Mike Whatley

I am trying to remember how we got to become friends and I quickly go back to around 1978 living in the trailer park at Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. A brand spanking new mobile home was being set up a stone’s throw away from our mobile home in the trailer park at CBC. I think we might have made a visit soon after the Whatley family moved in and then the rest has been a life long friendship.


We spent many quality times together as families. No one had too much money so we enjoyed potluck meals, walks around the campus, attending classes, worshiping together at the same church and other activities.


Mike Whatley always looked like a party waiting to happen. He loved to smile and laugh and had mischief in his eyes. One night, it was dark and I (Chris) was standing at my kitchen sink washing dishes. There was a window at my sink and I was focusing in on the chore at hand. All of a sudden, Donni’s face was at the window with her hands in claw fashion and she was growling like a bear. That window was about six or seven feet up so I am sure Mike had a helpful hand in the deed. Especially since I heard a good deal of laughter outside as I had screamed and hit the floor of the kitchen in hysteria. If the truth were known, I had forgotten this particular incident but recently was reminded by Mike and Donni about it, so I am sure it made an impression on them to last nearly 30 years.


Hedge Apples, Osage Orange, Bois D’Arc---whatever that tree is called that grows a lovely, round and bumpy whatchamacallit. Somewhat looks like an orange but disappointedly is not a fruit at all. But Mike LOVED to roll that thing down the top of our mobile home. If I am not mistaken, he drew first blood---and we reciprocated in kind when least expected. I think we learned a lot of mischief from Mike (and Donni).


One of my most favorite memories, though, was during the summer of 1979-I think. Jim and Mike were taking a summer class together so they would frequently walk from the trailer park to class together. This would keep both guys going, usually. One day, however, for some reason, our alarm did not go off. Right on time, Mike was banging on the door looking for Jim. Jim, being jogged from a deep sleep grabbed the first thing he found and went to the door. I was still dozing in the bed and when Jim came back into the room he was kind of flustered. He had put on my bathrobe to answer the door. The bathrobe was a light pink with flowers and lace. I laughed myself silly picturing Mike’s face looking at the sight of Jim standing in our door with my pink bathrobe on. Mike always had animated looks.


One other event that sticks out in my mind especially during CBC days was inner tubing in the snow. I grew up in Wisconsin. Jim grew up in Texas and Mike and Donni in Louisiana. Snow was no big deal to me, but honestly, I have never had so much fun as the night we went out in the evening and I think the four of us piled on a huge inner tube and went sliding down the biggest hill we could find in the trailer park. Yep, we hit a huge bump and we all went flying---different directions---and laughing and gasping for air, we went back up the hill to do it again. Maybe that is one reason why our friendship has lasted so long. We played together, like children, like God’s children.


I remember many things about this man. I think the first thing I remember how much he adored Donni. It appeared that he loved to say her name and more than once I could catch admiration when he would just listen to her. When I think of Mike and Donni that is the first thing I will always remember.


The second thing of extreme note to me is his love for his children and grandchildren. What I was witness to more was his relationship with his kids. He demonstrated unconditional love for them. He expressed such pride in them at all times. Children reflect their parents as they grow up. We enjoyed meeting this family when the kids were very young. I babysat for all of them as pre-schoolers. I was able to see and experience firsthand the love this family had for each other from a very early time. One day Shanna was especially proud to declare, “Sometimes my Daddy toots. Sometimes my Momma toots. Sometimes we all toot!” Mike and Donni did not seem at all disturbed by this revelation.


He also loved being a Grandpa. He was very, very good at being Grandpa. I really think he might have liked being a Grandpa more than being a Dad, but what can you say. Can’t have it all.


The third thing I remember about Mike was that he was always doing whatever it took to supply for his family. But he appeared so cheerful about it all. He was taking full time class loads and working at least one job to make ends meet. I know he did this even while pastoring. He was a hard working man and optimistic.


The fourth thing I remember about Mike and will always be grateful for is the fact that he was a good friend to Jim. Jim doesn’t let his hair down with too many people but he was always more than comfortable with Mike. Mike accepted Jim exactly the way he is and didn’t expect more. They had no need to put on airs with each other and Jim already misses Mike badly because of that.


The last thing I remember about Mike, and very important is that he loved to pastor. I don’t mean just kind of liked it; he was passionate about his calling to ministry. I think he never forgot how far away from God he was when he was lost, but when he gave his heart to Christ, he was committed to serve Him. He loved to preach and he loved people from all walks of life. When I tell folks about our friend, Mike Whatley, I tell them that we have never had a friend who I thought loved ministering for the Lord as much as him. Even though these last few years meant some displacement from full time ministry, I still could see the passion and desire still in him. I know that he was welcomed openly into the arms of the Father and heard those precious words, “Welcome Home, thou good and faithful servant. . .”


I can’t help but think that there is more I could say about this remarkable man. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing him miss him already. He is enjoying Jesus, heaven and he is waiting for all of us to join him there……soon. . .


With Much Love,

Jim and Chris Beach