Michael Joseph Whitten of Denton, Texas, passed peacefully at home on July 26, 2025, after an extended illness. Michael was born on July 31, 1944, at Savannah Army Air Base in Savannah, Georgia to Royce and Gladys Whitten. After Royce's WWII service, the family moved back to Texas and eventually made their way to Denton, where Michael's father established his law practice. Michael graduated from Denton High School in 1962 and enrolled at North Texas State University, majoring in Government and History. At North Texas, Michael was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and made many lifelong friends with his quick wit and masterful storytelling skills.

At North Texas Mike met the love of his life Darlene Jean Alford, whom he married after their graduation from North Texas in 1966. The couple moved to Austin where he studied law at the University of Texas. A distinguished student, Michael served as an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review and received the Order of the Coif. Michael secured a clerkship at the Texas Supreme Court after his graduation from law school, but shortly before his graduation in 1969 his father unexpectedly passed. Mike chose to forgo other opportunities and moved back to Denton to join his late father's law firm so he could care for his mother and three younger siblings, Marcus, David, and Ellen.

Michael established himself as an exceptional young lawyer. One of Michael's first tasks was taking over a complicated case from his late father, securing a rehearing and favorable opinion from the Texas Supreme Court just months after passing the bar exam. In an era before the legal profession became as specialized as it is today, Michael took on all kinds of cases and was known for his formidable cross-examination skill and command of the courtroom. Michael earned the wide respect, trust, and friendship of lawyers locally and throughout Texas.

Mike also continued a family legacy of civic involvement and dedication to helping others. He became known as a lawyer other lawyers could trust, who knew the law and what the law should be, and how to navigate case strategy. Michael served as president of the Denton Bar Association in 1976-77 and continued to support the profession throughout his life. In later years, Michael earned a reputation as a top mediator and arbitrator. Over the years he performed a significant amount of pro bono legal work, was extremely generous with his time and legal advice, and touched many people's lives in a positive way. Michael believed that if the law was there for any good reason, it was there to help the people that needed it the most.

Michael loved to play bad golf with good friends. His regular golf crew soldiered on as his Thursday lunch crew when he could no longer play golf. Even as he battled illnesses Mike's demeanor visibly brightened around these friends, all of whom shared his love for storytelling. Mike regularly provided insightful and colorful coaching to the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers from his recliner, free of charge to those organizations. He also loved taking his family to Rangers games, where he held season tickets.

Michael had a curated appetite for books, and an ability to recall and explain what he read. That skill almost got him onto the gameshow Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, but the show would not put him on the air, most likely because he would have breezed through the questions and won too quickly. His favorite book was the Bible, of which he had an almost encyclopedic knowledge and memory, and he led a men's Bible study for decades. His Bible was never far from his bedside, and his quiet faith remained always in his heart, carrying him throughout his life.

Mike was most proud to be a father to his three sons. He spent time with each, teaching them how to catch a baseball, strike a golf ball poorly, enjoy a football game, and he attended as many extracurricular functions as a small office lawyer was able. He approached fatherly advice without judgment, and his boys were better for it when they bothered to listen. In the last years of his life, he regularly reminded his boys and his grandchildren that he considered his life a success, and himself a wealthy man because of them.

Michael is survived by his wife of 59 years, Judge Darlene A. Whitten (Ret.), of Denton; sons Scott (wife Anne) of Plano, Matthew (wife Olivia) of Denton, and Adam of Denton. He is also survived by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Sophia Mesmer (husband Bronson) of Ogden, Utah; Olivia and Amelia Whitten of Plano; Tyler, Hudson, and Leila Whitten of Denton; and great-grandchildren Ronan and Daenen Mesmer of Ogden, Utah. Michael is also survived by his brother Marcus R. Whitten (wife Liz) of San Diego, California, sister Ellen McBride (husband Glen) of Denton, sister-in-law Karen Reynolds, of Addison, Texas and brother-in-law Terrell Culbertson of Anna, Texas.

Michael is also survived by his nieces Kathryn McBride (husband Zach) of Denton, Claudia Anne Whitten (husband David) of Bend, Oregon, Alison Rians (husband Dan) of Plano, Jean Reynolds of Plano, Tracy Culberson (husband Tim) of McKinney, Paige Niemeyer (husband Truitt) of College Station; nephews, Andrew McBride of Denton, Charles Marcus Whitten of San Francisco, California, Royce T. Whitten of San Diego, California and Aaron Alford (wife Amanda) of Portland, Oregon; grandniece Kelsie Haggerty of Denton, and numerous Whitten and Miears cousins.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents Royce C. Whitten and Gladys Miears Whitten, his brother David Whitten, his nephew Jeffrey McBride, his brother-in-law Tom Alford, and his sister-in-law Lynda Culbertson.

Funeral services will take place at Saint David of Wales Episcopal Church in Denton on Friday, August 15, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., with the Rev. Paul A. Nesta officiating. A reception will follow in the parish hall. A private burial will be held at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton. Honorary pallbearers are John S. Buchanan, Robert Eames, Curtis Loveless, Glen McBride, Ricky Perritt, Gray Shelton, and Dan Trammell.

The Whitten family wishes to thank the hospice nurses and caregivers who came to our home and provided care and comfort to Michael as he transitioned out of this life to enter into the arms of his Lord and Savior.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mike's memory to the Denton County Bar Foundation, the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or the American Association for Justice