Michael Vincent Milat, 47, of Hot Springs passed away peacefully Friday evening, Sept. 21, 2007, at home in the arms of his loving wife. He had fought a courageous battle with lung cancer since May 2007.

Michael was born June, 21, 1960, in San Francisco, the eldest son of Richard and Sharron (Wilkens) Milat. He graduated from St. Helena High School and worked 15 years as an assistant manager for Keller Brothers Grocery Store in St. Helena, Calif.

In the late 1980s, Michael began spending summers in Northwest Montana, and he became captivated by the openness and beauty of the land.

In 1990, he moved permanently to Coram and then, in 1992, relocated to Hot Springs, where he met his wife, Tina (Maas) Dougherty. Michael and Tina were married Aug. 4, 2001, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

He has been employed for the past 14 years as a dietary aide at the Evergreen Hot Springs Health and Rehabilitation Center.

His hobbies included hiking and listening to music; he also enjoyed going to the movies, reading endlessly for knowledge, and had a passion for designing and assembling advanced audio sound systems. Mike seemed to know how to fix anything, and if he didn't, he would research it and teach himself.

He is survived by his wife, Tina, and daughter Misty, in Hot Springs; his father, Richard Milat, of San Francisco; mother, Sharron Milat, of St. Helena; brother and sister-in-law, Vincent and Elaine Milat, and their children, Ryan and Kaley, of Roseville, Calif.; sisters, Dawn and her daughter, Sunny, also in Roseville, and Maureen and Dale Chandler, and their son, Jacob, of Mobile, Ala. He is also survived by his maternal grandmother, Frances Wilkens, of San Jose, Calif.; and many aunts, uncles and cousins; and his father and mother-in-law, David and Ingrid Maas, of Lakeside.

Michael's wish was to be cremated and he requested no public funeral; however there will be a celebration of life for him between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Hot Springs Senior Center.

He also requested, in lieu of flowers, that donations should be made in his name to the local hospice organization; or Cancer Network of Sanders County.

The family is forever grateful for the loving care and assistance provided by the local hospice personnel — Laura, Lori, Fern and Donna and Janet.