Michael Alan Deewall October 16, 1948 - November 10, 2025

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Michael Alan Deewall (77 years) of Coldwater, KS passed away November 10, 2025. Mike was born October 16, 1948 in Stillwater, OK. He was the only child of Orville and Gertrude Deewall. Mike’s childhood was spent growing up on the Par-Ker Ranch near Choteau, OK which his father Orville managed. This is where Mike first developed his love for ranching and Hereford Cattle. Mike attended school in Chelsea, OK and graduated from Chelsea High School in 1966. Mike was very active in FFA participating in livestock judging, showing cattle, and speech contests. He showed the Reserve Champion Hereford Steer at the Tulsa State Fair in 1965 and earned his FFA State Farmer Degree in 1966. After high school, Mike attended Oklahoma State University majoring in Animal Science. He was a member of the 1969 Livestock Judging Team which won High Team in the Denver Carload Contest, High Team on Cattle in Denver, Ft. Worth, and the American Royal where Mike was 4th High Individual. During his time at OSU, Mike earned many awards for judging, showmanship, and scholarships including being ranked 2nd in the 1970 graduating class in the College of Agriculture. He loved his time at OSU and made many lifelong friendships with professors and classmates. While working at the OSU Beef Barn, Mike met his future wife, Jane Nash. Jane said she knew Mike was the guy for her because he was the only one working while everyone else was busy talking! Mike and Jane were married on July 8, 1972. To this union, two children were born, Kelly in 1977 and Kent in 1980.

Mike’s entire adult life was spent working hard and sharing his passion for Hereford cattle. Following graduation from OSU, Mike was the herdsman for Winrock Farms – Turner Ranch division in Sulphur, OK where he was in charge of all show and sale cattle. He showed cattle all over the United States with great success. Numerous champion bull and heifer titles were won including the 1973 National Western Livestock Show Champion Hereford Bull. In 1973, Mike and Jane returned to OSU where he became the Purebred Beef Superintendent overseeing the university’s purebred cattle herd’s breeding and development program. In 1975, Mike became manager of Higgins Hereford Ranch in Nowata, OK. In 1979, Mike, Jane and their growing family moved to Middleswarth Herefords in Henry, Nebraska to become their herdsman. Mike was instrumental in their AI (artificial insemination) program, caring for 500 + registered cows, their show string, and helping with hay and feed operations. In 1983, the family of four moved back to Oklahoma when Mike became the manager of LeForce Herefords near Nash, OK. Here he built the facilities and the herd from the ground up into one of the most respected Hereford operations in Oklahoma. During his 15 years at LeForce’s, Mike was active in the Oklahoma Hereford Association serving as a board member, vice president, and president and the Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association as a district vice president. He was the Hereford breed representative on the Oklahoma Beef Incorporated Bull Test board of directors, hosted numerous Oklahoma Junior Hereford Field Days, cattle tour stops, judging team work outs, judged cattle shows across 6 states, participated in feedlot and carcass testing, and held yearly production sales.

In 1998, Mike and Jane decided it was time to focus on their own cattle. They moved south of Coldwater, Kansas, to land Mike’s great grandfather, Edward, settled in 1892 and started building on their herd of registered and commercial Herefords. Their registered cows were descendants of Jane’s grandfather and father’s herd and the commercial cows descended from Mike’s father Orville’s herd. Mike worked on the ranch and picked up part-time jobs with Unruh Sand and Gravel hauling rock which he really enjoyed. He also helped Brandee Cattle Co. select cattle to purchase and design facilities. In 2005, Mike became the Comanche County Extension Agent. He continued in this position until 2014. He thoroughly enjoyed the job which included working with 4H kids and local agriculture producers alike. He loved to host conferences and meetings like the “Coffee Shop” meetings and the 5 State Beef Conferences, the county fairs, and spring livestock shows. Getting a good crowd to attend an extension event was very rewarding for him. Mike became County Extension director in 2011 and worked with many KSU state and extension specialists.

Mike “retired” in 2014 from Extension but went on to serve on many local boards including the Comanche County Farm Bureau , Comanche County Extension Board, and the Comanche Pool Prairie Resource Foundation Board. He was honored with a Kansas Farm Bureau Centennial Farm award. Mike was active in the Kansas Hereford Association as a board member and vice president, was on numerous committees including the Feedlot and Carcass committee that oversaw the National Hereford Feed out. He was a lifetime member of the American Hereford Association. In 2018, Mike was honored as an Oklahoma State University Animal Science Graduate of Distinction.

Mike and Jane continued to build their herd of Herefords. They won the Top Rib Eye and Top Yield Grade steers in the 2004 American Hereford Association Genetic Outreach test. They have hosted 3 KHA tour stops and were honored in 2014 with the American Hereford Association Centennial Breeder Award and in 2016 with the Kansas Hereford Breeder of the Year. Mike always wanted to produce cattle with the producer in mind. His integrity and attention to detail were appreciated by anyone who dealt with him. Mike loved his family and cattle. He was a life-long learner, a wonderful life advisor, and great math tutor. He could spot a good cow a mile away, would always tell you the truth, and showed his love by checking your oil, your tires, and washing your windshield before he’d let you leave. He leaves a wonderful legacy behind and big shoes to fill.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Jane; daughter Kelly (Nathan Shupe) of Ashland, KS; son Kent (Mary) of Haslet, TX; grandchildren Warren Deewall and Neva Shupe, and numerous cousins, nephew, and nieces.

May be made to: Kansas Livestock Foundation (Comanche County Scholarship in the memory of Mike Deewall) and forward to Dave Brass, 3014 N Loop, Wilmore, KS 67155.  Thank you from the family of Mike Deewall for your memorial contribution.