Micheal Forsythe Whiteley was born in Brownwood, TX on December 15, 1946 to parents Allen Forsythe Whiteley and Melba Lucille Cullins Whiteley. He grew up a farm boy in Zephyr, TX and attended school in Zephyr through his sophomore year. The family then moved to Early and he graduated from Early High School in 1965. Even though they moved to Early the family always had the farm in Zephyr. While at Early, Mike met the love of his life Nancy Kay Tidwell and they married on August 18, 1967.
Mike attended college at Tarleton and A&M University. While attending college he hired out for the Santa Fe Railroad where he was a loyal employee for 41 years, where he met and worked with many friends. In 1969, during the Vietnam war, Mike took a volunteer draft and joined the Army where he was stationed at Fort Hood, TX and Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Mike and Nancy were blessed with three children – Janessa, Chad and Cullin. Janessa is married to Scott King and they were blessed with daughters, Jakayli – married to Zac Coppic, and Jayslin – married to Nick Papineau. Jakayli and Zac added Ryder and Remi to the family. Chad is married to Brandi and their son is Brayton. Cullin is married to Stacy and their children are Barrett and Brooklynn.
Mike was a very quiet man but his kids and grandkids as well as everyone who knew him will tell you that when he spoke it was something worth listening to. Mike was also a sweet, kind and very talented man with an unexpected sense of humor. He loved working on old cars and building hot rods, building saddles, doing leather work and wood carving to name a few. He was very good at doing bulletin boards for his wife Nancy’s first grade classroom. He was what we would call a fixer, he could fix and build just about anything and if he didn’t know how he would figure it out. He even fixed things around the hospital room before he got too sick. Mike put up a valiant fight but went to be with our Lord and Savior on March 7, 2024 surrounded by his wife and children. Mike was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Wylene. He was a very special man and we will love him and miss him forever.
Visitation for Micheal Forsythe Whiteley will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at heartland Funeral home. Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, March 13, 2024 in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Eastlawn Memorial Park.