Michael Arthur “Mike” Swisher, 51, of St. Maries, Idaho, passed away at Benewah Community Hospital on October 5, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Mike was born August 12, 1975, in El Paso, Texas, to John Fillmore Swisher Jr. and Alice C. Swisher. He grew up in El Paso and attended Irvin High School.

Following high school, Mike moved to the Gulf Coast with his older brother John and went to work for Ramsaur Steel and Fabrication. Over the next five years, he worked construction and on oil rigs, with his twin brother, James, often right there by his side. The bond between the twins would remain an important part of Mike’s life.

After returning to Texas for a time, Mike made his way to Colorado, where he worked for Swift Meatpacking for approximately three years. In the early 2000s, he returned to El Paso, and he and James decided to put their skills together and start their own construction business, Swisher’s Home Improvements. As the family tells it, James was the brains behind the business and Mike was the muscle. Mike had a tremendous amount of practical knowledge and natural talent when it came to construction and served as foreman. Together, the brothers successfully operated the business for seven years.

In 2007, Mike moved to St. Maries to work on a highway crew. He later went to work for Jim Spiesman at Gem State Cooking and also spent time cooking at the bowling alley.

Mike married Amanda Horton in 2008, and together they had two children. The couple later divorced after seven years of marriage. Life blessed Mike with love again in 2015 when he met Kristi Kennedy. Mike and Kristi made their home together in St. Maries and shared the years that followed side by side.

In 2019, serious health problems changed the course of Mike’s life. After developing seizures, he was no longer able to work, but sitting around doing nothing was never really Mike’s style. Instead, he found plenty to keep himself occupied at the little farm he created right in the middle of town on Third Street.

And it really was a farm. Over the years, Mike cared for pheasants, ducks, turkeys, chickens, cats, his beloved dogs, and even a much-loved parrot. His animals brought him companionship, entertainment, and probably their fair share of chaos, something that suited Mike just fine.

Mike was a true jack-of-all-trades and, as his family lovingly describes him, “master of none.” He had an endless supply of ideas and was always starting another project. Finishing those projects was sometimes another matter entirely, but there was rarely a shortage of enthusiasm when the next great idea came along.

He was also a wonderful storyteller with a great sense of humor and loved simply being around people. Mike enjoyed visiting and socializing with friends, sitting around a good bonfire, and, of course, fireworks. When his health allowed, he loved hunting, fishing, and camping, and some of his favorite times were spent taking his children along with him.

Cooking was another of Mike’s great pleasures. He loved inviting people over and feeding them, and he became especially talented at smoking meat. The grill also provided one more opportunity for a little friendly competition between Mike and his twin brother, James. Neither one was particularly interested in conceding that the other might be better.

Being around Mike could perhaps best be described as being comfortably uncomfortable. You never quite knew what he might say or do next, and that was part of his charm. Birthdays were a perfect example. Mike didn’t simply sing “Happy Birthday”, he performed it, loudly and obnoxiously enough to make sure the birthday person received plenty of unwanted attention. His son Gabe grew up believing this was simply how families sang “Happy Birthday.” It wasn’t until later that he discovered that, no, this was apparently just a Mike thing.

Behind all of the jokes, stories, animals, projects, bonfires, and good food was a man whose family meant everything to him. Mike was a family guy through and through. He loved his children deeply, although that certainly never stopped him from pestering them whenever the opportunity presented itself. He loved having people around him, making them laugh, cooking for them, telling stories, and creating the kind of memories that become even more precious with time.

Mike is survived by his loving companion, Kristi Kennedy, at their home; his children, Lisa and Daniel Traharne of Park Ridge, Illinois, Anthony Fajardo of Roswell, New Mexico, Harley Siu Swisher of Las Vegas, Nevada, Gabe Swisher of St. Maries, and Madison Ree Swisher of St. Maries; Kristi’s children Kendra and Cody Gunn of Spokane, Washington, Dakota and Shalie Germeaux of Spokane, Washington, and Payton Germeaux of St. Maries; his siblings, Alice Torres and her partner Paula Mendez of El Paso, Texas, John Swisher of St. Maries, Melanie and Craig Swisher-Claiborne of Grovetown, Georgia, his twin brother, James and Crystal Swisher of St. Maries, and half-sister Kristin and Kevin Keller of Englewood, Colorado. He is also survived by two granddaughters and numerous nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle Mike.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

Mike’s life did not always follow an easy road, but he found happiness in simple things—a house full of family and friends, animals to care for, something cooking on the smoker, a project waiting to be finished, a bonfire burning, and another story to tell. He leaves behind countless memories, plenty of laughter, probably a few unfinished projects, and a family who will forever miss the wonderfully unique man at the center of it all.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Hodge Funeral Home to help with the funeral arrangements. A celebration of Mike’s life will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge.