Michael Orr, a former Pocatello city councilman who was respected by his peers for his ability to understand numerous sides of an issue, has died following a one-vehicle crash near Howe. He was 68.

Orr, who served on the City Council from 2014 to 2018, died following a 3:30 p.m. Tuesday crash on the Little Lost River Highway north of Howe, according to Idaho State Police.

Orr was driving northwest in a 2008 Ford F350 pickup pulling a 2016 Titan trailer when he lost control of the vehicle and drove off the left shoulder of the road, Idaho State Police said.

The pickup overturned and came to rest near North Sunny Road.

Orr, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died of his injuries at the scene, state police said.

Orr had moved from Pocatello to Howe after his time on the Pocatello City Council, his wife Alene Orr told the Idaho State Journal on Friday.

Michael and Alene were married for 38 years. He came into the marriage with a son and a daughter and together they had two daughters. Known to his seven grandchildren as “Papa,” Alene said she was grateful Michael was able to spend some time with his youngest grandson, who was born last month.

”He loved his family so very much,” Alene said. “We spent countless hours camping, fishing and hunting together. He loved his grandchildren most of all.”

Michael was a jack of all trades in the construction industry before he went back to school to obtain a degree in microbiology. From there, Michael would go on to work for Simplot in a fertilizer laboratory. He would eventually start his own consulting company, traveling across the United States and even to China to advise people how to mix liquid fertilizers.

”I was okay with him going to China but said no to Dubai,” Alene said.

Michael would sell his business and retire and that’s when he joined the Pocatello City Council.

When the Orr’s moved to Howe, a small town located about 17 miles northeast of Arco, his grandson told him that he wanted a fire engine, Alene said, so “Papa” went out and purchased an older fire engine and placed it his front yard. It’s become somewhat of a landmark in Howe, Alene added.

Current Pocatello city councilman Rick Cheatum says he had known Michael for decades, but they had become friends over the last few years.

“I’m just shocked,” Cheatum said. “We met each other back in the 1980s and I really did not know him very well until I ran for City Council. We became good friends after that because we worked together on that election.”

Cheatum continued, “When he moved out to Howe, he invited my wife and I up to watch the eclipse from an area that was away from all the light pollution. I’ll never forget that. Mike was a great friend and he just loved Pocatello. Everything he did he did it with passion. Idaho is going to miss Mike Orr.”

Another current member of the Pocatello City Council, Roger Bray, served with Michael for two years. Though the two had their fair share of disagreements, they always treated each other with respect, said Bray, adding that they understood their discussions were always in the sake of what was best for Pocatello residents.

Bray, too, said he was surprised to learn Michael had passed.

“It really shocked me,” Bray said. “Mike and I got along great. We had our disagreements but we always knew how to do it agreeably. You always knew where he was coming from and he didn’t leave anything on the table. He knew there were so many sides to different issues and he would take the opposite opinion just for us to be able to explore the different viewpoints. I think he valued the taxpayer and served that role well.”

Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad also provided the Journal with a comment about Michael’s death.

”I was shocked to learn that he had passed,” Blad said. “Our hearts go out to the Orr family. Mike was a positive force for his family and for Pocatello. I enjoyed working with him on the City Council and he will definitely be missed.”

Hundreds of friends and family members have reacted to Michael’s death on his Facebook page, posting fond memories or photos of them together.

Over the last few days, Alene said she has talked to so many people who described her husband as kind, loving and accepting.

”People have told me that he made them feel as if they were the most important person in the world,” Alene said. “He was a great friend and he frequently did things for other people, sometimes anonymously.”

A viewing for Michael has been set from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 28 at Anderson Funeral Home in Arco (2555 N, Highway 93). Another viewing is scheduled to begin at noon on Dec. 29 beginning at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Howe (1526 Highway 33) with his funeral set to begin at 1 p.m. Interment will immediately follow at the Howe Cemetery.

Michael was a huge fanatic of Coca-Cola, though he had to switch to diet, caffeine-free after a heart surgery in 2000. After his passing, Alene and her daughters were wondering to themselves what they were going to do with the 30 cases of caffeine-free cola in the garage.

”So, we decided that we are going to offer all his diet caffeine-free coke away at the funeral,” Alene said. “We greatly appreciate the outpouring of kind thoughts, prayers and support we have received.”