Michael DePasquale Obituary

Michael John DePasquale of Coral Springs, FL passed away on August 31, 2021. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and married his lifetime love, Florence, on September 1, 1940. "Big Mike" started out as a machinist and then owned a successful auto parts business in Franklin Square, NY, retiring to Florida in 1969. Never one to sit still for long, Mike worked part time in security for Harris Corporation in Melbourne, FL in the 1970's, before moving to Vero Beach in 1979 and Tamarac in 1992. He was also active in the community, with leadership roles in King's Point Men's Club and Italian Club and was an usher at St. Malachy Catholic Church. He loved to play Pinochle, bingo and slots and enjoyed traveling in Europe and Hawaii. Mike is predeceased by Florence, who passed away just a few months before him - Mike passed away the day before what would have been their 81st wedding anniversary. Mike is survived by his children Isabel (Anthony) Puleo and Michael (Emily) DePasquale; grandchildren Anthony (Teresa) Puleo, Kristen (Jason) Guiducci, Michael (Rebecca) DePasquale and Charles DePasquale; great grandchildren Samantha Puleo, Jacob and Brandon Guiducci; Sabine and Alyssa DePasquale; Peter Drolet and Lauren (Michael) Marino; and great-great granddaughter Sadie Marino. Funeral mass will be held at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Coral Springs at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 (which would have been Mike's 104th birthday). In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Mike's memory to Vitas Community Connection (www.VITASCommunityConnection.org).

Published by Sun-Sentinel on Sep. 17, 2021.
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Memories and Condolences
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We remember your dad on the anniversary of his passing. Our faith assures us that one day we will all be together with the ones we love in heaven. He left you and your family so much to remember him by and he will always live in your heart. May be rest in peace along with your dear mother.

Maria Bunker

Friend

September 11, 2023

Tony, Teri and family, we are offering our sympathy with much sadness and love.

Allan and Rosa Herz

October 7, 2021

A tribute to a life well lived. He will forever be in your heart where death does not live. On this, what would have been his 104th birthday, he is enjoying it in heaven with your mom For him , he is at peace and happy to be joined with your mom. But what remains for you and the family is the loss of his departure. I know you feel peace that your dad is where he wants to be. My love and that of my family are thinking of you and sending our prayers for your dad and your family. Jesus please send your enduring love and comfort to all the DePasqualefamily. Love Maria

Maria L Bunker

Friend

September 28, 2021

I was very fortunate to have my Grandfather in my life for 53 years. He was tough, but I loved him and learned a lot from him. My Grammy called him "Golden Hands" - he could repair anything. I learned to use tools from him and how there was always a way to "rig" something using what you had on hand. When he moved to Assisted Living years ago, he gave me his tool and hardware collection - let me know if you need a bolt or a washer! I didn´t realize until later in life that his handy man skills went back to his days as a machinist in NY starting in the 1930´s, working on huge engines for cranes and vehicles of all kinds - I loved hearing tales from those days from him, how he fixed things that no on else could figure out, and he remembered all the details right up until the end.

He also taught me how to swim on one of my many summers staying with him. And he taught me how to play cards, including Pinochle, which he loved to play. When I started hosting a poker night at my house, he´d make guest appearances once in awhile and the guys loved him. At 103 I taught him the basic strategy of Black Jack, which he was still sharp enough to learn and put it to good use at the Assisted Living facility. We would also watch boxing together, seeing many of the greats fight, and we shared a love for football. We watched a game together the week before he passed, and I had the pleasure of taking him to a few Dolphin, Panther and Marlins games over the years, including taking him to one of the 2003 World Series games. We had an annual tradition of watching at least part of the Super Bowl together as well. I´m not sure if he loved the games or the food more, but we had a great time.

We spent lots of time in and around cars together. He actually gave me his car once (a 1985 Mercedes 300D) and years later when I again bought a 1985 Mercedes 300CD from my Uncle, Grandpa volunteered to help drive it back from Napa, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL with me. We had a great time, making a stop at the casino in Biloxi and talking for the many hours across country. The ultimate road trip, which I will always cherish.

He had a great curiosity for the way things worked. He loved to ask lots of questions about my work over the years (and really wanted to understand it) and loved even more hearing about projects we were working on at the house. He always said the key to staying alive was to keep your mind active, and he proved it.

Today would have been my Grandfather´s 104th birthday, but he had a much better place to be today. He wanted to spend today in Heaven with my Grammy, as he did their 81st wedding anniversary on September 1st, which he predeceased by one day. She passed away back in May, and his love for her was so evident - before my sad eyes he went from a centenarian that everyone routinely mistook for 80 (and he loved to quiz new people he met about how old he was), to deteriorating so quickly that he left us on August 31 - he had some place else to be and he wanted to get there fast.

For the rest of my days, it will be his voice I hear in my head whenever a situation calls for just using plain common sense. Going into a dark room and fumbling for something, will always be immediately followed by his voice saying, "Anthony, why don´t you put a damn light on!" And for the rest of my days, I will miss him...

Tony Puleo

Family

September 28, 2021

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St. Andrews Catholic Church

Coral Springs, FL

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