Lifetime Sandy and Mountain area resident, Michael Steven Chesnut died suddenly at his home on Monday, July 13, 2015. He was 61.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Community Church of Sandy – Sandy Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Michael was cremated and inurnment will be held at Lincoln Memorial Park with his parents and at Applegate Pioneer Cemetery in Yoncalla, Oregon.
Michael Steven Chesnut was born on January 23, 1954 in Portland to Lloyd Earl Chesnut Jr. and Betty Arlene (Schoolcraft) Chesnut. Michael was raised in Sandy and received his elementary and high school education here. In addition to playing varsity football, he was very active with FFA. After graduating from Sandy Union High School in 1972, Mike worked as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter in Sandy, then moved on to work in the logging industry as a timber faller. In 1972, Michael received an award for saving the life of his advisor, Dr. Cole, in his FFA Chapter, the highest award from the National FFA Alumni Association. On February 5, 1977, he was married to Debra Harding in Sandy and began their family were there son Timothy Chesnut was born at 8:30 a.m. on May 18, 1980 “Mike’s volcano kid”. They later moved to Rhododendron where they resided for 27 years and Michael was employed at L & H Grading, where he operated the pug mill and rock crusher. He later owned and operated MSC Excavation and Development until selling the business in 2004. Prior to opening a restaurant in Rhododendron, he went back to work for L & H Grading. In 2007, Michael and Debra owned and operated The Good Times Family Restaurant.
Michael loved to work and was a hard worker whether it was farming, logging, heavy equipment operator, heavy construction Foreman, rock blasting and crushing to building structures, he loved it all. He worked through Washington, California, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and North Dakota. In 2013, Michael had to retire due to health reasons.
Michael loved to hunt, fish, doing sportsman activities, wood working, tinkering with his tools and fixing things. He was a member of the National FFA Association, a life member of the NRA Association and a life member of the Handy Man Club of America.
Surviving is his wife Debra Chesnut of Sandy; his son Timothy Chesnut also of Sandy; his sisters, Donna Bean of Randall, Washington and Marlene Lundeen of Sandy; brother Tom Chesnut of Brightwood; brother-in-laws Rodney C. Harding of Rainier, Oregon, Douglas A. Harding of Fairbanks, Alaska and Warren R. Harding of Holmer, Alaska; 3 grandsons, Tannon, Tanko and Taiyo of Northumberland, England; 7 nephews, 6 nieces. He is preceded in death by his brother, Lee Chesnut in 1962, his mother Betty in 1986, his father Floyd in 1996, brother-in-law Malvin Harding in 2015 and his sister, Barbara Chesnut Kubitz in 2007.