Mike Cattrysse

About Mike

On November 7th, Michael James Cattrysse, 66, of Judson, Minnesota passed away surrounded by family after an incredibly hard-fought battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Judy, his daughters Kristine Cattrysse and Laura Drake (Rob), his siblings Tim Cattrysse (Lynn), Dave Cattrysse (Karen Christensen), John Cattrysse (Deb), Barb Smith (Ripley), Tom Cattrysse (Kelly), and Dawn Filzen (David), as well as many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, close family friends, and his cats, Finny and Ivy. He is preceded in death by his parents Jerome and Joan, his grandparents Emil Cattrysse, Agnes Cattrysse, and Berchie Reid, and his brother Dan.

Mike was an extraordinary person. He has always been the life of the party, quick to make people laugh, and will be remembered for his goofy, kind personality that made him so easy to love. His music taste lives on through his family and his many friends, and we are so grateful that he shared that piece of himself with us so we can remember him and feel close to him when we hear his favorite songs.

Mike grew up in North Mankato and was involved in the Youth Conservation Corps as a teenager, which instilled his lifelong love of the outdoors. He graduated from Mankato West High School in 1977 and met his lifelong partner Judy in 1978. Mike and Judy spent the next 5 years exploring Minnesota’s North Shore and the BWCA as they built a life and a home together. They married at Artist’s Point in Grand Marais on July 22, 1983 in a simple but beautiful ceremony. The outdoor adventures continued after they married, with Mike and Judy going on many camping and canoeing trips together before settling down and starting a family in 1990. Mike made sure his girls Kristine and Laura were shown why to love the outdoors too, taking the family on many road trips all over the country.

One of Mike’s favorite annual road trips was to Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival in Wisconsin where he participated in either a 16-mile or 40-mile mountain bike race depending on how fast he felt that year. He first went in 1989 with just his closest group of friends from high school - John Brooks, Tom Adams, and Bryan Denzel - more excited about spending time with friends and enjoying beers and laughter around a campfire than he was about how he did in the race. That attitude never changed, but his love of the experience continued to draw him back year after year. Eventually it became a family affair, and everyone continued the annual trip to Cable, WI along with old and new friends and their families for twenty years.

He was a jack of all trades, hopping from career to career trying to find a job that fulfilled him. He truly tried everything once, including cutting glass, installing windshields, shipping and receiving, and even chrome-plating metal, before he ultimately ended up in inside sales. While inside sales was not his life’s calling, it allowed him to live comfortably (and to purchase all the concert tickets he wanted to feed his love of live music!).

Mike excelled at sharing his excitement for life with everyone around him. He was quick to make plans to bring friends together, even if it meant spending his own money to encourage people to gather. He would often surprise his friends with tickets to concerts he wanted to see – he’d even offer to give people rides – just so we could all experience the excitement of seeing the concert along with him. He was a huge lover of music festivals and he attended many with his close friends. He spent over a decade going to Harmony Park with Laura, gathering a large group of festival friends who enjoyed his goofiness and generosity. If someone commented on liking the type of beer he was drinking, instead of telling them where to find it, he would offer them some (even if it came from his own cooler). He was generous to a fault and wanted to share his love of every life experience with those around him.

In his memory, I want to encourage everyone who knew Mike to be a little more like him and to think and talk about him often. Buy the concert tickets. Buy an extra one and invite a friend! Take a minute to stop and smell the roses or appreciate that beautiful sunset. Put on some music and invite a friend over instead of sitting in front of the TV. Prioritize life experiences with those you love the most.

Mike’s celebration of life will be held at Nakato Bar and Grill at 253 Belgrade Avenue, Mankato, MN 56003 on Saturday, December 13th at 2:00pm.

memorial service

Celebration of Life

December 13, 2025

NaKato Bar & Grill 253 Belgrade Ave, Mankato, MN 56003, USA

Please wear your best tie dye or brightest colors in his honor. Anyone who knew Mike and wants to come celebrate his life and legacy with his family and friends is welcome.