Mike “Moose” Pilcher
April 1, 1947 ~ Aug. 7, 2018
John Michael Pilcher passed away Aug. 7, 2018 at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a battle with angiosarcoma cancer.
Mike was born in Vernal, Utah, on April 1, 1947. He is the oldest of four children of Hershl and Maxine Pilcher of Rangely, Colo. He graduated high school from Rangely High School in 1967. After high school he attended trade school in Glenwood Springs, Colo., and then worked as a carpenter in Oklahoma. Soon after he met his wife of 50 years, Margaret Dobbs, in Rangely, Colo.
In the mid 1970s, Mike began his oilfield career working for Flint Engineering and Construction in Vernal, Utah. Later on he went to work for the rental company owned by his father, Bi-CO rental, which was later sold to CRC Crutcher, then H and H Oil Tools, and then finally acquired by Weatherford International. Moose was a hard worker who didn’t give up until a job was done. He retired from Weatherford after a long and very successful career.
Moose, as he was known by all of his oilfield friends, company personal, rig supervisors, rig hands and BLM personnel, was considered an expert in the Rocky Mountain region working on and restoring well control equipment. He worked in multiple states servicing equipment, driving up to 15 hours at a time from his home base in Vernal to service the equipment: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota and New Mexico to name a few.
The greatest loves of his life were riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a side car on trips with his dad. They drove together thousands of miles throughout the west. He also loved camping and hunting with his boys, and the Denver Broncos. And don’t forget his Mountain Dew—he loved Mountain Dew!
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Margaret; sons Kevin, Vernal, Utah; Brian (Faye), Salt Lake City, Utah; and Eric, Wright, Wyo. His two brothers, Bill (Jeris), Fort. Collins, Colo.; Paul, Evergreen, Colo.; and sister, Carol (Jerry), Spokane, Wash. His kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were his life! He enjoyed spending his time watching them grow up including all nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with one on the way.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father Maxine and Hershl Pilcher along with his loving sister-in-law Sherry Pilcher.
On Saturday, Aug. 11 from 10-11 a.m. a viewing was held in Vernal, Utah, at Ashley Valley Funeral Home located at 410 N 800 W with a service to follow. A graveside service was held in the Rangely Cemetery following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Huntsman Cancer Research Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the name of John “Moose” Michael Pilcher.
