Frank "Cliff" Michel

Frank Clifford Michel was born on May 31, 1934, in Portland, Oregon, to Gertrude Deatt McEwan and Benjamin Franklin Michel. He died unexpectedly on September 20, 2023 after living with Alzheimer’s dementia since 2019.

Cliff graduated from Lewis and Clark High School (Spokane, WA), Class of 1952. During his years in Spokane, he formed lifelong friendships that were some of his most important relationships.

Cliff attended Washington State University, where he was a proud member of Sigma Nu, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in 1960 after pausing his studies to complete three years of service in the United States Marine Corps, stationed in Quantico, VA. Cliff earned a Master of Education from the University of Arkansas in 1966 and returned to WSU for his Doctor of Education, which he completed in 1975.

He moved to Corvallis in 1970 and spent 26 years at Oregon State University as a counselor in the Counseling Center, where he impacted the lives of countless students and peers and retired in 1996. Cliff was a longtime Beaver fan but at heart was a Cougar.

Cliff believed in the institution of marriage—so much so that he tried it three times. He first married Gail Hayes in 1955, and they had a son, David. He married Elinor Tousley in 1962 and together they had three sons, John, Whit and Chris. In his final attempt, Cliff married Satsuki Ina in 1982. Though always a fan, he never could quite get the hang of marriage, so opted out from that point on.

He was athletic and pursued a variety of interests throughout his lifetime. Cliff worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor. He enjoyed inner tubing and canoeing on the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers; played tennis, handball, volleyball, and golf; and loved skiing, camping, and hiking and even climbed to the summit of Mt. Hood. He was an avid runner, participating in countless 5K and 10K fun runs and completing the Portland Marathon in 1985 and 1988. Due to recurring calf injuries, Cliff transitioned to cycling after retirement. He went on frequent bike rides around Corvallis with his “Beanery Bunch” and enjoyed bike tours in Central Oregon, Italy, and France.

Cliff lived in Corvallis, Oregon for 53 years. He was active in the community as a member of Rotary International and the B.P.O. Elks and served on the board of the Oregon State Credit Union. He was a strong supporter of Chamber Music Corvallis, Corvallis Fall Festival, and DaVinci Days.

Cliff is survived by his sons David (Melissa) Michel, John Michel, Whit (Camille) Michel, and Chris (Jan Wolford) Michel; grandchildren Matthew, Taryn, Whitney, Rachel, Bryan, Andrew, Jake, Christianne, Ryan, and Chelsea; and his great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life gathering will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, OR from 2:00-5:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Cliff’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or Greenbelt Land Trust (www.greenbeltlandtrust.org).