Obituary

Mike Hotchkin, 93, of Grinnell, died Friday, April 4, 2025, from, quite frankly, packing more than a century’s worth of life into 93 years.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 12, 2025, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell. Please wear a touch of green to honor his Irish heritage. Interment will be in Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. A luncheon will follow at St. Mary Catholic Church.

A scripture service will be held at 3:15 PM, Friday, April 11, 2025 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. His family will receive friends at the visitation held from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Friday at the Smith Funeral Home.

Memorials may be designated to St. Mary Catholic Church or to Grinnell Lions Club (to provide funds to purchase glasses for those in need), and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Mike’s family online at www.smithfh.com.

Michael James Hotchkin was born on February 25, 1932 in Grinnell, Iowa to John James Hotchkin and Florence (Cutler) Hotchkin. He was raised in Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell High School with the Class of 1949.

Mike honorably served in the United States Navy from 1951-1954 during the Korean War. He attended Gale Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Iowa in 1959.

Mike was united in marriage to Doris L. Wiley on August 1, 1960 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Daniel, Kathleen, Patti, and Timothy. They raised their family in Grinnell and Mike worked at Cunningham Drug, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, and Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Mike’s boundless energy was evident as he was very active in many organizations and volunteered countless hours to help others.

He enjoyed one coke and whiskey every night after work by the TV, Pagliai’s Pizza, golfing, Dari Barn Snickers Cyclones made with chocolate ice cream, board games, and time spent with his family.

Mike’s incredible sense of Irish humor which he honed during his time in the Navy was always well-tempered by his profound Catholic faith. Mike leaves behind a whole bunch of stuff that no one knows what to do with, but stuff that he was always able to cobble into a helpful tool to solve a problem for someone in need. Those he met are forever changed and blessed for having known him and will carry with them numerous joyful stories of his well-lived life.

Mike never met a stranger and introduced himself often to the folks that he was certain would become his friends. This always expanding group will grieve at his death but rejoice in his life alongside his wife of 65 years, Doris; children, Daniel (Leslie) Hotchkin of Palatine, IL, Kathleen (Ken) Groenback of Davenport, IA, Patricia (Scott) Splavec of West Des Moines, IA, and Timothy Hotchkin of Plymouth, MN; grandchildren, Chelsey, Erin, Mitchell, Jonathon, Michael, Kaitlyn, and Jessica; and great-grandchildren, Audrey, Blake, Maverick, Sydney, Naomi, Liam, and Sadie. He believed that each of them were the best kids you could ever hope for. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, John Rodney Hotchkin; and his in-laws, John & Anna Wiley.

NOTE FROM MIKE: This is my ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’ to all my family and friends. I hope they know how much I have enjoyed having them beside me during my journey on this Earth - and what a journey it has been!