Michael Kingston Brokaw

The world lost a truly kind, vibrant, and caring man, a proud veteran, on March 27, 2025, when Michael Kingston Brokaw transitioned following a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  Michael passed peacefully, his wife in attendance, while residing at The Weatherly Inn, Memory Care Unit, in Tacoma, Washington.  

Michael was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 11, 1944, to Omer Kingston Brokaw and Charlotte Edith Smith.  He was preceded in death by his father, who passed away in WW-II, when Michael was only six months old.  He was subsequently raised by his mother and stepfather, Robert Thomas, in Sacramento, CA.  For his Junior year in High School, he served as a Congressional Page in Washington DC, then graduated from Encino High School, Sacramento, in 1962, and attended Menlo College.  He earned his BA in Healthcare Management from Southern Illinois University.  Michael married Gail Cumpston in 1969, had two daughters, and divorced in 1986.  In 1988, Michael married Kathryn Daigle and they had two sons.  Michael also embraced Kathryn’s daughter as his own for a family of five children.

 In 1965, at the age of 21, Michael enlisted in the United States Coast Guard.  He achieved the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, then completed Officer Candidate School training.  He was stationed at bases in Washington, California, Alaska, Florida, Virginia, Washington DC, and served Sea Duty on USCG Cutters Boutwell, Blackhaw, and Rush.  An expert rifleman, he represented the USCG on the Armed Forces Skeet Shooters Team and ran the USCG Kodiak Skeet and Trap Range.  He served a distinguished 28-year career, retiring from the USCG on June 30, 1993.  

After his USCG retirement, Michael worked as the CEO Health Care Administrator for Health West, based in Pocatello, Idaho. In addition to overseeing three rural health care centers, he established two more active rural health centers during his tenure.  Wanting to do something outside of healthcare and to work more with his woodworking hobby, he started Brokaw Consulting, a home repair company he had for six years before his final retirement as a house husband. Michael was active in his local communities as a member of the Lions Club, Free Masons, and Shriners, completing 32-degree of Scottish Rite, and volunteered his time with the local Arts Councils, Boy Scouts, and the Episcopal Church. He stayed active with racket ball, camping, fishing, hunting, skeet and trap shooting, bicycling, golf, and woodworking.  He enjoyed long Sunday drives, perusing museums, exploring antique shops, and going out to breakfast with his friends.

 Michael was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather.  He is survived by his wife, Kathryn, and five children: Julia Francis, Heather Starmer (William), Cyrus Vattes,  Daniel Brokaw (Minerva), his stepdaughter Genevieve (Walter), his brother Stephen Thomas (Karen), stepbrother Robert Thomas (Liz), his stepsister Rogene Kirkegaard (Lawrence), his 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

His Memorial Service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Gig Harbor, WA on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 2 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Shriners Children’s (donate.lovetotherescue.org).

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