Michael Connors

Michael Connors February 15, 1958 - December 10, 2011

Michael R. Connors, age 53 of Owatonna, formerly of Waseca, died on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Owatonna Hospital from complications of lung cancer. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, December 15th at 2:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca, with Fr. Martin Schaefer, Celebrant. Interment will be in Waseca''s Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Waseca. The Connors family will also greet friends on Thursday afternoon for one hour prior to services at church. There will be a parish prayer service on Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers. Mike was born on February 15, 1958 at his parent''s home in Waterville to Robert and Donna (Haycraft) Connors. He graduated from Waseca High School in 1976 and from Granite Falls Vocational School. Mike was united in marriage to Sheleen Oeltjenbruns on May 22, 2010. Mike was a great family person. He loved spending time with his wife and step-children and the rest of his extended family. Mike was a salesman most of his career from cars to light bulbs, ads and promotional items. For the past 8 years he has been President of Lake Region Publications and the Publisher of the Southern Minny BUZZ. He loved spending time outdoors with his dogs hunting and fishing whenever he had the chance. Mike was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous, crediting the program with supporting him through 15 years of sobriety. He was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca and was recently attending Northridge Church in Owatonna. Mike was active with the Irish American Club, Waseca Lakes Association, the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors. He drove bus for Clemons Bus Service in the mornings and to athletic events and loved spending time with the kids. Mike faced his cancer with a positive attitude and was inspirational to those that knew him. He is survived by his wife Sheleen, step-children Amanda (John Derick) Rivers and Hunter Oeltjenbruns, and grandson John Jeremy Rivers, all of Owatonna; by his father Bob Connors of Waseca and siblings Craig (Lynn) Connors of rural Waseca, Cheri (Jerry) Ellingsworth of Elysian, Rick (Shelley) Connors of Cleveland, Colleen Howard of Waseca, Mary Connors of Waseca, Beth (John) Joki of Andover, Tom (Eileen) Connors of Wyoming and Peggy (Scott) Hildebrandt of Waseca; by his father-in-law Lowell Mollenhauer, and mother-in-law Gayle

(Nick) Webster, and death uncles, by Miller, his and nieces infant all brother-in-law of Owatonna; daughter and nephews, Korey Danielle by his cousins, (Jessica) sister-in-law Connors relatives Mollenhauer and Kendra his and mother friends. Mollenhauer of Owatonna; Donna He (Haycraft) (Chuck was by many preceded Snyder) Connors. aunts in of