Michael Arnold Hoefft, 72, died Sept. 9, 2015. He was also known as Mike Arnold on WHCO Radio, 1230 AM, in Sparta.

He was born July 29, 1943, in Red Bud, the son of the late Arnold and Gladys Hoefft (nee Knobloch).

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 50 years, Wilma (nee Milligan); and two sons, Timothy (Linda) Hoefft of Morton, and Tom (Cherri) Hoefft of Dunlap. Also surviving him are his five grandchildren, whom he was very proud of, Kyle, Hannah and Emma Hoefft of Morton, and Ryan and Ashley Hoefft of Dunlap; his sister, Ruth Krull of Herman, Mo.; and his brother, John (Phyllis) Hoefft of Maeystown. Also surviving are his sisters-in-law Etta Mae Sheridan and Linda Hoefft; three nieces, Julie Hanak, Tina Hoefft and Cindy Kempfer; and three nephews, Stephen Hoefft Jr., Daniel Hoefft and Brian Sheridan.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Stephen Hoefft; brother-in-law, Ray Krull; nephew, James Hoefft; mother- and father-in-law, Anna and Oscar Milligan; and brother- and sister-in-law, Herman and Clementine Reuscher.

After graduating from Valmeyer High School in 1961, Mike attended Bailey Technical School in St. Louis. He graduated with honors and obtained a Federal Communications Certificate – First Class with Ship Radar endorsement.

Upon graduation, Mike spent 18 months in Rapid City, S.D., as an engineer and installer on a microwave TV run between Denver and Rapid City. He found winters in South Dakota to be quite unpleasant, so he moved back to southern Illinois, where he stayed until his death.

Mike worked the rest of his career as an engineer and broadcaster on WHCO Radio in Sparta. He loved his job at the radio station and was a constant presence there for 40 years. If you ever went to the WHCO Queen Contest, you saw his handiwork, as he built the stage every year with coworkers and his two sons. Mike was the voice of the 10 a.m. local news for years, and also broadcast many local high school sporting events. He also wrote his weekly “The Fisherman’s Cove” and “Sportsman’s Corner” articles for the Sparta News-Plaindealer for many years.

In addition to Mike’s work at WHCO, he was able to work with the FAA as an engineer on Sparta airport’s NDB (non-directional beacon) to guide aircraft into the site. He later was engineer on their AWOS (automated weather observing) system.

Mike was a member of the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Sparta, where he was a former deacon and elder.

Mike was also a member of AGLOW (Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers) and loved to hunt and fish. He was also one of the original members of the Randolph County Rod and Gun Club and spent many days there practicing his craft and teaching his grandchildren to shoot and fish.

After retiring, Mike was a city councilman in Campbell Hill, where he lived until his death.

In his retirement, Mike was a fixture in the town, where you could see him mowing grass on his oversized lawn mower at his home or at the Calvary Cemetery. He could also also be found sitting on his porch watching the annual Campbell Hill Parade.

Mike was a loving, kind-hearted man who always had a smile on his face and a positive attitude. Even through his battle with cancer, which ultimately took his life, he had a positive outlook and was a joy to be around. Mike was a loving and devoted husband and a proud father and grandfather. He was truly a person we should all strive to emulate. While his family misses him greatly already, we know Mike is at home with the Lord, and we look forward to the day that we see him again.

Visitation for Mike will be Sept. 13, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the McDaniel & Lee Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Sparta, and Sept. 14, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Maeystown.

Mike’s funeral will be held at his hometown church, St. John’s United Church of Christ, in Maeystown, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2015, where he was previously christened, confirmed and married.

Burial will follow at the St. John’s United Church of Christ Cemetery where he will be laid to rest with the rest of his family.

Memorials may be given to Trinity Presbyterian Church in Sparta or to St. John’s United Church of Christ in Maeystown

Funeral arrangements are under the auspices of McDaniel & Lee Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, LTD, Sparta.

Friends may sign the guestbook at www.mcdanielfh.com.