Michael’s Obituary Michael Wayne Vestal, age 67, formerly of Tonganoxie, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, February 28, 2019, in Clearwater, Florida. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, March 18th, 2019 at Cornerstone Family Worship, 205 East Highway 24-40, Tonganoxie, with services to be held the following day at Cornerstone beginning at 10 a.m. Burial following at Glenwood Cemetery, Basehor, Kansas. Mike was born on June 11, 1951, in Lawrence, Kansas, to Milton Wayne and Betty Jean (Hamilton) Vestal.
He was the oldest of four children. Mike spent most of his life in Tonganoxie, Kansas, graduating from Tonganoxie High School in 1969. During high school he was a member of many clubs, played clarinet in the band and was a member of a chorus called the Young Christian Minstrels headed by Father Tony Molina.
Mike really enjoyed his time singing with the group, especially the privilege of recording a couple of songs with them. After graduating, Mike worked for Safeway Cereal Plant in Bonner Springs, Kansas and was in the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department cadet program. In September of 1970, Mike’s life took an unexpected turn.
He was in a car accident that left him a quadriplegic. Despite this, Mike kept a positive attitude and was an active member of the Tonganoxie community. In May 1974 Mike started working as the dispatcher for the Tonganoxie Police Department and continued this job for many years.
Mike has served on the Tonganoxie City Council and was Mayor of Tonganoxie from 2007-2010. For a time, Mike answered phone calls for the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Operation Game Thief and worked closely with Game Wardens throughout the state, which he really enjoyed.
Mike received many awards during his life, including the Youth Service Award from the LaSertoma Club in 1979, Citizen of the Year award in 1993 from the Tonganoxie Chamber of Commerce and a service award for his many years of service to the Tonganoxie Police Department in 2002. In September of 2017, Mike and his wife Evelyn moved from Tonganoxie to Clearwater, Florida. He was having the time of his life living near the ocean, enjoying the sunshine, white sandy beaches and year-round warm weather.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Betty Vestal and his first wife, Eleanor (Bratcher) Vestal. With Eleanor he had a daughter, Katie (Scott) Underwood, Tonganoxie, and 2 stepchildren, Debbie Pratt, Tonganoxie, and David (Katie) Seuser, Basehor, who survive him. Mike is also survived by his current wife, Evelyn (Walker) Vestal and 2 stepdaughters, Mindy (Henry) Thompson, Archie, Missouri, and Raquel (Eric) Barnes, Olathe; 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Mike is also survived by his brother Larry (Debbie) Vestal, Bonner Springs, and sisters Brenda (Jim) Baker, Olathe, and Beth Beach (Terry Baugher), Baldwin City. He is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews as well as many other family members and friends, all of whom will miss him dearly. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Ability KC.
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