Michael Tearl Isbell

After suffering a stroke, Michael Tearl Isbell passed on the evening of November 4th, 2024, at the age of 58. Mike fought a hard, week-long battle before passing away surrounded by family. 

Mike didn’t necessarily ‘light up any room’ he walked into, but you sure as shit knew as soon as he arrived. Boisterous, strong, opinionated, and loving. He was never afraid to share what was on his mind and was always ready to listen to what was on yours. Mike was a man’s man. He rode motorcycles, hunted, and fished. He was a good fighter, a great cook, and knew how to throw a mean knuckleball. 

Mike was born on August 11th, 1966, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Michael Stanley Isbell and Toni Marie Isbell. He was the third of five kids and was raised in Taylorsville, where he grew up riding bikes, playing baseball, and getting into fistfights with, for, and because of his brothers.

As soon as Mike turned 18, he joined the Navy, where he traveled the world and made a short appearance in the first scene of Top Gun. After the Navy, Mike used his aeromechanics skills working for Boeing before moving back to Salt Lake City to be near his family. So near, in fact, he ended up working alongside his young brother (or ‘Irish Twin’) Jeff Isbell as a top Salesman for Sun Print Solutions and, later, in turning The Brickyard Bar into a successful and award-winning bar & restaurant. 

Mike also fished professionally for 13 years. And he was good! He won the FLW Pro Tour in 2003 and placed on the podium 3 more times. He only stopped in 2011 so he could focus on coaching full-time. Mike strived to be the best coach and founded the Utah Blackhawks Lacrosse Club in the early 2010s. According to those who participated in the Blackhawks club, Mike was a father figure, and he changed the sport. Through the club, he sent many kids to college and paid for 100s of kids to travel to tournaments. His son Kaiden, a former member of the Blackhawks, reminisced about how they would travel from Florida all the way to California to go to tournaments and how, for practices, Mike would pull up “on his Harley blasting some music that was usually out of pocket for him – like Dr. Dre or Biggie Smalls.” 

Mike was most proud of being a dad, though. Mike’s legacy of kindness and selflessness lives on with his two sons, Connor and Kaiden. Kaiden remembers his dad picking him up from school to go fishing at Lake Powell; “We fished lots of tournaments together when I was wee. He used to say I ate most of the snacks and played with the fish he caught more than I would ever help actually fish.”

Mike regularly lived his life for others and was a protector by nature. He dedicated his life to being the greatest friend, son, father, and mentor to those who needed him. He had a knack for making you feel like family the moment you were around. And those of us who were lucky enough to spend some time with him will surely never forget his bright smile and the way he carried himself. “He could always be a bit of an asshole, but he was our asshole.”

Mike is survived by his two sons, Connor and Kaiden; grandsons, Indigo and Myles; mother, Toni; and brothers, Jeff and Tony. Mike was preceded in death by his dad, Michael Stanley Isbell, and sister, Tina Maria Frisch-Isbell.

A memorial service for Mike will be on Thursday, November 14th, from 6-8 PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. A Celebration of Life will be held for Mike on Wednesday, November 20th, from 6-10 PM at The Brickyard Bar. 

Mike leaves behind a legacy of a strong spirit and a kind heart, and his absence will be strongly felt.