Michael Eugene Warneke
November 4, 1950-May 8, 2026 Michael Eugene Warneke of Emporia, Kans. went to be with the Lord on May 8, 2026, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kans. He was surrounded by loved ones who filled his final moments with prayers and singing.
Michael was born in Council Grove, Kans. on November 4, 1950, to C. A. “Bub” and Kathryn A. (Countryman) Warneke. The second of six children, Michael was an active, curious child who enjoyed exploring outdoors, figuring out how things worked and getting into mischief with his older brother, David. Family lore about his shenanigans abound.
He graduated from Council Grove High School in 1969. He married Mary Ann Epp in 1974, and they had a daughter, Heather. They later divorced.
Michael soaked up knowledge like a sponge, reading anything he could get his hands on - including an entire set of encyclopedias. His curious mind also led him to a variety of jobs throughout his life, including working at his father’s service station as a teenager, various construction projects, drafting plans for new builds and restorations and property management.
In 1994, Michael reconnected with his childhood friend, Rae Ann, and the pair married on November 11, 1995. During their 30 years together, he had a front-row seat to the next generation of shenanigans and mischief makers. As his family expanded to include 15 grandchildren, Michael enjoyed watching them grow and took pride in their accomplishments.
His circle of friends were very important to Michael. He could be counted on to help with anything from house renovations to car repairs to rides to the doctor. One of his favorite pastimes was getting together with friends for coffee and catching up.
Michael was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, David. He is survived by his wife, Rae Ann; daughter Heather (Jeff) Haas; stepchildren Robert (Carrie), Melissa and Matthew Lowery of Emporia; grandchildren Allyssa and Jacob Evrard, Genevieve (Daniel) Mendes, and Elizabeth, Aurora, Alexander, Warren, Gideon, Sarah, Laurel, Amelia, Abigail, Eliana, Judah and Miriam Lowery; sisters Christine Parks, Susan (Mark) Pfeifer, Carrie Warneke and Kathy (Robert) King; goddaughters Rev. Charity (Bryan) Gustke and Georgina (Michael) Stanton; nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
A celebration of life will be held June 15, 2026 at 10:00 am at Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church in Emporia.