Mike Trominski

Ernest Michael Trominski went by Mike ever since he was born in Palmer, Massachusetts to parents Wanda Anna Trominski and Russel Arthur Trominski. His father served in the Border Patrol so the family moved frequently, and Mike lived for a time in El Paso before he graduated from high school in the Rio Grande Valley. He attended the University of Texas at Austin on an NROTC scholarship, and when he graduated in January of 1968, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Marine Corp. (Both accomplishments Mike would celebrate for the rest of his life through attire, flags, and bumper stickers.) He served in Vietnam where he was wounded in action, which ended his career as a Marine in 1970. Though Mike lost a limb, he kept his Marine Corp spirit. He never let the injury define who he was and learned to adapt to the challenges it presented him. Once he returned home, he studied law at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. After he graduated in 1973 and passed the bar in 1974, Mike worked as an attorney. Later he joined the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for a career that would span 28 years. Mike retired as the District Director in Harlingen, Texas in 2003.

In his retirement, Mike was able to spend his time doing his favorite things including reading, watching movies, completing crossword puzzles, convincing his granddaughters a banana was a telephone, plinking, hunting, fishing, and finding projects to work on that definitely justified buying that new tool. He especially loved road tripping around the country – from seeing a shuttle launch with his daughter and wife in Florida to taking the ferry to visit his sister in Alaska. Mike also enjoyed when people came to visit him and he could break out his grill and/or smoker. He loved to send friends and family home with leftovers.

Mike is predeceased by his parents and his son Paul Michael Trominski. He is survived by his siblings Louise LeMarr, Terry Weir, and John Trominski; his wife of 58 years, Gretchen Hill Trominski; his son Carl Trominski and wife Deborah; and his daughter Anne and husband Derek May. He will also be missed by his cherished granddaughters Vivian and Hazel, and his best friend, a good dog named Pepper.

A Scripture Service will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, September 11, 2026, at Sunset Funeral Homes-West, 480 N. Resler Dr. The inurnment will be held at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson, at 2:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider making a donation in Mike’s name to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV.org) or the National Park Foundation (NationalParks.org).