Michael J. Belshan

Published 5:34 pm Friday, April 18, 2025

Michael J. Belshan, age 73 of rural Lake Mills, passed away on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. 

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Schott Funeral Homes Mittelstadt Chapel, 902 East Main Street in Lake Mills.

A prayer service will follow, beginning at 7:00 PM with Mr. Kermit Singelstad officiating. All friends and relatives are welcome.

Following the visitation and service, Mike’s wishes were to be cremated, and a private burial will take place at a later date.

Schott Funeral Homes is honored to care for Mike and his family. www.schottfuneralhomes.com

Michael Jon Belshan was born on October 6, 1951 in Albert Lea, Minnesota to parents Milo and Betty (Johnson) Belshan. He attended and graduated from Glenville High School in 1969. Mike went on to attend Austin Community College in Austin, Minnesota. He worked a brief time at Lou Rich in Hayward, MN as a tool and die machinist, and spent the remainder of his career at Midway Tool and Die in Lake Mills, IA.

On February 22, 1980, Mike was married to Kimberley Schultz at Oakland Lutheran Church in rural Albert Lea, MN. The couple made their home in the country north of Lake Mills, and they were blessed with two children: Andrea and Jason.

Mike was a talented craftsman who liked to tinker. He could engineer almost anything in his mind and make it come to fruition in his shop. He enjoyed collecting and fixing up classic cars-the first one being a 1930 Model A which he completed when he was only 15 years old. The school bus he converted into an RV has all the conveniences of their home with no detail overlooked.

Mike was an avid gun collector with items from WWII in his extensive collection. He loved to go deer hunting, a hobby that began as a young boy with his father Milo. Some of his favorite hunting trips were to Montana where he would go Elk hunting and ride horses. Mike also liked to fish (never revealing his honey hole), but his favorite spot was always at home with the love his life Kimberley where he could be found sitting on the porch at watching thunderstorms roll in.

Kim and Mike traveled extensively. Vacations ranged from family trips to the Black Hills and Mackinaw Island, to places like Hawaii and Germany. They enjoyed going on apple trips in the fall to take in the changing leaves, going antiquing together, and especially liked to go to drag races. Racing was a huge part of Mike’s life. He would watch racing on TV, he attended countless races-Earlville being a favorite race track, and could even be found helping in the pit crew for his friends. Mike especially loved family gatherings, holidays and get togethers even if it was just a few people sitting around the fire. He was also known to drink a Miller Lite or twelve every now and then.

Mike fought a long and strong battle with Parkinson’s disease with Kim by his side every step of the way. He will be greatly missed by his family and his dear friends.

Survivors include his wife Kim of rural Lake Mills; daughter Andrea (Belshan) Fjelstad (special friend Tony) of Lake Mills; son Jason (Amanda) Belshan of Austin, MN; two granddaughters Olivia Walton (Jesse Beck) of Lake Mills, and Jenna Belshan of Austin, MN; a great-grandson who will make his appearance in September: Trenton Michael Belshan-Beck; his sister Marilyn Carrigan of Grenada, MN; brother Daniel (Bonnie) Belshan of Glenville, MN; and a special niece Trisha. He is also survived by his father- and mother-in-law, Bob and Pat Fjelbroten of Albert Lea, MN; brothers- and sisters-in-law Joanie (Jerry) Weitzel of Albert Lea, MN, Ernie (Carol) Schultz of Alden, MN, Tammy Schneider of Albert Lea, MN, Sherie Kimbro of Joplin, MO, John Fjelbroten of Albert Lea, MN, and Rob (Khris) Fjelbroten of Albert Lea, MN; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Milo and Betty Belshan; a son-in-law Ryan Fjelstad; brother-in-law Craig Carrigan; and a nephew Kevin Fjelbroten.