Mike Salim

Mike Salim, age 94, was born on October 30, 1930, in Beaumont, Texas. He was a first-generation American born to Nicholas Acy Salim and Essie Moses Salim. In his early life, Mike was a natural athlete with a lanky frame and strong competitive spirit. He excelled in baseball as a shortstop and right-handed pitcher. Mike led the Beaumont High Royal Purples into the 1948 state championship tournament. He pitched his team to victory in the state semi-final game, but his team fell one game short of a Texas baseball championship after losing to Adamson High of Dallas in the state finals. 

Texas Christian University recognized Mike’s skill as a pitcher and offered him a scholarship to play baseball and trade his royal purple high school colors for the purple and silver hues of TCU. While at TCU, Mike played semi-pro baseball for the Dumas Dusters, and he had an unbeaten record until his only loss against Elk City. Mike also pitched exhibition games in which he occasionally faced off against Major League players. He often quipped that his arsenal of pitches consisted of velocities ranging from slow, slower, and slowest.

In the summer of 1951, Beth Murphy, then a junior at TCU, learned from her father (George Murphy) that one of TCU’s pitchers was playing for the Dumas Dusters. According to embellished family tradition, Beth soon attended a Dusters game with her father who seized the moment to introduce his daughter (Beth) to the star pitcher (Mike) following the game’s conclusion. Mike simply could not resist Beth’s movie-star features, keen intellect, and infectious laugh. The couple dated through their senior year at TCU, where they both graduated with bachelor degrees in education. Mike and Beth celebrated 71 years of marriage before Beth’s passing in April 2024. Their love story began on a baseball diamond and flourished across a lifetime of devotion, continuing now into eternity. 

Mike and Beth were married in Dumas on August 30, 1952. Immediately following the wedding, they flew to the Rio Grande Valley for teaching jobs in Mission, Texas. Mike taught drivers education, and he also coached baseball for Mission High School, which won district and bi-district championships in his only year as coach. After a year in Mission, Mike and Beth returned to Dumas in June1953 to start a family that ultimately included three children – Mark (born in August 1953), Michael (1954), and Deborah (1955). 

After settling in Dumas, Mike joined his father-in-law (George) in the family business, Murphy Olds-GMC. It was the start of a 40-year career as a car dealer based in the Texas Panhandle. Mike took over leadership of Murphy-Olds after his father-in-law retired. Later, Mike and one of his sons (Mark) expanded their business footprint to include a second dealership, Salim Motors, in Borger, Texas. 

Mike’s affable personality and his generous efforts to help others were cornerstones of his success as a car dealer. Customers often became lifelong friends and loyal patrons, repeatedly returning to purchase and repair vehicles at Mike’s dealerships. Mike received great joy in meeting the needs of his customers and building lasting relationships not only in Dumas and Borger, but across the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles as well. 

Mike believed strongly in serving his country and community. He proudly served as Co-Commander in the Moore County Army National Guard, deploying periodically to military missions in Texas and Oklahoma. Mike joined the Dumas Noon Lions Club in 1961, and he remained a member until his death. He served as Chairman of the Lions Club District Convention in 1968 and as Boss Lion in Dumas in 1970 and 1971. During his 64-year membership, Mike was a fixture at the annual Dogie Days fundraisers sponsored by the Dumas Lions. He truly loved working the barbecue and carnival on the courthouse square and later at McDade Park because it gave him an opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Over the years, he worked almost every job for Dogie Days, but his favorite was flipping burgers on the grill at the hamburger stand. He was also a key figure in providing or choosing each vehicle raffled at Dogie Days. In 2008, the Dumas Lions Club honored Mike and Beth as Old Timers of the Year. Mike was recognized as a Life Member in 2010, and he received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award in 2017. Lion Mike was still selling vehicle-raffle tickets to his neighbors, friends, nurses, and doctors for his final Dogie Days in 2024.

Mike was elected Mayor of Dumas in 1975 after serving one year as a City Commissioner. He served 16 years (four terms) as Mayor ending in 1991, and he continued as a City Commissioner for six more years ending in 1997. In total, he spent nearly a quarter century as a civic leader. As Mayor, Mike initiated or oversaw several significant community projects, including improvements in utility services through the addition of city-owned natural gas and water reserves; enhancements to first-responder services; infrastructure upgrades; and countless other projects designed to assist residents, businesses, and facilities in Dumas. Mike was also a member of Moore County Development, serving as a tireless ambassador to attract domestic and international businesses and investments that could fuel growth in Dumas and Moore County. Mike and Beth were key founders of the Dumas Education Foundation, which provides Dumas students with college scholarships. Before age and illnesses slowed them down, Mike and Beth were active members of the First Christian Church of Dumas for more than 70 years. They were truly a package deal when it came to serving their community.

Mike and Beth loved their family and were very proud of their three children and nine grandsons, whom they identified by their birth order from one to nine. Mike was the primary caregiver for his wife, Beth, in her later years as she coped with multiple debilitating illnesses. Similarly, he made daily visits to help care for his widowed mother-in-law and her sister in the golden years of their lives. Mike also was a dedicated member of his morning coffee group, visiting and caring for them like brothers until it became time for them to take care of him.

Mike is preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Beth Salim, as well as his father and mother; sister, Barbara (Betty) Robertson; brother, Samuel Salim; son, Mark Salim; and great-granddaughter, Ava Hope Salim.

He is survived by son, Michael Salim (Laurie); daughter, Deborah Hepworth (Mark, the favorite and only son-in-law); nine grandsons, Matthew Salim (Sheryl), Daniel Salim (Sandi), Stephen Salim (Rachel), Kyle Hepworth (Megan), Andrew Hepworth (Melinda), Adam Hepworth (Kristin), Jacob Salim (Madie), Joshua Salim (Madi), and Jordan Salim (Audrey); sixteen great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to First Christian Church, 423 S. Maddox Ave., Dumas, TX 79029, or Dumas Education Foundation, P.O. Box 615, Dumas, TX 79029. 

Visitation will be from 5-6:00 PM, Thursday, February 20, 2025 at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home, 500 N Maddox. A life celebration service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, February 21, 2025 at First Christian Church of Dumas. Private interment will take place the following week in Dallas, TX. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors of Dumas.