Michael E. Van Ackeren

Michael E. Van Ackeren, 69, of Iron River, Michigan, passed away on April 4, 2025. He was born on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1955, to Beverly and Edward Van Ackeren. Mike grew up the oldest of three children in Stambaugh, Michigan. He graduated from West Iron County High School in 1973. He attended Michigan Technological University and Ferris State University, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business. Later, he earned his master’s degree in management from Troy State University. Mike proudly entered the US Air Force in the Fall of 1979 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and was trained as an Air Traffic Controller. He was assigned to MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida, and was deployed to Saudi Arabia twice during the assignment to monitor the war. Mike completed Squadron Office School at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. Mike’s next assignment was to Wallace Air Station in the Philippines from 1983-1984, promoted to Captain. He was then assigned to the AWACS Wing at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, OK. He flew over 2,000 hours in the E-3A Aircraft. He was deployed all over the world to include Iceland to track Russian Bomber flying across the Atlantic, to Saudi Arabia to monitor the Iran Iraq War, to Oman for an international exercise, to Europe (Spain) to support training and for a special mission, as well as to Puerto Rico to support anti-drug operations and conduct a communications coordination flight aboard a U.S. Customs P-3 Aircraft tracking drug shipment flights out of South America. Mike was then assigned to Ramstein AB in Germany as a Defensive Countermeasures Specialist in the European Electronic Security Division. In 1989, he was on duty in Berlin two weeks before the walls came down and they opened the gates to East Germany. He was deployed to Turkey and then to Germany, where he was promoted to Major. His next assignments included Japan and Italy – then Eglin AFB in Florida – and finally, working as an Extension Training Services Specialist and Advisor to the Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force. Mike retired from the USAF in September of 1999 to northern Michigan. He spent his post-retirement years finding peace in the outdoors at his home on Chicagon Lake, hunting on his property north of Iron River and selling real estate so others could enjoy the outdoors in the U.P. The world has lost a man who craved knowledge – served his country with unwavering pride – relished time in the woods or at his home on the lake – and loved his nieces and nephews as if they were his own children. Mike is survived by his brother, Timothy (Mary) Van Ackeren and sister, Virginia (Jim) Schram. He leaves behind six nieces and nephews – Chris (Taylor) Van Ackeren, Mike Van Ackeren and Ali (Keith) Smars – as well as Nick Schram, Brett (Leanne) Schram and Alicia (Nick) Kinney . He also leaves behind great nieces and nephews who include Alannah, Kaelyn, Scarlett, Wade, Logan, Kit, Hyla and Camden. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Beverly VanAckeren. The family would like to extend special thanks to Mike’s many friends in Iron River, whom he enjoyed spending time hunting and playing cards with. A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron River. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. with Deacon Terry Verville to officiate. Interment will be in Stambaugh Cemetery. The West Side Veterans and the US Air Force Honor Guard will accord Military Rites at the graveside. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Smith-Lemli-Opitz Foundation (www.smithlemliopitz.org). To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Michael E. Van Ackeren, please visit our flower store.