lit a candle 20 Sept 2026My uncle used to talk about watching him pitch horseshoes at the county fair, said the man never missed twice in a row. 85 is a long good life. Sending love to Patty and Rodney.
Their story
Michael Walter McLain was a farmer, pole barn builder and U.S. Army veteran from Hudson, Indiana, remembered by his family and community as a steady, hardworking man who spent decades building things for his neighbors and competing in horseshoe tournaments across the country. He was born on July 28, 1941,…
Michael Walter McLain was a farmer, pole barn builder and U.S. Army veteran from Hudson, Indiana, remembered by his family and community as a steady, hardworking man who spent decades building things for his neighbors and competing in horseshoe tournaments across the country. He was born on July 28, 1941, in Helmer, Indiana, to Donald and Josephine Evelyn (Burch) McLain, and he lived nearly all of his life in the small towns of Steuben and DeKalb counties in northeastern Indiana.
After his service in the Army, McLain returned home and built a life around farming and construction, and he became well known locally for building pole barns, a trade that kept him connected to farmers and landowners throughout the region for years. He married Patty Keller on June 28, 1963, in Angola, Indiana, and the two remained married for more than six decades. Outside of work, McLain was a devoted horseshoe player who traveled to compete in World tournaments, a pastime that friends and family describe as a lasting passion.
McLain was not a nationally known public figure. He did not hold elected office, run a major company, or appear in national media. His story matters in the way that so many rural American lives do: as a record of steady work, family devotion and community roots that shaped a small corner of Indiana across more than eight decades.
Michael Walter McLain died on Friday, September 18, 2026, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at the age of 85. His death was announced through an obituary published by Young Family Funeral Home, Hudson/Ashley Chapel, which is assisting his family with arrangements. No cause of death has been made public.
He is survived by his wife, Patty McLain of Hudson; his son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Tonoa McLain, also of Hudson; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and two brothers. According to the funeral home, there will be no visitation or funeral services, and burial will take place at South Scott Cemetery at a later date.
Biography adapted from Young Family Funeral Home, Hudson/Ashley Chapel obituary (via Legacy).
That's a nice thing to carry, he really was that steady.