Michael Keith Kissinger was born in Atkinson, Nebraska on November 27, 1946 to Ralph Owen and Eleanor (Bazelman) Kissinger.  In 1948, Mike and his parents moved to Canoga Park, California where Mike was raised and spent time with friends and family along with working at the Malcom drugstore as well as hanging out and having fun at the beach.  Mike graduated from Canoga Park High School in Canoga Park, California in 1964.  Mike attended college at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California where he enrolled in the Agriculture Program to become an agricultural instructor.  Often he could be found giving a ride to classes to one of his lifelong friends Beth in his VW bug.  Much of his time was spent on the college farm, as he enjoyed all aspects of agricultural life.  After attending Pierce College Mike transferred to Fresno College where he graduated in 1969.   Mike's parents Owen and Ellie decided to move back to Atkinson, Nebraska after purchasing the Table Manor Market grocery store and while helping his folks move back to Nebraska, he was offered the FFA teaching position at West Holt High School and his lifelong teaching career began.   On June 7, 1970, Mike married Bethel Jones and to that union three children were born, Michael Keith Kissinger, Jr., Kyowa Louise Kissinger and Kolton Cheyenne-Haze Kissinger.  The family started out south of Atkinson in what we all know as the Goeke place.  In 1980 the family moved to a piece of property just outside of Emmett, Nebraska where they resided until 1986 when Mike decided to make a career change, as he never wanted to become an "old ag teacher", and went to work for Farm Credit Services in Ord, Nebraska.  Mike's heart was always in teaching agriculture and after two short years Mike returned to teaching in 1988, moving the family to Whitewood, South Dakota where he became the Sturgis Brown High School FFA teacher where he taught until his retirement in 2003.

When Mike wasn't teaching or attending FFA events he could be found helping Ky and Kolton getting their livestock and horses fitted and show ready for the county fair; painting every fence post on the place white; stopping by Gramma Dora's and Grandpa Ralph's for lunch; or helping out at Table Manor Market Grocery store so his folks could take some time off from the grocery store to visit his sister Deanna and her family in California.  Mike would also help paint and build houses and barns during the summer months with other fellow teachers and friends.

In the early 2000s Mike met Stephen Bifulco and they became best friends.  Around 2008 Mike and Steve got their start in the house rental business.  Mike and Steve rehabilitated many houses in their fleet of rental units.  You could always find them working together on one of the rentals fixing them up, building decks or Mike building and painting his signature white picket fence.

Mike's passion was the FFA. He always bragged about instructing outstanding individuals and the honor of having many students achieve the highest statuses at both the state and national levels in the FFA organization for the West Holt and Sturgis Brown High School FFA Chapters.  Mike always said that a FFA chapter is made up of blocks and bricks to form a foundation composed of each very important student that Mike taught during his career as an agricultural instructor.   Mike sincerely thanks each student that he had the great pleasure of teaching throughout his career and is so very proud of all their accomplishments.

Mike is survived by partner Stephen Bifulco; one daughter, Ky and husband Todd Gossard of Piedmont, SD;  one son, Kolton and wife Kari Kissinger Piedmont, SD and former spouse and mother of his children Bethel (Jones) Kissinger, Sturgis, SD; sister, Deanna and husband Ralph Rendina of Thousand Oaks, CA; nieces, Lisa Rendina,  Amy Rendina, and Jeanette Rendina-Lewis; three granddaughters, Kally and husband Randy Aga of Black Hawk, SD, Karly and husband Adam Grubl of Sturgis, SD, and Izabelle Quilt of Phoenix Arizona; two grandsons Carsen Kissinger of Loveland, Colorado, and Dru Quilt of Rapid City SD; and seven great grandchildren, Lane, Emmett, Klancey, Kaydence, Ryder, Ryatt and Rogue.

Mike was preceded in death by his son Michael Keith Kissinger, Jr., his parents Ralph Owen Kissinger and Eleanor (Bazelman) Kissinger, and grandparents Ralph Kissinger, Hazel Kissinger and Dora (Kirkpatrick) Kissinger.

In-Lieu of flowers please make donations to the Sturgis Brown High School FFA chapter, Sturgis South Dakota and/or the West Holt FFA chapter, Atkinson, Nebraska

Celebration of Life will be November 30, 2024, 10:30 a.m. at Seger Funeral Home, Atkinson, NE.