Michael Christopher Rooze

Michael Christopher Rooze, age 53, passed suddenly on June 3, 2023, in Severance, Colorado. Mike attended school in Glenn Rock, NJ then moved to MN and was a 1988 graduate of Hopkins High School. He went on to earn his BA in Political Science at Bethel College.

Mike was an avid reader and loved spending time with his family, friends, and adorable pets. Mike loved to travel, ride his motorcycle, had a passion for the great outdoors and loved sports. He was a ham radio enthusiast and weather tracker/storm chaser. He drove towards tornados blissfully. Mike was a phenomenal cook and always tried to outdo old family recipes. He loved to garden and enjoyed winning our annual tomato growing contest every year. Mike proudly canned his first harvest in 2022. He wished everyone luck who received a jar and was partial to me by putting Mr. Yuk stickers on each one.

Mike was a kid at heart, an endless prankster with a broadcaster's voice, who had an infectious laugh and made me belly laugh almost every day. He was intelligent with a high IQ, was brilliant with numbers, meticulous at spelling, a word maestro and had a memory like a steel trap yet struggled to find the milk in the refrigerator. He could read and speak Spanish and Italian fluently.

Mike had the biggest heart, genuinely cared for others, was a great listener and gave sound advice. If you knew Mike, you knew you were loved and chances are, he told you so. His love was endless with daily and sometimes hourly reminders of "I love you," accompanied with lasting hugs and kisses. He hid little love notes in the tiniest places that I would easily find because his prize was me and my endless love-bombs back to him. The reality is, Mike was my prize. He was the most lovable man and I thank God for every year He gave us. The world will never be the same without him, but I must remind myself of his favorite Bible verse he had tattooed on his arm: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," Philippians 4:13.

Mike loved to worship our Lord, Jesus, singing and playing his many guitars, bass, and any other instrument he could get his hands on. Mike's passion for music started at a young age and continued to adulthood. He was constantly humming, tapping, or singing and if you knocked on our front door, he most likely opened it with a guitar hanging around his waist. I'd find guitar picks in every load of laundry, in the carpet, on countertops, in bathroom drawers, inside his truck and most of his pockets. Best of all, I got to watch and listen to him practice for church or when he put on mini concerts of my favorite songs. The day Mike was born he should have been a planet, a star, or his own moon so everyone on earth could enjoy him, but God made him human so we could see and touch and love him. And he was loved.

Mike is survived by his wife, Karen, of 22 years; son, Noah; loving and caring parents, Arthur and Carol; sister, Meredith (Jay) Meyering; niece, Audrey and nephew, Trevor; and many relatives across the USA. In addition to his immediate family, Mike leaves behind an incredible extended family and many friends. Private Christian memorial and interment at St. John's Cemetery, Little Canada, MN.