"The peacefulness and serenity of being with God [on the mountain in Guatemala] and Him saying, 'You made it. . . . Welcome.' The next thing I realized was that my physical problem was gone and the Holy Spirit settled on me. I cried a happy cry; oh, how I long to be with Him forever. As I write this I am crying again, enough to make a mudslide in Guatemala." Mike Stancliff, October 28, 2010, Guatemala missions trip Mike Clovis Stancliff "made it" and, with all of his physical problems gone, was welcomed by God into eternity on Monday, July 27, 2015. All of Mike's tears have been now been wiped away. Revelation 7:21: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Mike was born on July 31, 1946, in Springfield, Missouri, and was raised by his grandparents, Clovis and Elva Tennis, in Mount Vernon, Missouri. He honorably served his country in the United States Army for six years, including a tour in Viet Nam. On November 20, 1982, Mike and Sonda Steelman were married and joined their two families into one. Five years ago the Stancliffs moved from Kansas to South Florida, where Mike was able to enjoy the casual tropical lifestyle he so loved during his last years. Welcoming Mike into Heaven are two of his children, Chris Ray Steelman and Sara Lynne Steelman. Remaining here for now are five children: Sarah Nicole Stancliff Gokey, her husband Jason, and two daughters Adriana and Vanessa; Michelle Stancliff Bius, her husband Jon, and two daughters Emily and Alyvia; Melissa Stancliff; Eric Stancliff; and Mike's former daughter-in-law, Katie Steelman Heldenbrand, her husband Brent, and daughters Hope, Paige, Sophie, Emily, and MacKenzie. Sonda was the anchor in Mike's life, the one to whom he wrote: "I love you almost as much as God, and I thank you for your patience, prayers, trust, and most of all your love of which I know is from God through you." Mike is now fully experiencing what he wrote about on May 10, 2009, while on a missions trip to Guatemala: "There is no doubt in my mind, this Holy Spirit is what Heaven will be like and not just here and there at random [like] on this earth. . . . I must stop writing now and enjoy more of this Holy Spirit feeling that is coming into me." In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charitable missions organization Mike supported: Plant Today Foundation, 8304 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33411
