Michael Drue Schofield, born Sept. 1, 1952, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Edgar Samuel Schofield and Helen Marr Cluff, passed away Feb. 3, 2021, of pancreatic cancer. Mike’s take on cancer was, “It’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” He was raised by his mom and stepdad Wayne Buzzard, in Lake Point, Utah. He married Debra Gollaher on June 15, 1973, in the Salt Lake Temple and they were blessed with four fabulous children: Christopher (Emilia), Danielle (Cristian) Perez, Summer (Tony) Spinello, and Bryce (Karen). Mike and Deb have 16 fantastic grandchildren.
For many years Mike, along with his stepfather, ran a mink business in Lake Point. Mike fed, watered, cleaned, pelted, and cared for up to as many as 1,500 mink and their kits. After demand for mink fur declined, the family sold the business in 1974.
During summer breaks in high school Mike was employed at the Tooele smelter working on the slag line. After high school he attended a two-year electronics technical school in Phoenix, Arizona, and began working as a copier repairman for AB Dick. Later in his career he was hired by Heidelberg to repair and install large Heidelberg printing presses, Stahl paper cutters, and bindery equipment. Mike and Deb lived in Lake Point until 2003 when Heidelberg transferred Mike to their Kennesaw, Georgia, headquarters where they lived until 2007. Mike and Deb then moved back to Utah. Mike retired from Heidelberg in 2013 and started his own company, Wasatch Graph Tech, servicing and installing the same printers and cutters that he had worked on for over 35 years.
Mike served his community as a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and eventually Captain of the Lake Point Fire Station. His fellow volunteer EMTs and firefighters traveled many miles and helped many people in need along the I-80 freeway and sometimes almost to Wendover in Tooele County. He also served in the Boy Scouts and in 1993 attended Wood Badge training and completed all requirements.
Mike inherited his wonderful singing voice from his mother and he sang in many church choirs as well as a production of the Messiah. He took guitar lessons and was proficient with six and twelve-string guitars, enjoying many hours of practicing, playing, and singing with Lake Point friends. Learning carpentry from his stepfather and metalworking from high school, Mike remodeled his 70-year-old home. He then built his own workshops where he created and repaired many machine parts for his customers by hand. He was also a very skilled woodworker.
Mike served in many positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His favorite calling was that of ward clerk. He also served as counselor in the bishopric of the Redwood Ward, maintaining dear friendships with whom he served. Mike leaves behind many family members, friends, and customers whom he loved and enjoyed being around.
Mike was preceded in death by his mother Helen, stepfather Wayne Buzzard, stepbrother Gary Buzzard, and sister Raellen Martinez.
The family would like to thank the doctors, physician assistants, and nurses at Utah Cancer Specialists for the loving care they provided Mike over the past two years. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Huntsman Cancer institute at huntsmancancer.org/giving/
A viewing will be held Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Tate Mortuary, 110 S. Main St., Tooele, Utah. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, at 12 p.m., at the Lake Point Chapel, 1366 Canyon Road, Lake Point, Utah. A viewing will also be held before the funeral from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Lake Point cemetery.