Michael Whaley

Michael Whaley passed away Tuesday, September 23rd in Lansing, NC. Born to Charlie and Hattie Whaley in Raleigh, NC in 1964, he was the second of four children. Mike's childhood was filled with adventures with his siblings Richard, Chuck, Candy and plenty of cousins.

From a young age, Mike was an ingenious builder and detailed craftsman. As a child, he along with his brothers, built a three-story treehouse wired for power, speakers from a nearby drive-in, and a little television. Equipped with an uncanny ability to figure out how something worked, he never stopped building and making everything around him better.

As an adult, he mastered the art of cabinet making, where he eventually met his wife, Maria Whaley. From the beginning, Mike knew that Maria was the center of his universe. In 1997, Mike and Maria wed in a small ceremony in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. True to his builder form, Mike built a family and chose to be a dad to Maria's two children, Pamela and Brad.

In 2002, Mike and Maria moved to Lansing, NC where Mike opened his own cabinet company. He built many kitchens and bathrooms in the surrounding area over the next 23 years. Mike took pride in everything he built and every task he performed. He spent hours researching and considering how to build or fix something correctly. He believed in taking the time to do something the right way, with quality, and with intention.

Mike equally invested into his community and never turned down a chance to help build or fix something in his town, or for his friends and family. His craftsmanship can be spotted throughout the community; a quiet reminder of a devoted life to building something better.

Mike enjoyed many things; football, watching golf, camping, and quality time with family and friends. Mostly, he enjoyed making things better. He shared his love by doing things for others and leaving things better than he found it.

Mike is survived by his spouse Maria Whaley; daughter, Pamela Stahl and husband Brad Asbury; son, Brad Stahl and partner Jennifer Cox; grandchildren Tanna Redd, Brook-Lynn and Cassidy Cox brothers; Richard and wife Debbie Whaley, Chuck Whaley and partner Susan Phillips; and his sister Candy and husband Bruce Edwards. Services will be held in Mike's honor on October 11th at 3:00 PM ET. The family will receive guests starting at 2:00 PM ET.