Celebration of Life Ceremony for Staff Sgt. Mike Canida

--Obituary contributed by DeJongs Funeral Home

A Celebration of  life for Staff Sgt. Mike Canida will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, March 1 at Evangelical Free Church in Keokuk, IA with Pastor Jason Peterson officiating. Visitation will be after 3 pm on Thursday with family meeting with friends from 6 to 8 at DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Centers located at 917 Blondeau St. in Keokuk. Burial will be in Keokuk National Cemetery with full military honors.

Memorials may be made to a Scholarship Fund for his children, Wounded Warriors, or the VFW Club in Kahoka, MO.

Mike Canida, proud father, Soldier, friend, and servant of Jesus Christ, passed away on February 19. His kindness, generosity and service will be missed by many. Mike came in the Active Duty Army in 2000 after two years in the Iowa National Guard, he was originally assigned to 3-505 PIR at Fort Bragg. He fought valiantly as Infantryman with the 3-505 Panthers for 8 months in Afghanistan in 2002. He then re-classified as a Chaplain's Assistant in order to fulfill his desire to bring the Gospel to as many soldier's as possible. His first assignment as a Chaplain's Assistant was back in the 82nd Airborne Division with 1-505 PIR. During 1 Panther's 7 month deployment to Fallujah, Iraq 2003-2004, Mike continuously left the wire with the Battalion's scout platoon in which he distinguished himself in many brutal firefights.

He deployed again with 1-505 at the end of 2004 for 2 months for the first Afghanistan elections and again to Afghanistan for 2 months in 2005 with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment out of Hunter Army Airfield, GA. Mike then was assigned to be the Chaplain's assistant of the Ranger Training Brigade at Fort Benning, GA from 2007-2010, and then came back to 82nd Airborne Division once more were he has served as the 3rd BCT Chaplain's Assistant since March 2010.

Mike was very proud to serve as a Paratrooper, but by far most important thing in his life was being a servant of the Lord. He taught and mentored many young Paratroopers on how to be Disciples of Jesus Christ, made many meals for the homeless with Miss Glenda out of Mount Olive Baptist Church, and Read the Bible intently to his four beautiful children. He will be extremely missed by the Fort Bragg Navigator Ministry in which he taught many Bible studies, and also the church Family at Freedom Biker Church where he worshipped on Sundays.

Leave your sentiments for the family in the comments below or on the funeral home's site and they will be presented to the family.

Born in Keokuk, Iowa on December 25, 1980, he is survived by his four beloved Children: Michaela (10), and Michael (8) and their mother Veronica Foster-Wells in North Carolina, and Mariah (7), and Caleb (5) and their mother Zokieya Lockette Canida in Louisiana, father and stepmom Army Corporal Michael and Wendy (Frueh) Canida of Montrose, IA, his mother Patricia (Mitchell) Woodruff-Vickers of Hamilton, IL, sister & brother Stephie & Seth Woodruff, Hamilton, IL. Grandmother Mary Jane (Canida) Lora of Keokuk, IA, Mary Ann (Mitchell) Fryer of Keokuk, IA. Aunt & Uncles Mary (Canida) & Tony Clark of Keokuk, IA, Marine Lance Corporal Gregory & Carolyn Canida of Leslie, AK, Air Force Staff Sergeant Ronald & Janet Canida of Mesa, AZ, Randy Frueh of Des Moines, IA, William & Amanda (Frueh) Dailing-McLeod of Hamilton, IL , Kathy (Mitchell) & Sam Grigsby of Minneapolis, MN, Stephanie (Mitchell) & Chris Holmes of Hamilton, IL.

Read the full obituary here.

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