Michael Minnis

Michael Minnis, 82, passed on to his eternal reward on Sunday, October 4th, after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Mike was the cherished spouse of Martha, adored father of Heather, Mary Beth, and Melissa, and darling brother of four siblings. He left this life secure and at peace in the loving support of his family.

Minnis was born in Wichita, Kansas February 22, 1944, the second child of Kathleen Ann (nee Keefe) and Robert Edward Minnis, Jr. Although born out of state, Mike was an Oklahoman. His primary education was through Rosary School in St. Francis of Assisi Parish, OKC. There he developed lifelong friends and a budding interest in competitive sports that continued through four years at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, where he starred in football and basketball. His love of athletics was unmatched.

At the University of Oklahoma, Minnis majored in journalism followed by the College of Law. He supported himself by working nights for The Oklahoman. Upon completing his Juris Doctor in 1969, Michael entered the U.S. Marine Corps at Quantico, Virginia and then attended Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island, graduating as a Judge Advocate. Minnis spent two years in Okinawa before posting to Camp Pendleton. In 1972, he transferred into the Air Force Reserve at Tinker Air Force Base. After commendably serving his country for 28 years, Mike retired in 1996 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Back in Oklahoma City, he joined the Oklahoma and California State Bar Associations, was a member of the Rotary Club, assisted Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Pat Irwin, and practiced with the law firms: Rainey, Ross, Rice & Binns and Pierson Ball & Dowd. Later, he founded Michael Minnis & Associates, PC. There, he represented Native American tribes, arguing for them twice before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also represented newspapers and television and radio stations and spent a decade as an attorney for the Oklahoma Press Association. Before his retirement in 2020, he served as counsel for several years with the firm Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson.

In 1975, Mike Minnis wed Martha Nell Dunn, and they eventually moved to Edmond. There, they joined St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Mike was involved in numerous parish activities including serving as a lector at mass and as a Confirmation teacher. For years, he and Martha led a Bible study class and drove Rwandan college students to Sunday mass.

Mike Minnis will be remembered as a person of humility, intellect, integrity, persistence, warmth, and wry, sometimes daft, humor. He lived his Catholic faith as a loving son, husband, father, brother, and friend. As a child, he would wake up his brother Bob so they could serve as altar boys at daily mass. As a parent, he continued his father’s tradition of blessing his children before bed. He taught his children to pray and recollect at the end of their day by kneeling by their bedside to pray. And while Mike’s Lenten sacrifices often included a loophole, who can forget “no desserts unless it’s included as part of the meal”, he understood well that our primary purpose here on earth is to know, love and serve God. Mike loved God and his family faithfully.

Michael Minnis is survived by wife, Martha, with whom he traveled side by side to the very end of their 51 shared years. He leaves behind his daughters, Heather Schwartz, Mary Beth Minnis, and Melissa Finfrock; his sons-in-law, Gary Schwartz and Adam Finfrock; six grandchildren, Hunter Schwartz, Sydney Schwartz, Evelyn Finfrock, Elena Finfrock, Thomas Finfrock, and Joanna Finfrock; his sisters, Michele Minnis and Kathy Loggie; and his brothers, Robert Edward III (Bob) and Patrick. He is already dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of Edmond. The family would like to thank the staff of Frontier Hospice and the staff at Iris Memory Care of Edmond for their gracious and thoughtful care of our beloved Mike.

An evening prayer service will be held on Thursday October 8th at 6:00 p.m. at Smith & Kernke Funeral Home on 14624 N May Avenue, OKC. A funeral mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday October 9th at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond. The graveside service will be immediately after the Mass at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery with full military honors.

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