Welcome to the obituary section of our website. You may search by first or last name, or by death date.
If you would like to comment in an loved one’s guestbook, please feel free to do so. If you would like to upload a photo to accompany your comment, please limit the file size to a maximum of 2MB. If the image file is too large, it may be rejected (you will be notified by staff it this happens).
If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call: 360-491-3000. Thank you for visiting.
Check your settings when you are happy with your print preview press the print icon below.
Show Obituaries Show Guestbook Show Photos QR Code
Print
Michael Patrick Cortez
June 21, 1966 - May 9, 2016
Burial Date May 21, 2016
A memorial service to honor Mike will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 21, at Emmanuel Bible Fellowship in Olympia (2508 State Ave NE). In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made either to the Cortez family’s adopted child via World Vision or to Animal Services of Thurston County.
Share your Memorial with Family & Friends
Michael Patrick Cortez, devoted husband and father, outdoorsman, dog lover, motorcycle and cooking enthusiast, died on Monday, May 9, 2016 in Olympia, Washington.
Mike was born to Gabriele and Albert P. Cortez in Nuernberg, Germany. Although he considered Olympia, Washington to be his hometown, he was nevertheless proud to show off family photos of himself as a child, dressed in traditional Bavarian lederhosen. He spoke fondly of his childhood and the many life lessons he learned from his school and family life. A charismatic storyteller, Mike was always eager to share vivid stories and keen observations about his youth with those around him.
After graduating Timberline High School in 1984, Mike began working in sales. A natural talent, he rose to become a well-known and respected auto parts sales representative in Olympia and the surrounding area, most recently working as a territory sales manager for O’Reilly Auto Parts. His honest, personable style, paired with a love of his career, frequently resulted in employee awards, and many of his business clients and colleagues became personal friends.
On December 3, 1999, Mike married Shannon Nagel of Tacoma, Washington. Mike greatly enjoyed spending time with his family, especially travelling and backpacking with his wife and children. This is clearly demonstrated by the many heartwarming images that he shared on his Facebook page as he celebrated family time spent outdoors.
Mike is survived by a host of loving family: his wife, Shannon, their two children, Ryan Michael and Lanie Grace, his mother, Gabriele, sisters Manuela Cortez and Monique Edwards, brothers Albert Jr. and Brian Cortez, stepmom Fita Cortez, and in-laws David and Judy Nagel, Jeremy Nagel, and Mark and Angela Wegley.
Mike had an enduring passion and appreciation for quality and fun in all of his pursuits, which included many hobbies and interests. Whether explaining his choice of vehicles (a Mustang 5.0 and a Suzuki Hayabusa), his preferred hobby retailers (REI and Cabela’s), his secret cooking ingredients (???), or the training of his Boston Terriers, he freely offered his knowledge and ideas to others with infectious enthusiasm and good humor.
A man of Christian faith, Mike was an active member of The GraceWorks Church, where he had attended regularly with his family since 2010. He carried a coin in his pocket inscribed with the words of Jesus from Luke 18:27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Those possibilities inspired within him a truly remarkable Christian character; his generosity, kindness, and patience will be remembered by all who knew him.
A memorial service to honor Mike will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 21, at Emmanuel Bible Fellowship in Olympia (2508 State Ave NE). In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made either to the Cortez family’s adopted child via World Vision or to Animal Services of Thurston County.