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Michael ‘Mike’ Cayko, 89
Our beloved father, Michael “Mike” Bernard Cayko, passed away peacefully April 30, 2017, at the Boise, Idaho, VA Hospice. He was 89. A ceremonial military honors send off with Taps and draped American flag was performed to note his service in the Army branch of the Armed Forces. His five children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many special loved ones who spent precious time with him over his last few weeks were presented with the flag.
Born in Hillrose, Colo., on Dec. 28, 1927, Mike was the 12th of 14 children born to George and Julia (Cidilko) Cayko. Mike was the last surviving child of George and Julia and was preceded in death by his lovely wife of 66 years, Marrian (Cook); his grandson, Scott Ray Francisco; his parents and his siblings.
In 1907, Mike’s parents immigrated from Yugoslavia to Hillrose where they farmed until 1931. An offer of employment from Holly Sugar enticed the Caykos and many families to move to the Yellowstone River Valley to grow sugar beets. Many Cayko relatives remain and farm sugar beets to this day. Among those who accepted the offer were the parents and the family of Mike’s future bride, the Cooks. A historic Holly Sugar photo shows the recruited families lined up alphabetically and the Cayko and Cook families happened to be side by side. Mike was only 3 years old in the photo and Marrian was still in the womb!
As a young boy, he loved to play in the swimming hole which was basically a muddy irrigation ditch. He loved fishing, the challenge of horseshoes and took odd jobs to earn money to see Westerns at the new movie theater. Mike attended school through eighth grade in Fairview, N.D., but then was needed full time to work the large family sugar beet farm near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers.
Just prior to leaving for the Army, Mike’s younger brother gave him a picture of a beautiful, dark-haired classmate. Upon his return, he asked the sweet young girl, Marrian, for a date. Many dates and dances ensued at the Dorr, N.D., dance hall and the couple fell in love. Mike’s father also grew fond of Marrian and in his broken English, he asked Mike, “Why you not get married? I give you two ‘dollah!’ — the cost of a marriage license. With that question, George Cayko gave his blessing for the young couple to marry on Jan. 16, 1949, and he even paid for Marrian’s silk wedding dress that was subsequently worn in the weddings of the couple’s three future daughters. Mike learned new farming skills through a veteran-supported program to use on the Cayko family beet farm where they lived and worked for a few years before getting their own small farm along the Yellowstone River. They later sold the farm and moved to Sidney, Mont., where Mike took his first bartending job at the Club Tavern.
By 1959, the couple had four young children when they loaded up their small wooden boat with immediate necessities and headed west to pursue new opportunities and prosperity. Funds were running low on their journey, so Mike took a temporary job bar tending in Salmon, Idaho. With winter coming on and the bar to close, they decided to move on. The beauty of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the snow-covered mountains convinced them to make Coeur d’Alene their home. Marrian likened the site of their winter boat-towing arrival to a scene from “The Grapes of Wrath!”
Mike initially worked days at a furniture moving company and weekend nights bartending at the Athletic Round Table in the former Desert Hotel on Sherman Avenue. The children of his now family of five enjoyed the perks of the hotel’s swimming pool and a Shirley Temple drink afterward! In 1964, Mike ventured to Naknek, Alaska, to partner in a commercial fishing enterprise. Upon his return, he landed the job of General Parts Manager at Brack Supply Co., an industrial and logging supply and parts store in Coeur d’Alene. It didn’t take long before Mike’s farm skills and extensive knowledge of how to “fix things” emerged and he soon became the “go-to” guy for all kinds of repairs for the logging community, and thus Brack’s repair shop was born. For well over 30 years, he ran the repair shop where he would build hydraulic hoses, reline brake shoes for logging trucks and repair just about anything the logging community needed.
On his Saturday half-days, Mike would often stop by and pick up “Huddy burgers” for the family, another perk for the kids! One day Mike was handed a hydraulic jack to fix and he quickly mastered the art of hydraulic repairs. After retiring from Brack Supply, Mike put his expert hydraulic repair skills back to use and started “Mike’s Hydraulic” out of his garage. It was there he would rebuild and repair thousands of hydraulic jacks for clients across the Inland Empire. In whatever time he could spare, Mike attended North Idaho College where he would receive his GED and Welding Certification.
After the Athletic Round Table burned down, Mike continued to supplement his income bartending weekend nights at the Slab Inn in Post Falls, where he was a stable fixture for more than 25 years! His bartender skills were well-known and requested at many upscale private events. Marrian had also learned to bartend and would accompany Mike on several occasions. He would often call home after his late night shifts to see who was still awake. This meant another perk for the children! He would stop by the Brunswick Cafe and bring home their famous Awful Awful burger or Big Chief Samich to share!
As a bartender his humor, quick wit and good nature made it easy for him to entertain guests. His countless jokes and sense of humor also kept his Cayko (pronounced “psycho”) family sane. At times, he would answer the phone, “Cayko house, which Nut do you want?” When he turned 89 years old, he was asked, “What’s your secret Mike, how do you make it to 89?” He answered, “Make it to 88!” He always had a joke ready when we called.
Mike’s sugar beet farming instilled a knack for gardening. He grew prize tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and radishes into his late 80s. Golf was a sport he loved and played often with his two sons and grandson, Dillon. He also enjoyed having one-on-one time with each of his children as they caddied golf for him. Their perk was a hamburger and yummy milkshake in the clubhouse! He played pool regularly with family, friends and on pool teams. Mike’s two boys loved to race motorcycles and he loved to watch them do it! He cherished the times he spent helping the boys “soup-up” and build their bikes and haul them to races all over the Pacific Northwest. Mike even raced in the Jack Benny 39+ category a few times! He cheered for his daughters as they played softball and would bring his shovel to clear a frozen snow-covered Fernan Lake for smooth ice skating for all the kids. Mike loved to play Texas Hold ’Em and won several tournaments at a local Spokane casino where he was a well-known and respected player. Mike was known to sneak over to the casino well into his 80s and come home in the wee hours of the morning with a pocketful of winnings.
The Cayko families are noted for their loud North Dakota-Eastern Montana voices and laughter. So, when you hear what sounds like rolling thunder in the clouds, it just may be the hearty laughter of Mike exchanging hilarious old stories with his siblings and parents, playing an exciting round of golf with his brothers, stomping the dance floor with Marrian, or playing a cut-throat game of pool or rousing game of Texas Hold ’Em with his grandson, Scott. As our last perk Dad, it will be our pleasure to serve up a drink in YOUR honor from one of your favorite cocktail books, A Guide to Pink Elephants, and toast to your cherished love and laughter! We miss you.
Mike is survived by his daughters, Teresa (Dale) Watson of Chattaroy, Wash., Laurie (Bill) Murphy of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Barb (Les) Francisco of Boise; sons Rod (Tracy) Cayko and Randy Cayko of Coeur d’Alene; grandchildren Corey and Brett Watson, Lucy Murphy, Sarah Francisco (John) Barker and Dillon Cayko; great-grandchildren Hadley and Claire Barker; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Per Mike’s request, there will be no service. If you wish, donations in his name can be made to the Community Living Center, VA Medical Center, 500 W. Fort St. Bldg 122, Boise, ID 83702, or to your local Hospice Care.