Tulsa, Oklahoma - Michael Richard White would have hated a traditional obituary. He wouldn't have cared if you knew he was born October 1, 1955, in Pittsburg, Kansas, or that he was an avid golfer and quail hunter and a yell leader at Allen County Community College. He wouldn't have cared if you knew he earned his BA and MBA from Pittsburg State University (where he was a passionate member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and lettered in tennis), or that he had a 30-year career in banking near and around the Four-States.

The Iola, Kansas, native would much prefer to remind you of the brilliance of Silver Age comics — especially those early Lee and Kirby X-Men and Kubert Hawkmans — and that the Perseid meteor shower peaks soon in August. He'd want you to know The Beatles put out their entire discography in only seven years and that Jack Nicklaus won 18 majors, yes, but finished second in 19. He'd point out that, when he was born, there were no man-made objects orbiting Earth, and, when he died, there were more than 45,000. He'd also posit that the electromagnetic spectrum is proof that there's more to all this than we can see and that you might take care to consider there's not just darkness beyond the veil. Most of all, he'd want you to know that enthusiasm is a strength, not a weakness, and to chase your interests as far as you can.

Mike died on June 28, 2026 — along with his alter egos Ike and Deeky — and is survived by his wife, Kelly Faison Glidden, of Tulsa, OK; daughter Dawson White (and Nicholas Kellum) of New York, NY; sister Kristin Baier (and John) of Livermore, CA; niece Emma Baier of San Diego, CA; and cousins Stephanie Wolkar and Gretchen Caswell (and Brian) of Baxter Springs, KS. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Dean "Dick" and Dorothy "Dottie" White (the Doodahs); infant sister Kimberli White; fraternal grandparents Grace and Bud White; maternal grandparents Frank and Rilla "Louise" Wolkar; and uncle Edwin Wolkar. Mike's aunt, Toni Wolkar, passed on July 4, 2026, just a few days after him.

A "celebration of life" isn't quite Mike's style. Instead, all who loved Mike are invited to party in his honor Saturday, August 8, at 7 p.m. at Wilder's Steakhouse in Joplin, Missouri. Please bring your roasts and toasts. A graveside service will follow on Monday, August 10, at 1 p.m. at Highland Cemetery in Iola, Kansas, for anyone who'd like to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mike's memory to his first love: the Iola Public Library (iolapubliclibrary.org/donate).