Frank Shepard Midgley III, also known as Cass, was the long-awaited son born to Frank and Dorothy Midgley on March 6, 1966, in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He joined his sisters, Maggi, Mary, and Carol and numerous family members that loved him dearly.

He attended school in Newkirk, Oklahoma, graduating in 1984. Cass was active in basketball and band. He was an extrovert with a fun sense of humor and always had a lively group of friends. A natural entertainer, he delighted in making others laugh. Even at an early age, he had an active mind, both a challenge and a joy for many of his teachers. If left idle, he would begin to drum his fingers on anything nearby. He developed an immense love for percussion, specifically drums, and perfected that talent through his high school years, sometimes to the chagrin of his family and neighbors. Cass earned many statewide accolades and at age 16, traveled to Europe with America’s Youth in Concert. He went on to pursue a career in Nashville as a professional drummer and played with many bands and well-known artists.

Cass graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Finance. He married his high school sweetheart, Mindi Goad, in 1988, in Newkirk. They moved to Nashville for several years and returned to Newkirk after the birth of their first child, Lydia. Soon after that, came Bethany, Rachel, and John. Cass was so enamored with his beautiful family of six; he found the role of father his most important calling. He was an incredibly involved dad, reading to them, singing with them, making silly faces, and always a camcorder on his shoulder, recording their every move. As they grew older, they enjoyed long hikes together and game nights. He was an avid viewer of movies and television, hashing through the deeper meanings with friends and family.

As a teenager, Cass had a fervor for Jesus Christ and wanted to share that zeal with the world. He began songwriting and a couple of his songs were well-known in the Christian music industry. Cass had a rich voice and lead many churches in praise and worship. He and Mindi founded a youth ministry in Newkirk, High Impact, where he shared his love of Christ with youth from all over the county. They were a dynamic duo and this ministry was their passion for many years. He had a heart for and a deep understanding for youth. Cass had an intensity for life and whatever he was doing, he did it with full magnitude. He was proficient in technology and worked as a software and hardware technician for Dell and Gateway. He also worked as a financial advisor and spent a few years in education. A prolific writer and speaker, Cass had a powerful charisma and a command of language, sometimes to a fault. His hobbies were writing poetry and mastering crossword puzzles.

In 2005, the family moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Cass received a master’s degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt University. His belief system was challenged, and he wanted to help others find their truth, as well as his own; honesty and authenticity were vital to his existence. Through his yearning for provocative conversations, Cass found his voice and a podium by co-hosting a podcast entitled Everyone’s Agnostic, forming many close and lasting friendships and alliances through that venue. At the time of his death, he was self-employed with Tennessee QRDOs Services, splitting 401K accounts for divorce attorneys.

Cass was on a continual journey to find peace within himself and the world around him. He was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which came as a comforting revelation to him, a greater insight into his conscience. We have hope that he found the tranquility he was craving when he left this earth on Monday, February 26th, 2024. May those he left behind find solace and understanding in the face of this heartbreaking tragedy.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Lula Dearing, Frank Midgley, Sr. and wife Jessie; his father, Frank Midgley, Jr., and his father-in-law, Bud Goad. Cass is survived by Mindi Midgley, of Murfreesboro, TN; daughter, Lydia Midgley, of Tulsa; Bethany Midgley, of Nashville; Rachel Midgley, of Murfreesboro, and John Midgley, of Murfreesboro. Also surviving him is his mother, Dorothy Midgley; Maggi (Reagan) Hutchason, of Newkirk; Mary (Steve) Austin, of Ponca City, Oklahoma; Carol (Rick) Scott, of Ponca City. Motherin- law, Trudy (Jack) Bagg, of Newkirk; and many nieces, nephews, and in-laws that are broken-hearted over his early departure. Statistics say that one in five adults suffer from mental health issues. The family suggests contributions to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), as a way to honor Cass’s memory and raise awareness about the challenges faced by those silently battling within. https://donate.nami.org/fundraiser/ 5333549 A celebration of life will be held in Newkirk this summer at a time to be announced.

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