Michael Whitney

Michael Whitney was born in Indianapolis, in 1958. He was the first child of Betty and Virgil Whitney. He was soon joined by his sister Kathy, and a little later by his brother Keith. The extended Whitney family was close and many weekends found large gatherings at Grandma and Grandpa Whitney's. School for the first 12 years was started and finished in the Pike School system. He became a talented drummer. He used those skills in dance band, pep band, marching band, and pit orchestra for plays. The next step was college at Indiana University. He completed a degree in criminal justice. That degree didn't suit him and several years later he returned to school at Butler University, graduating with a degree in nuclear medicine technology.

In 1978, Michael began dating Dawn Jones. They had been friends since first grade. The match was good and they got married in 1981. In 1989, Michael got Dawn to move to Colorado. He was finally living where he had wanted to live for years. They bought a house surrounded by pine trees. They never moved again.

Michael had many interest and hobbies. As a kid, he spent as much of the month of May as he could at the Indianapolis 500 race track. As he grew a little older, he began to participate in Solo II racing. Another interest was the camera and photography. He started with landscapes, but for the last 10 years, he concentrated on fine art nudes. Michael and Dawn spent many a vacation doing car trips. Favorite places included Victoria B.C., Carmel, California, and anywhere in Montana. In the 1990's, he spent many hours volunteering with Foothills Fire Dept. Not only could he cut a wrecked car apart in minutes, he was also an expert in wild land fire behavior. Another hobby was guns. His interest started in childhood and he joined the shooting team in college. Target shooting and deer/elk hunting remained a favorite past time for the rest of his life.

Michael's health became increasingly complicated as he hit his 40's. Diagnoses included thyroid cancer, arthritis, melanoma, adrenal insufficiency, and pulmonary dysfunction. He died suddenly of heart failure on Sunday, February 9, 2020.