Michael Lee Church

Dr. Michael Church

1966-2026

Chiropractor Dr. Michael (Mike) Lee Church, age 59, passed away January 6, 2026 suddenly and unexpectedly at his practice in Puyallup, Washington after treating patients earlier in the day. Despite heroic measures by first responders, he died in his office – a place he loved and where spent the greater part of every day.

Mike was born Dec 12,1966 in Auburn, Washington to parents Boyce and Nancy Church. Less than a year later he became a big brother to the family’s second child, Mark. Mike was a blond-haired, blue-eyed little boy who loved his brother. When Mike was in kindergarten, he came home and sat on the fireplace with Mark, teaching him everything he had learned in school that day.

As a youth, Mike was physically active in sports, playing little league baseball and soccer. He participated in Cub Scouts and progressed in the scouting program, eventually earning his Eagle Scout award. He was involved in the State Patrol Explorer Post and spent time searching through blackberry hillsides for the remains of victims of the Green River Serial Killer. (He didn’t find any.)

Mike attended local schools and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal Way, Green River Community College in Auburn, WA, and Western States Chiropractic College in Portland, OR.

When Mike was in high school, he had an opportunity to join a weightlifting class not usually open to sophomores. He was strong and excelled in the sport, taking first place in the Tri-State Championship. After Mike graduated from high school, the coach of the Calpians Weightlifting Club agreed to train Mike. Mike was older than the athletes the coach usually worked with, but he was hardworking and determined, and Mike continued with the Calpians throughout the nine-plus years of his weightlifting career.

Mike was laser-focused on goals he set for himself. While attending Western States Chiropractic College – maintaining a staggering load of 31-39 credit hours per quarter –

he simultaneously trained for the US Olympic Weightlifting Team. At National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships, he won two gold medals. On one occasion, after failing to make the weight limit in the class that he usually competed in, he had to contend in a heavier weight class. Despite the disadvantage of being lighter than his competitors in that weight class, Mike still won the silver medal! After graduating in early 1995, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana, to continue training with the Calpians while awaiting his board exams.

By 1998, Mike opened his chiropractic practice and began his professional career in Puyallup. He changed his location over time but always stayed in downtown Puyallup. Patients felt a special connection with him, and his practice thrived.

Mike felt a calling to learn as much as possible to provide the best treatment possible to his patients, so he continued studying. His curriculum vitae spanned 47 pages of continued education. To obtain the level of excellence he sought, he often worked 60-hour weeks treating patients while taking weekend classes in Cleveland, and he earned his Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) designation in 2010. At the time of his death, he also was completing a fellowship in Spinal Biomechanics and Trauma. He was a life-long learner. Other chiropractors considered him the gold standard in his field.

Mike started fishing with his dad when he was eight years old. As he got older, he went fishing at Five Mile Lake after school by himself. As an adult, he loved everything about fishing – fly fishing, open-water fishing, salmon fishing, and sturgeon fishing. He also enjoyed shooting and was a good marksman. He was good with his hands and was mechanically minded. He knew how things worked, and he could fix anything. He repaired cars, tinkered, and did handyman work around the house.

He met his partner Laurie Newton in high school when he was a senior, and he drove her to school for a few months. More than thirty years later, they reconnected and started their relationship. Mike was very supportive of her and her family.

Mike was a humble, unassuming man who did not brag about his accomplishments. He blessed others with his medical skill, his quick humor, and his good example. He believed in working hard, being a good citizen, paying bills, staying out of debt, being sober, and doing good to others. He was an organ donor who knew the clinical value of his gift. Thirteen people have benefitted from his donation.

We loved him dearly. He is survived by his grieving parents Boyce and Nancy Church, brother Mark (Lynh) Church, nephew Finnegan, aunts Sandra Fuller and Donna Hutchens, uncle Doug Hutchens, and cousins. Also left grieving at his passing is his partner Laurie Newton and her family.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 12407 Military Road East, Puyallup, WA 98374.

The interment will be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Mountain View Cemetery, Auburn.