Obituaries : Mike Furlong

Mike Furlong died peacefully on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at his son's home in Iowa City, Iowa, at the age of 71 years old.

A visitation is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, 2020, at Ardon Creek Vineyard & Winery, with a service following at 3 p.m. at the winery. The interment will immediately follow at the St. Malachy's Cemetery in 76 Township (2 miles from Ardon Creek) with a fellowship following interment at the winery. The Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, family requests that memorials be made to the St. Malachy's of Ardon Preservation Society or 4-H Club. Online condolences may be made at www.wittichfuneralhome.com.

Mike was born on March 2, 1949, at Bellevue hospital in Muscatine, Iowa, to Leo and Frances (Ryan) Furlong. Mike was a 9-year member of the "Spirit of 76" 4-H Club. He graduated from Central, a one-room country school in 1963, Hayes Catholic High School in 1967, Muscatine Community College in 1969 and The University of Iowa in 1977, with a coach and physical education degree. While at Muscatine Community College Mike played two years of baseball and basketball.

Mike served 12 years in the Army National Guard where he was the combat engineers' detachment commander for the Muscatine unit and eventually departed the National Guard as a field artillery Captain from the field artillery battalion based in Rock Island, Illinois.

Mike spent 35 years with the HON Company starting out in the plant and eventually spending the majority of his career in the field sales and sales management areas.

He was a 30-year president of the St. Malachy's of Ardon Preservation Society whose mission was to preserve this historic, turn of the century Irish Catholic church.

Mike, his wife Diane, and son Chad were founders of the Ardon Creek Vineyard and Winery located in his beloved "76" Township in Muscatine County. Outside of the winery business, Mike loved investing time nurturing relationships and growing community spirit through other activities that honored the value of rural Iowa life. He will be missed by all for his quick wit and warm way of engaging with you.

Mike is survived by his wife, Diane Furlong; his son, Chad Furlong of Iowa City, Iowa; daughter-in-law, Tarri Marquardt of Iowa City, Iowa; two grandchildren, Emma Furlong and Jack Furlong also of Iowa City. He additionally is survived by his three siblings and their children: brother Tim Furlong (Marsha) of Vinton, Iowa, Kevin Furlong (Jill) of Stillwater, Minnesota, and a sister Sheila Wester (John) of Princeton, Illinois.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and two infant siblings, Sean and Mary Francis.