Roscommon County Community Foundation

Mike Ignat

The Mike M. & Patricia M. Ignat Scholarship was established with the Roscommon County Community Foundation in January 2009. The Fund will be used to award an annual scholarship for graduating students of Houghton Lake High School, interested in pursuing a degree in Hospitality or Dietetics.

Pat Ignat was born Feb. 21, 1925, in Minneapolis, MN. She and Mike Ignat were married March 27, 1965 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Oshkosh, WI.

Pat was a graduate of St. Catherine’s College, St. Paul MN, and was a registered dietician. While working at Prudential, she hired Mike Ignat to work in the food service. After Mr. and Mrs. Ignat were married, they formed a company and provided the food service for the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. They also owned and operated a restaurant in Oshkosh, The King’s Table. After starting a family, Pat worked part time as a consultant in the food industry.

Mike Ignat was born in Suceava, Romania, on Feb. 16, 1924, he was the son of Nicolay and Aspasia (Strilciue) Ignat. Mr. Ignat studied at the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, and was a member of the French Foreign Legion in World War II. He came to the United States in February, 1950, through Church World Services’ United States Army Resettlement for the  French Zone program.

Patricia M. Ignat

Mike and Pat Ignat moved to Houghton Lake, with their family in 1981 from Florida.

They were members of St. James Catholic Church and Pat was active in the St. James Women’s Club. She hosted several social events for the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce while her husband served Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.

Mr. Ignat served as the executive director of the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce for 15 years before retiring in 1997. He was a member of the American Legion Post 245, Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He was a founding member of the Houghton Lake Kiwanis Club, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Prudenville and St. Vincent de Paul of Roscommon in 1981-1983. He was a former board member of the Roscommon Mini-Bus (now the Roscommon County Transportation Authority). Mr. Ignat also served in the United States Army Reserve and was the grand marshal of Tip-up Town, U.S.A., in 2002.