Mike Carlin was born in Salina, Kansas on December 15, 1971. During his formative years, the two people he looked up to the most were his paternal grandparents, Art and Bernice Carlin. His grandmother taught Mike about faith. As a young boy, Mike would ride his bike to church, even through rain or snow, to attend services with his grandparents.
Art taught Mike all about fishing and Mike treasured their many trips to Branson, where they often caught their limit of trout on Lake Taneycomo. When the fish weren’t biting, Mike would remind everyone, “They call it fishing, not catching for a reason.” Still, he always came home with plenty of stories, many of which he shared with family and friends throughout his life.
After graduating from Central High School in 1990, Mike attended K-State Salina. During that time he studied mechanical engineering and met a girl who, after seven years of dating, would become his wife.
After graduating from college, Mike joined Geoprobe® full-time and the company soon became like a second family to him. During his 32 years at Geoprobe®, Mike was patiently mentored by godly men, formed lifelong friendships, and was embraced by the women of Geoprobe®, who cared for him like a son or brother.
On September 4, 1999, Mike married that girl, Stephanie. During their nearly 27 years of marriage, their greatest blessing and privilege was raising three God-loving sons.
Mike loved the outdoors and shared his appreciation for God’s creation with his family through countless adventures. Whether road-tripping to Oregon to visit family—with stops to explore Twin Falls and swim in the Snake River—skiing in Colorado and Utah with dear friends, the Knopf family, fishing in Branson as his grandfather had taken him many times, or, most recently, hiking and mountain biking in the Canadian Rockies, Mike treasured every opportunity to experience the beauty of creation with those he loved.
In Luke 6:43-44, the Bible tells us, “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit.” We knew Mike to be a godly man, because the fruit of his life-his faith, love, and influence-was evident to everyone around him. Because he was making such a meaningful impact for God’s Kingdom, he stood on the front lines of a spiritual battle. Yet Psalm 37:32-33 offers this assurance: “The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The Lord will not abandon him to his power to let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.”
Throughout his life, Mike was a faithful warrior. His steadfast faith bore the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. On August 13, 2026, Mike’s earthly struggle in the spiritual battle came to an end, but the enduring fruit of his faith remains evident in the lives he touched.
Mike is survived by his wife Stephanie; their three sons, Cooper (19); Zachary (16) and Brooks (16); his mother, Phyliss Werth; his sisters, Stephanie Gooden and Kendra Carlin; his brother, Ryan (Danielle) Carlin, his nieces and nephews; and many others who were part of his extended family, including the many “Geoprobers” and countless friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Bill Carlin.
A service celebrating Mike’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at First Covenant Church, 2625 E. Magnolia Road, Salina. Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance of Mike and to honor the faith, love, and lasting influence that was evident throughout his life.
“I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulations, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
Those wishing to honor Mike’s memory, are encouraged to pray over and live out the words of Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Memorial contributions may also be made to the First Covenant Church Men’s Ministry in Salina, Kansas.