Michael J. Hackwith's Obituary
Michael James Hackwith was born October 31, 1943 to James and Phyllis Hackwith in Peoria Illinois and passed away in his home in Oshkosh Wisconsin September 29, 2025. Mikey grew up in the good ol’ days with 4 sisters - Ona, Kay, Linda and Nancee. He often said he did the best he could to fulfill being a living example of the movie American Graffiti. While an adventurous and crafty youth, he did eventually become an adult last year - but just barely. He would say “you always grow older but you don’t have to grow up.” So his childhood just continued. Mike went on to marry Alice (Couve) in the mid 60’s and had three kids, Michelle, Jennifer and Lance.
After retiring from Case IH and his divorce, he spent the next 30 plus years in Oshkosh, where he could indulge his love of everything related to planes. He likely Caught the plane fever after he got done drag racing everyone in his younger years and you really couldn’t pry his fingers out of the EAA from that point on. He volunteered year round and dedicated every summer to the EAA and Warbirds of America, helping out with just about anything, including cutting propellers for the Young Eagles, polishing many of the planes, raising funds for projects, working the gift shop, or telling endless stories about the things he saw and loved. Seeing his efforts at the EAA come to benefit others for years to come was a real joy for him.
He was a self described plane-nut. Some of his favorite thrills were being up in the air and just putting the plane into rolls, loops and stalls - especially if the passenger wasn’t ready. He was also an avid Harley biker from the earliest of days until his last day, still wearing one of his great many Harley hats. And he thoroughly enjoyed his many trips to Daytona Bike Week.
Mike loved to meet famous people and include them in his “Famous Mike Hackwith Book” but he also loved neat stories from others and that made them famous in his own eyes. All the people he met in the past 30+ years in Oshkosh were like family to him as he stuck to his weekly routines and annual events. He even had a best friend to keep him in line for many years so he wouldn’t go back to drag racing everyone in town that gave him “the look”. But that didn’t stop him from trying every once in a while.
Mike had many rules and quotes for life, including “today is the first day of the rest of your life, except tomorrow, maybe.” Rule 1 - “if you want to get out of a hole, stop digging.” He also said “if it were not for the bad times, you would not know what the good times are.” Mike enjoyed and lived through a great many things in his years, from hotrods and Harleys to planes and 200-yard gun ranges and greatly enjoyed the people he met along the way. Mike is survived by many family and friends. He will be missed by many but his stories will carry on even if they were a bit outlandish.
Memorial visitation and celebration of life will be at the EAA Air Academy Lodge in Oshkosh on October 18th from 1-3pm (1603 Goyke Ave Oshkosh WI). Come and share the stories with each other. Cards and memorials can be sent to: Hackwith, 3907 NW 7th St., Ankeny IA 50023. Service live stream at: https://youtube.com/live/nYPgg8zXVt8
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