Raymond Douglas Mickelson

November 15, 1951 - November 11, 2024

Raymond Douglas Mickelson of Five Mile Road, Yukon Territory, passed away peacefully at the age of 73 years in his home on November 11th, 2024. His surviving family include his 95 year young mother, Irene Mickelson of High River, Alberta, brother Glen Mickelson (Judy), of Nanton, Alberta, Connie Creighton (Mickelson)(Alfie) of Mabel Lake, British Columbia, Leon Mickelson (Cathy), of Grand Prairie, Alberta, 4 nieces, 1 nephew, 2 great nieces and 2 great nephews. Raymond was predeceased by his father, Robert Raymond Mickelson in 2008.

Ray, was born in Camrose, Alberta and lived with family on the family farm, 8 miles north of Camrose until 1966. He joined The Boy Scouts of Canada in 1962 until 1966 as Patrol Leader and was so very proud of the life lessons learned there when young. For sure those experiences paved the way for his adventurous soul and life ambitions to come. Ray and his family went on to live in seven beautiful Alberta Provincial Parks from 1966 through the early '70's where he graduated from Stettler High School in 1969, while residing in Rochon Sands Provincial Park.

In 1972, he started a career with Canada's Forestry Service at the Kananaskis, Alberta Forestry Experimental Station, and the next year took a hiatus to work with the Adanak Film Company for fun, as an animal trainer. The group travelled through Arizona where Ray felt so "at home' with the culture and environment there. He resumed his position with the Forest Service from 1974 until 1980. He then went to Lethbridge College, studying Environmental Management in 1980.

After being raised in Alberta's Provincial Parks, Ray began his career with that department as a Conservation Officer in 1980 and served in Bow Valley, Miquelon Lake, the Blackfoot Recreational Area, and Dinosaur parks until he took an early retirement in 1996 to pursue other exciting opportunities.

While living in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta from 1996 to 2001, Ray also worked with Alberta's Oil Industry. In 2001, he moved to Water Valley, Alberta where he worked in Cochrane as a Small Engine Mechanic until 2011 when he moved to Whitehorse, Yukon. It was always a dream he held onto and spoke of often.

He was especially excited to live out his wildest dreams and the rest of his exploits in the stunning, remote wilds of the Yukon Territory, which included an extraordinary life as a tipi dweller from 2012 to 2016. The many stories he shared were compelling to say the least. In 2017 he began building his quaint, much-loved cabin on Five Mile Road where he happily spent the rest of his days full of awe for nature and long talks about God and Spirituality. Ray was employed by the Tutshi Tanning Company in Whitehorse from 2011-2015 and then by Capenter's Construction in Whitehorse from 2015 to 2024.

As Ray would say, "There are no goodbyes, we will always be in each other's hearts".

Ray's family invite all of his friends to join us in a Celebration of Life for him at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center at 1171 Front Street, Whitehorse, Yukon on the Evening of May 16, 2024 from 6:30 pm through to 9:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. A fire will be lit on his behalf. We invite any of Ray's friends with musical instruments to participate in a final neighborly jam with your and his favorite songs you all shared. Feel free to bring a guitar or two. We encourage you to rsvp to conniecreighton65@gmail.com.

Thank you for being a friend to our brother, we look forward to meeting you all.