It is with great sadness and feeling of loss that the family of Michael Leroy Klas announces that he passed away at his home in Oklahoma City after a courageous and determined battle with cancer. He faced the cancer with bravery and the heart of a gladiator, and at the end was more concerned about the family he was leaving than himself and the pain he was undergoing. 

Mike was born in Nampa, Idaho with his R.N. grandmother as the attending nurse. Over his life he lived in southern Idaho, Utah, Newfoundland, Nevada, Texas, and most recently in Oklahoma City. He grew up in a loving and active family and extended family. He attended Catholic schools from K-12 in Newfoundland and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was a very talented and popular morning show radio host in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where his children were born, before he moved to west Texas, where he continued his role as morning show host on country radio. He had a sonorous, deep voice which his listeners enjoyed. He loved country music, particularly Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Most recently he served as a social worker with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services in the Adult and Family Services, Long-term Care Division, helping others with his warm, compassionate manner. He was very active and interested in a variety of sports throughout his life and was a die-hard New York Jets fan. 

He grew up in Outer Cove, Newfoundland and had many close, family-like friends with whom he kept close contact and visited throughout his entire life. They all miss him, as evidenced by their numerous comments recently on social media. He frequently visited his immediate family in Fairmont Hot Springs over the years and had many friends there as well. 

Mike was predeceased by his brother Phillip Joseph, his loving grandparents Joe and Lela Slansky and Lawrence and Leona Klas, and several uncles, aunts, and cousins, all of whom he grew up with, who followed him and his adventures and supported him. Fortunately, our family has years of photos and videos to remember them and all of the wonderful times we had together over his lifetime. 

Mike is survived by his loving spouse, Pamela Russwurm, who was a huge support to him through his illness, his parents Leroy and Brenda Klas of Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C., his brother Matthew (Andrea) and nephews Jake, Lucas and Jackson Klas, all from Lions Bay, B.C., his son Lee Francis of Fairmont Hot Springs, his daughter Amy Allison (Edin) Jakupovic and his three adoring grandchildren Lincoln, Isla and Alen from Chicago and step-sons Clayton and Cole from Texas. All of his immediate family visited, comforted and supported him during the final stages of his life. Thanks are expressed by his family to the Oklahoma City Cancer Center and its staff for their efforts and dedication to save and extend Mike’s life over the last three and one-half years. 

A celebration of Mike’s life will be held in Oklahoma City by his family there, and another will be held by the Klas family in the near future, likely in Chicago. 

A message from all of Mike’s family is that our society must find a better and more effective way to treat the scourge of cancer and all of its varieties and versions. If you wish to remember Mike with a donation, please consider the Cancer Research Society in your area.