Michael was a loving and devoted son, husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife, Diane (Lacey), his brother Paul (Beti), his children: Michael Sean (Catherine), Kevin (Maki) and Kathryn (Greg), and his grandchildren: Colton, Caleb, Jack, Georgia, Rachel, Gabriel, Madison, and James. His children’s character and accomplishments were an immense source of pride to him. He fully embraced the role of grandad and donned many a princess tiara and tutu to play with his granddaughters.

Michael was born in London, Ontario on May 11, 1940 to Jack Casey and Eilleen Casey (Knowles). Lieut. Casey died fighting for Canada in Normandy in June 1944, and Michael was adopted by his second father, Albert Walthen (Walt) Gaudet of Charlottetown, P.E.I., who served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the war. Mike loved Walt, but never forgot his first father and honoured his memory in his heart throughout his life. Michael followed in his fathers’ footsteps by serving as a Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps of the Canadian Armed Force Reserve.

Mike was raised in Charlottetown with his three brothers, Patrick, Gage and Paul. He graduated from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, which is where he met a vivacious red-headed beauty who, by playing hard to get, swept him off his feet. Diane and Michael were married in 1963, and promptly had three children, Michael Sean, Kevin and Kathryn.

Mike worked in the oil and gas industry, starting his career with Shell Oil in eastern Canadian and moving on to Petro-Canada in western Canada. His jobs saw him transferred between Halifax, Saint John, Pointe Claire, Charlottetown, Mississauga, Calgary, Regina, Lethbridge, and Sylvan Lake, some cities more than once. Mike and Diane retired in Lethbridge, where they lived near the Coulees.

Michael was an avid reader, enjoyed the Opera, was a fan of Luciano Pavarotti, was a skilled skeet and target-shooter, and was an aficionado of Cuban cigars and fine Scotch. He was a proud Shriner and honed his motorcycle-riding skills raising money for charity. He was a long-suffering fan of the Chicago Bears, and was thrilled when the Bears defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XX in 1986.

“Old Blue Eyes” will be missed by all who knew him.

A service celebrating Mike’s life will be held in the summer of 2026 in Lethbridge.