Michael Tilleman grew up on a farm. His father once said that he was as dumb as a cow, something that Mike disagreed with, noting that cows always knew the right gate when it was time to come home.

Mike told those he knew that he got his sense of humor from his father, Hank, and his business sense from his mother, Irma. Both his parents taught him the value of hard work, something he never shied away from. “Montana, where I grew up, it was all about work ethic. I did 20,000 hay bales in the summers,” said Mike.

He attended grade school in a one-room school. During his seventh grade year, Mike told the teacher he knew everything about the eighth grade and wanted to jump right into his freshman year. She told him he would have to pass the end of year exam to skip eighth grade; he passed. In a high school essay, he later stated he would not recommend it to anyone, nor do it again, because he thought he could have learned more had he finished his seventh grade with his class.

He wanted to play professional baseball, but baseballs were in short supply on the farm. Never one to let a small obstacle stand in his way, he practiced pitching with rocks. Mike would run miles to move tractors and trucks, often completing the task so quickly his dad wouldn’t believe it had been done. He would wear weights on his arms and legs and run beside the hay wagon bucking bales. Not surprisingly, he received recruitment offers from the University of Georgia, Naval Academy, University of Washington and Montana State (now University of Montana), which he accepted.

While at the University of Montana, he played hard, made friends, and made a name for himself.

Some of his favorite activities included tossing people in the air and catching them while sitting on a stool in the Mo’ Club and studying geology. Mike graduated in three years with a B.S. in Business Administration and held the record for a number of years for the most credits taken in one quarter.

He accepted his first job with the Minnesota Vikings, and soon after, met the love of his life, a Northwest Airlines flight attendant named Gloria Thorvaldson from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He saw her sitting next to his soon-to-be best friend and said, “That is the lady I am going to marry.”

Mike and Gloria raised three children Craig, Suzanne and Christopher.

Mike and Gloria moved all over the country as Mike pursued his sports career, culminating in Atlanta, with The Falcons, where he received the Brian Piccolo award in 1973. In Atlanta, working his offseason job, he was quite proud of getting the first approval of PVC pipe in a major construction project, Atlanta Hartsfield airport.

After 12 years, Mike was ready to come home to Montana and the place he loved, the Hi-Line Ranch. Once settled, he called a friend, Bob Inman from Chinook, who told him Taylor Chevrolet was for sale, and shortly after that, Mike bought the store. Typically, people without auto experience are prevented from owning dealerships, but like many things, Mike was able to sell the idea to the manufacturer. He later expanded into agricultural equipment as well.

His employees were like family to him. If you worked hard, you got along with Mike just fine. His businesses continue, now successfully run by the next generation. Mike was given many awards in all aspects of his life, such as Time magazine auto dealer of the year for his philanthropic activities. Still, he was most proud of the self-proclaimed title “Cribbage Champion of the World.” He won many games throughout his life, several of them during his last weeks at home playing with his children, grandchildren and friends.

After spending the first half of his life trying to escape the ranch, Mike went back to farming and ranching in the latter half. He operated a large commercial and registered Red Angus herd on his family’s farm, and he loved his small “hobby.”

Mike was a father figure to many and a best friend to even more. His sense of humor and jokes are legendary.

Mike believed in the power of learning and wanted to encourage and help others to achieve their educational aspirations. He dedicated much of his philanthropy to higher educational opportunities. Mike was a proud University of Montana Grizzly and supported MSU-Northern Lights. He loved children and supported their goals through 4-H, Hockey and many other youth activities. The Northern Lights Athletic Scholarship Foundation, started by Mike, continues its important work today.

Mike was a creator of jobs and enjoyed building many things. Gloria and Mike were a team in building businesses and networks of friends. However, the creation they were most proud of was building a loving family.

Mike’s was a well-lived life as a University of Montana student-athlete, professional football player, successful business owner, generous philanthropist and loving family man.