Michael Carl Canada

Michael Carl Canada, of Oceanside, California passed peacefully on 25 July, 2017 after a long battle with cancer. He was 77.
Mike was born 2 May 1940 in El Dorado, Kansas to the late Carl Eugene Canada and Neoma Falkner but was raised by his maternal grandparents Ewin (Tex) and Emma Falkner. He went to El Dorado High School and was the star pitcher for their baseball team but contracted double pneumonia which ended his budding baseball career and delayed his high school graduation a year.
He joined the Army in 1963 and served several tours in Vietnam as a telecommunications operator. In 1974, the Army selected him for Warrant Officer Candidate School where he graduated as a Telecommunications Officer that same year. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Maryland while still on active duty. He served in several US and overseas assignments including tours in Germany and Japan, culminating in an assignment to the US Special Operations Command as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4). In all, Mike would go on to serve his country for more than 40 years, both in uniform and as a civilian. After retiring from the US Army in 1991, Mike changed clothes and services and went on to support the US Marine Corps I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) at Camp Pendleton, California.
Mike is survived by his wife of 52 years, Taeko Niwa of Aomori, Japan, his children, daughter Deborah, LTC, USA (Ret) (husband Scott) Colorado Springs, CO; son Police Sergeant Steven from Richmond, VA; two grandchildren, twins Bryce and Sydney (15), brother Pat Jenkins (wife Jade) from Anaheim, CA and cousins Terry Baker, Steven Falkner, Roberta Falkner and Carol Falkner.
Mike was known for his great sense of humor and his unwavering dedication to the military. He was a loyal and honorable man and was loved and respected by many. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation at http://specialops.org or The Fisher House at https://www.fisherhouse.org.
Mike will be laid to rest with full military honors among those with whom he was always the most at ease, his brothers-in-arms, at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego CA 92122. Services will begin at 9:30am on 10 Aug, 2017 at the Committal Service Shelter.