Michael James McCollum

Michael James McCollum, Mike, passed away, Sunday, March 9, 2025, at home surrounded by his family.  Michael was born on April 27, 1957, to Garland McCollum and Katherine Fromm-McCollum in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Mike married Carrie (nee Burge) on July 5, 1992.  Mike said Carrie was the driving force that kept him on his toes.  Like John Muir, Mike could have been “Michael of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.”  Mike started hiking, camping and exploring the Sierras at a young age with his mother and older brother Dave.  They would spend three months every summer in those beautiful mountains.  Mike did his first solo hike at age 14 which was 60 miles from Mt. Whitney Crest to Roads End/Kings Canyon.  Mike’s Mom dropped him off at the beginning of the trail and picked him up at the end but was camped so whenever he was done.  Mike said he would come across people on the trail and they would say, “Where’s your parents?” Mike would say, “They’re way back there,” pointing behind him.  Mike loved Yosemite and hiked Half Dome twice.  He loved photographing the wildflowers in Tuolumne Meadows in the spring and the bright yellow leaves on the Aspens in the fall.

Mike loved photography and got his first camera when he was 5 years old.   He had a talent of finding the unique in what other may think average. Growing up Mike and his Mom belonged to the Watsonville Camera Club. His Mom also loved to photograph wildflowers.  From 1987 to 2012, Mike worked as a photojournalist.  He won many awards at the Santa Cruz County Fair, the Associated Press, and the NPPA Best of Photojournalism.  In 2001, Mike was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for photojournalism for his Lodi Shootout photos.  As a travel writer, Mike could turn an ordinary travel tale into an exciting adventure.

He also became the best chef and cast-iron pizza maker ever.  If you would like to see some of Mike’s recipes and stories you can visit his website www.recipesfortravel.com.  As Mike liked to say, “hours of your time, you’ll ever get back.”

Mike and Carrie moved to Tennessee in 2016.  Here is a link to many of the beautiful photos he took in Tennessee https://youtu.be/0889Vm1QfPQ?feature=shared Mike was a logical thinker.  He could figure out unique ways to fix things when the ordinary way would not work.  Mike would do anything for his family.  He was so happy to meet his new granddaughter, Joni Lynn, born July 17, 2024.  He fondly called Katie and Joni “Squid.”

Mike admired Carl Sagan and was well versed in the fields of Astronomy, Science and World History.  He read at least seven newspapers a day and is probably one of the few people that read the entire Mueller Report.

Mike had a very off-the-wall sense of humor.  He remembered every joke he was ever told.  Mike was a very interesting, unique and loving man.  He was generous of spirit and kind of heart.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Garland and Katherine and his daughter Lindsay.

He is survived by his daughter Catherine (Michael Malagon), granddaughter Joni Lynn Malagon, brother David (Deb Newstat), brother Jon (Lucy), and his devoted wife Carrie. Carrie is forever thankful for their thirty-five years together.

Mike spent his whole life looking at the stars and on March 9, 2025, he became one of them.

Mynatt Funeral Home Powell Chapel is honored to be serving the family of  Michael James McCollum.

Mynatt Funeral Home Powell Chapel * 2000 Powell Drive * Powell, TN 37849 * (865) 362-5382 * www.mynattfh.com