Michael Ray Pauley

Michael Ray Pauley, 64, of Madison, West Virginia, passed away Feb. 5, 2023, from acute lymphoblastic leukemia at HospiceCare at Charleston Area Medical Center Memorial Hospital.

He was the son of the late Herbert L. and Anna Lee Pauley of Foster. He was married to Patricia Hanlon Pauley for 39 years.

Mike graduated in 1976 from Scott High School in Madison. In the same year, he began work as a miner at Harris No. 1 at Bald Knob, where he worked for 30 years. He then worked for 11 years as an underground mine inspector with the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training. For 25 years, Mike was the financial secretary of the United Mine Workers of America Local Union 1503. He was a member of the Boone County chapter of Brothers of the Wheel MC, and a member of the Odell Masonic Lodge No. 115 in Madison. 

Mike loved Sadie, his rescue dog. He loved his family, and was very proud of his three children. He loved riding his motorcycle with friends, and going to the family’s camp in Hinton, and floating on the Greenbrier and New rivers with his sons and friends. He loved taking drives in West Virginia looking for leaves and counting deer. He was very fond of, and very particular about, mowing his lawn. He loved the West Virginia University Mountaineers football team.

Through Brothers of the Wheel, Mike was dedicated to food and toy drives at Christmas, donations to children at Easter, and turkey drives at Thanksgiving. He also raised money for the Julia Price Breast Cancer Foundation.

In addition to his wife, Mike is survived by his daughter Kelsey of South Charleston, his sons Dean and Rob of Madison, his brother Wayne and his wife Johnna of Rock Creek, and many family members and dear friends.

Family members want to thank Dr. Soley Bayraktar and the nurses and staff at 5 South, the hematology and oncology unit at CAMC Memorial Hospital. The family also thanks the nurses and staff at CAMC Cancer Center and at HospiceCare, and a special thanks to Harrison Stollings of Madison.

A service is planned in the spring. The details are still to be finalized.

Contributions can be made, if desired, to Julia Price Breast Cancer Foundation. P.O. Box 1026, Madison WV 25130.

Handley Funeral Home in Danville is assisting the family.