His visitation was held Friday at Rodenberger-Gray Funeral Home in Napoleon, Ohio, southwest of Toledo, where he was born Jan. 4, 1983 to Ronald Lee Michael and Tammie Kristek.
Michael was a master carver of ice and many other mediums, including pumpkins and trees. He carved two trees in Hamilton, one in Millikin Woods, and another near the historic log cabin and the Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers monument downtown.
With the downtown tree that had been damaged and had to be cut down, he created benches, decorated with shapes of a tree and a large wave and smaller rapids, echoing the nearby Great Miami River.
While his official last name was Michael, he often went by Michaels because he believed that last name was less confusing for people because it didn’t sound like a first name. But, he told the Journal-News in 2018, his use of that name irked some family members. He also was a tattoo artist and loved his children, motorcycles and outdoor activities.
In addition to his carving skills — which often happened with chainsaws, but also with many other tools — he also was a tattoo artist and loved his children, motorcycles and outdoor activities.
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