Michael "Mike" Layfield

Michael “Mike” Layfield was the kind of man people loved immediately—and then loved more deeply the longer they knew him. He was tender-hearted, generous to a fault, quietly accomplished, and guided always by his love for people. To be loved by Mike was to feel encouraged, accepted, and genuinely seen.

Mike was many things over the course of his life: a national championship football captain, an engineer, a leader, a music lover, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a grandfather. But above all else, Mike was a man who led with heart.

As a young man, Mike captained the 1973 National Championship football team at Abilene Christian University—an achievement he carried with pride, but never with ego. His love of football stayed with him for life, especially college football, and he was a devoted Texas Longhorns fan. Long before that, at Richland High School, Mike’s gentle spirit found expression through music. He sang in choir and performed in musicals, including serving as the lead in one production, nurturing a love for music that followed him throughout his life.

Professionally, Mike was accomplished and respected, holding technical degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and Metallurgical Engineering. Yet he often said that what mattered most—and what advanced him most—was his love for people. He believed deeply that people were the strongest asset in any organization, and he managed with empathy, respect, and trust. It is no exaggeration to say that everyone loved Mike.

Mike was a devoted husband who loved his wife, Tricia Layfield, completely and tenderly. Their relationship was rooted in history and strengthened by time, marked by loyalty, affection, and deep companionship. His love for her was steady, unmistakable, and the great anchor of his life. While sorting through his belongings, the family discovered the receipt from Mike and Tricia’s very first date more than 31 years ago—a small, perfect reminder of a love that endured.

He was a loving father to his daughters, Lauren Becera and Meriden Overall, and a proud bonus daughter, Lindsay Thurston. He is also survived by six grandchildren. Though his work took him to different states over the years and kept him from spending as much time with his daughters and grandchildren as he wished, that distance was a lasting ache for him. His love for them never wavered.

Those closest to Mike knew his sweetness, his humor, and his almost legendary generosity—so generous, in fact, that it occasionally landed him in loving trouble at home. When asked how he was doing, Mike almost always replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins.” It was pure Mike: warm, wry, and quietly optimistic.

Mike had a fastidious nature and a touch of perfectionism. He liked his clothes to match, noticed when things were out of place, and might quietly straighten the magazines on the coffee table if they weren’t aligned just so. It was simply part of who he was.

Mike loved golf and lived on several golf courses over the years, visiting and spending time at many others. Even when his health no longer allowed him to play, he could often be found sitting on the back patio, watching golfers pass by with the Colorado mountains as the backdrop, content simply to be near the game he loved. He also loved smoking meat—barbecue in all its forms—and took genuine pleasure in learning the craft over time. He adored the dogs he shared with Tricia throughout their marriage and treated them as cherished members of the family.

Mike is survived by his wife, Tricia Layfield; his daughters, Lauren Becera, Meriden Overall, and his bonus daughter, Lindsay Thurston; his sons-in-law, Josh Becera, Reid Overall, and Brandon Thurston; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jane and Jack Layfield, and his sister, Jackie Vernon.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Parker’s Animal Rescue (parkersanimalrescue.com) or San Juan Mountain Association (sjma.org).