infectious laugh.
Michael Anthony Licking, 54, of Sidney, MT passed away March 6th, 2018 after a 7-month battle with cancer.
Mike is survived by his wife Ehlla and son Mike; his father John Melton; step dad Leonard Licking; step son Tony Turner; and siblings Rebecca (Tony) Ortiz, Erica Toole and James Melton.
Mike was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Ann Licking, and grandparents Lawrence and Bertha Licking, and Albert and Amanda Schear.