Michael M. Straight

Michael M. Straight, 67, Nevada, died Wednesday, April 27, 2005, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, following an illness of several months. He was born June 23, 1937, in Kansas City, Mo., to Harley M. Straight Jr. and Alice F. Chouteau Straight. He married Cheryl Pettibon Shipley on Feb. 17, 1999, in Miami, Okla., and she survives of the home.

Mike grew up in Kansas City, Kan., and attended Kansas City, Kan., schools. He owned and operated roller skating rinks for 44 years including the Landmark Skating Rink in Nevada for the past 21 years. He built the Lee's Summit skating rink in 1973. He lived in Lee's Summit for 30 years prior to living in Nevada for the past six years. He was a past Gold Medal Winner of the Roller Skating Association of America. Mike was a member of the Deerfield Baptist Church where he was a trustee of the church, a praise leader, and a building committee chairman. Mike served on the Families in Crisis Board of Directors, was a Nevada City Councilman and currently Mayor Pro-tem. He was past president of Nevada Main Street; a current member of the Bushwhacker Committee; an ambassador of the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce, and a board member of the Missouri Municipal League in Jefferson City.

In addition to his wife, Cheryl, he is survived by one son, Russell Dean Straight, Grandview, Mo.; one daughter, Diane Louise Mellina, Wayne, N.J.; two stepchildren, Brandi Shipley, Nevada, and Brandon Shipley, Sheldon; three grandchildren, Nick, Nicole, and Gabriel Mellina; one step-granddaughter, Madison Shipley; and one half-brother, Phillip Dean Straight, North Kansas City. He was preceded in death by one sister, Carol Jean Allmon.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., on Saturday, April 30, at the First Baptist Church, Nevada, with Mark Mitchell and Dennis Engelbrecht officiating. Interment will follow in Newton Burial Park, Nevada. Friends may call now and until 8 p.m., on Friday at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada. Those who wish may contribute to the Deerfield Baptist Church or the Pentecostal Assembly, Nevada, in care of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.