Before Mike Gundy ever roamed the sidelines of Stillwater or etched his name into Oklahoma State football folklore, he was simply a fiery kid from Midwest City being raised by two parents who didn’t just believe in discipline. They lived it. The man behind the mullet didn’t sprout toughness and grit out of nowhere. That came straight from the roots. So who exactly are Mike Gundy’s parents, and how did they shape the Cowboys’ icon? 

Who are Mike Gundy’s parents?

Mike Gundy’s parents, Ray Gundy and Judy Gundy, weren’t just spectators in his football journey. They were the backbone. Ray, a no-nonsense disciplinarian, demanded excellence. Judy, a compassionate soul with a competitive edge, brought warmth and encouragement. The combination was lethal in all the good ways. 

Ask Mike where his work ethic comes from and he’ll point you straight to his father. “I was very fortunate to have a solid foundation at home and values of hard work that were instilled in me at a young age,” he once said. But it wasn’t always easy. Ray made sure second-place individual trophies didn’t make it home.

“They got thrown out the car window on the way home,” Mike joked. Meanwhile, Judy was the one bandaging knees and picking up broken spirits, often while holding a good-luck charm at a game. So it’s discipline from dad and devotion from mom. That’s the Gundy blueprint. 

Where did Ray Gundy & Judy Gundy meet? 

Married on November 16, 1962, Ray Lynn Gundy and his wife Judy built a family around structure, sacrifice, and sideline support. Together, they raised three children namely Kari, Mike, and Cale, each of whom carried a piece of that relentless Gundy spirit. 

What ethnicity are Mike Gundy parents? 

Mike Gundy’s parents are both white Americans from the United States.

Inside Mike Gundy’s Relationship with His Parents

Mike has always leaned heavily on his parents. “Still to this day, I look to them for support in all areas,” he once admitted. That bond with his father is tough love but ironclad. His mother is pure-hearted. Judy softened the harder edges of Ray’s coaching style at home. “I think I’ve had a perfect mixture,” Gundy said. “My mom has great compassion and a tremendous heart. So she was able to deflect some of the hard discipline and times when we thought we weren’t going to make it.” And when it came time to make a career-defining decision, the family lines were tested. Because the day Mike chose Oklahoma State, it broke his mom’s heart. 

Mike Gundy, the pride of an OU household, did the unthinkable. He committed to Oklahoma State. “Mom cried and cried,” Gundy recalled. “Where I was from, it was all OU.” Judy’s heartbreak wasn’t out of disapproval but pride—her son had been recruited by Barry Switzer. That was royalty. Ray, ever the pragmatist, made Mike call the Sooners himself to deliver the news. That moment may have split allegiances, but it never fractured the family.

Sadly, Judy passed away in August 2020 at age 77. But her legacy remains in a warm home filled with love, faith, and the smell of something good on the stove. A Michigan native, Judy represented the best of Oklahoma motherhood. Whether cheering in the stands or hosting guests on Cherrywood Lane, she poured kindness into every space she touched. She left behind not just a grieving family but also eight grandchildren and a legacy rooted in the word she made famous in their home – “Believe.”

Ray Gundy, now in his later years, still stands tall as the rock of the family. He continues to be Mike’s sounding board, his most honest critic, and his biggest fan. Cale, once a quarterback rival, remains close, as does sister Kari. The Gundy family bond remains as tight as it was in the backyard batting cage days.

Mike Gundy’s career may be built on Xs and Os, but it started with Ray and Judy, with discipline, devotion, and the unshakable belief that greatness starts at home. And for Oklahoma State’s all-time winningest coach, that belief is still in the family playbook.