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Michael Allen Whelchel (Mike) passed away on June 7, 2024, unexpectedly, at the age of 69. He had two sets of families who loved him and who have been devastated by this loss. In Rogersville, AL, he is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Whelchel (Liz), step-sons, Sam and Bo, and cats: Tamakia, Chicca, Cali, Smudge, and Sputnik. In Fort Wayne, IN and Charleston, SC, he is survived by his daughters, Catherine Robbins (Cat) and Rebecca Sullivan (Becca), their mother, Elizabeth Burke, his son-in-law, Keegan Robbins, his mother, Ronda Stier, his brother, Randy Whelchel, and his sister, Merrilee Whelchel Carruthers. His father, Fred Whelchel, preceded him in death.
Michael Allen Whelchel (Mike) passed away on June 7, 2024, unexpectedly, at the age of 69. He had two sets of families who loved him and who have been devastated by this loss. In Rogersville, AL, he is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Whelchel (Liz), step-sons, Sam and Bo, and cats: Tamakia, Chicca, Cali, Smudge, and Sputnik. In Fort Wayne, IN and Charleston, SC, he is survived by his daughters, Catherine Robbins (Cat) and Rebecca Sullivan (Becca), their mother, Elizabeth Burke, his son-in-law, Keegan Robbins, his mother, Ronda Stier, his brother, Randy Whelchel, and his sister, Merrilee Whelchel Carruthers. His father, Fred Whelchel, preceded him in death.Michael was driven, brilliant, and creative, with an entrepreneurial spirit. He had big dreams and business ideas, and he truly could accomplish anything he set his mind to. Whenever he developed a new interest, he explored it whole-heartedly until he knew everything there was to know about the subject. This allowed him to be a jack-of-all-trades, and he had a lifetime of different experiences with his career, from financial planning to estate auctions to aquaponics.
Michael was kind and compassionate, with a quirky sense of humor and a laugh that filled the whole room. When his wife, Liz, wanted to rescue a stray cat, he agreed to keep all of the subsequent kittens because they belonged together and he couldn’t part with a single one. He was fascinated by technology, space, and science. He liked watching Monty Python, the news, and anything sci-fi, and he listened to the same handful of albums on repeat. He was always busy working on a project, whether it was building a greenhouse from scratch or planting and drying hundreds of peppers to sell worldwide. He found peace and contentment on his farm in Alabama, which is now his final resting place. His ashes were buried beneath an oak tree on the farm called “The Tree of Life.” There will be a bench and flowers placed under this tree, which can be visited by his loved ones (both human and feline). He was so very, very loved.
Elkins East Chapel is assisting the family.
You are invited to leave condolences at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com.
