Prominent Kyle rancher Max Michaelis III dies in accident
By Sean Collins Walsh, Austin American-Statesman | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Michaelis died
Finally, a ranch employee decided to take him, but Michaelis died on the way, according to a Mexican official quoted in the Zócalo
For those who knew him and the Michaelis family -- a storied line of notable ranchers who called Kyle home -- it was a fitting ending.
"He died doing what he loved, and I don't think he would have wanted to go any other way," said his son
He said his father was injured while working with a bull in a pen, but it's unclear exactly how the accident occurred.
RANCHING IN HIS BLOOD
The first Michaelis in
It was his son Max who set up shop in
Mules and donkeys were his primary trade, and he advertised that he had more jennets than all other
In 1934, he began experimenting with French Charolais cattle brought from
His son,
He had one son:
LEARNING THE FAMILY BIZ
Although "Maxey," as many called him, was the scion of a successful family, he grew up learning the dirty work of ranching, said
At 13 years old, Rhodes and Michaelis spent a summer in
One of their tasks was to dehorn hundreds of cattle, Rhodes said. With four other workers, they slept for days between crop rows in the mountains, had only one outfit that they wore around the clock and drank from a river -- upstream from one of their horses "so all the leeches would get attracted to him first," he said.
"About a week before he got killed, we were laughing about it," said Rhodes, who owns an insurance company but still keeps livestock on his family's ranch in
"We said we don't know anybody who would let their kids go off and do that at 13 years old."
Michaelis, who went by "Max" in the U.S. and "Maximo" in
"He just came from such a long line of ranching that you never questioned his skill ranching," McPherson said. "He had probably the most unforgettable smile. He just kind of radiated. ... He just seemed to have time for everybody."
Public services were held in
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