Michael Anthony Angelo
January 13, 1941 - July 12, 2025
Obituary
Our dear brother, Michael Anthony Angelo died on July 12, 2025.
My sister Leola and I loved our brother. When we were young. We had lots of crazy times together. Our home being next to a greenbelt in West Seattle, encouraged us to became intrepid explorers. With Mike’s trusty machete there were trails to hack open, dams to make on all three creeks, and vast swamps to ford. The dense maple and cottonwood forest promised adventure around every turn.
Our brother was eccentric, athletic and daring. His answer to most problems was, “Well Mcgee, why not?”
There was the time that the government would no longer issue silver dollars. Michael had somehow amassed forty paper dollars. “Com’on Mcgee, I know a bank downtown that will still honor the exchange.” Two hours later, our jeans pockets stuffed, and clutching belts to keep our pants on, we miraculously made it home on 37 Alki. From there Mike became a coin collector par excellence. Particularly ancient coins. He knew, them by heart, their history, dates, and provenance. And he never forgot them. He went on to collect gems and artwork. Rare comic books, and wines he would seriously collect later.
Our brother was very driven by life. He burnt the candle at both ends, and the middle too.
Like our dad and grandfathers, he had many marvelous accounts of his adventures. There was the time he had a pleasant chat with Charlie Chaplin, at lake Como. Another time, when biking in France with his friend Lenard, it had become a longer trek than expected, so they decided to spend the night at a village inn. Chuckling, they signed the register as Michael Angelo and Leonardo Davinci (Lenard’s last name). They had hardly finished registering before the local Gendarmes showed up, suspecting nefarious characters. Both young men, being in the Army, provided their I.D.s. The police and locals at once broke out champagne and cheeses, ‘this is a once in a life-time event’ they exclaimed, ‘two famous namesakes in the same place.’
Michael loved France, Italy, and particularly Spain, with their guitars and flamenco music. There, he lived his life fully and on his terms.
Later, he became a habitué of the 909 in old town Burien. He always referred to the restaurant as the ‘9’. He was very fond of the friendly staff and the excellent food they served. He made many friends. The ‘9’ reminded him of the delightful bistros he ran across on his tour when stationed in Europe.
At the ‘9’ he loved seeing people having a good time. Since Michael was a generous man, he occasionally treated the staff with his special wines. And, with his natural largess, if a table in view was enjoying themselves, he would pick up their tab.
Too, Mike enjoyed bicycling, snorkeling, scuba, and spearfishing. Once, traveling on a boat to Canada with his avid friend Bill, they accidently harvested oysters out of the Queen’s beds.
He told many tales of the great things he did… Mike lived to be 84. We still remember his amazing stories about his four years in France on a sea-going tug, in the U.S. Army. They were very hair-raising adventures. His main job was working as a checker and sometime supervisor, at docks in the Seattle, Tacoma area.
This is just a glimpse of the remarkable man’s life. Since he liked parties, great wines, and people. The following quatrain, from the poetry of Omar Khayyam, and translated by Edward Fitzgerald, we thought fitting:
“And when thyself with shiny Foot shall pass
Among the guests Star-scattered on the grass
And in joyous Errand reach the Spot
Where I made one-turn down an Empty Glass.”
