Michael Ivan. Spong, 56, of Pasco passed away Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco. He was born April 13, 1950 in Fairfax, Missouri, to Ivan and Jean Spong. Michael graduated from high school in Marceline, MO and went on to play football in college as a Missouri Tiger. He served in the US Army in Vietnam where twice, he received injuries in the line of duty and was honorably discharged as a result of those injuries. Michael moved to the Tri-Cities 25 years ago. He worked for Boise Cascade for 15 years, his last position being that of a forklift operator. He retired in 1998 due to health complications. In 1991, he married his wife, Theresa, in San Luis Obispo. Michael was a very devoted father, so much so that he even sold his golf club set so his daughter, Amber, could go to Disneyland with her school band. He was a Boy Scout Leader, an avid Seahawks fan and sports fan, and he taught his children how to fish and play football and softball. Michael is lovingly survived by his wife, Theresa; daughters, Stormie Spong and Amber Hain; and son, Shaun Hain, all of the Tri-Cities. Memorial services will be Friday, June 2, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. Mueller?s Greenlee Funeral Home, 1608 W. Court Street, Pasco. There are dragons in the smoke, taking souls to a far away place. To finally be at peace, remembering not the end. Love, lives, dreams lost as though by the sweep of a hand. Now the elephants come again to work the land. Another beast of burden, doing what man can not. Walking ever so soft over what remains. And at night the elephants cry.