James Milhaley, a long-time Write On, Door County member and author, will have his life celebrated this Saturday in Fish Creek from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. A former Sturgeon Bay resident and valedictorian of his Sturgeon Bay High School class, Mihaley, 61, passed away on February 1 in Culver City, California, after living there for 25 years.
Write On Door County is hosting a celebration of Mihaley’s life during the week that coincides with the popular Recharge Your Creative Battery retreats at Write On that Mihaley led. Write On Door County founder and executive director Jarod Santek says this Saturday is an appropriate time to honor Mihaley for his contributions to the community and his impact on his students who took his retreats over the years.
Mihaley was the author of the middle-grade novel You Can’t Have My Planet, But Take My Brother, Please! and the poetry collection The Yogi Manifesto. At the time of his death, he was working on a fictionalized history of Palmer Johnson Yachts. His stepfather, Mike Kelsey, was one of the three partners who ran the company.
