Charles Michael Disert, 79, passed peacefully at home, August 22, 2018.
Mike was born February 22, 1939 in Iona, Michigan, the only child of Charles E. and Marguerite Davis Disert.
He spent his early childhood throughout Michigan, before moving to Colorado, the native state of his parents, when he was nine, and in his early teens settling on a ranch in LaVeta, Colorado; there he would meet the love of his life, Gladys Duzenack. They married in LaVeta on September 13, 1958, living first on a ranch near Cheyenne, Wyoming. Expecting their first child in 1959, they returned to Huerfano County, Colorado to ranch there near family.
In 1973, Mike and his family removed to the Mimbres Valley of Grant County, New Mexico, and they made their home on the historic Perrault Ranch, ranching in conjunction with his father, until his retirement in 1998. He was active in Farm Bureau, having been a director and several times named rancher of the week and rancher of the year, and in the 4-H program as a leader and with his children. He was always ready to help neighbors, gather cattle, brand, put up hay, cut firewood-anything they needed a hand with.
Mike was one of the founding members of the Lower Mimbres Volunteer Firemen in 1976, in a time when fires were fought with shovels, buckets, and burlap sacks. He was a member for 23 years and Chief of the Lower Mimbres Fire Department for 17 of those years. He donated the land for the first Mimbres firehouse and secured funding for the firehouse itself. He was instrumental in acquiring trucks, equipment, funding, radio service, and a telephone system and dispatcher to call the volunteers out and seeing that the men and women of his department were trained and ready to go. He was also part of the advocacy group for retirement benefits for the volunteers, which was established in 1983. Other departments were formed following his lead. He was chairman of the Rural Fire Chief's Association, board member of Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority, and member of the Wildlands Urban Interface Task force. He also had a hand in setting up the first responders and rural addressing system, assuring that help could get to people in time.
Mike is survived by daughters, Janet Wasson and husband John, Kellie Hartman and husband Cary, son Dean Disert and wife Annette; grandchildren, Cameron Beck, Heather Wasson, Chisum (Jayne) Hartman, Chase (Kinsey) Hartman, great granddaughter, Alice Beck, great grandsons, Colt and Cooper Hartman, great grandson, Morgan Hartman arriving in November; sisters, Donna Hayward and Dee Ann Lucks and sisters in law, Henrietta Frank, Jean Drury and Tootie Millsap.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Charlena, his wife Gladys, and infant daughter Jean.
At his request no service will take place. Cremation will take place at Terrazas Crematory.
Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory "Trusted care for the ones you love" ~ 575-537-0777.
To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.