Michael McLean Sr.

1941 - 2020

TROY — Michael McLean, Sr., was born Jan. 18, 1941, in Granite City.

He grew up in Edwardsville, the fourth of five children born to Donald and Dorene McLean. Mike was the youngest child for the first 17 years of his life until his youngest sister Alice (Rezabek) arrived.

Alice said "I will always celebrate my brother's life. I came along 17 years after Mike was born but those years never came between us. My entire life having Mike, as a brother, it was a life full of love, honesty, and laughter. He has always been there for me. I love him with all my heart. He will always be my hero and will still always walk by my side,"

Mike was an altar boy at St. Boniface Church and graduated from Edwardsville High School in the class of 1959.

He attended Quincy College and Southern Illinois University. His first job was at the Edwardsville Ben Franklin five and dime.

While working at a retail store in Collinsville, Illinois, he met Darlene Elliott; they married in 1962.

He adopted Pam, who was two years old at the time of their marriage, then brought Shawn into the world in 1964.

They moved to California in 1966, settling in Simi Valley to raise their daughters. Pam and Shawn remember their dad as a loving and generous man with a heart full of love to share.

Mike was exceptional in all he did. He was a retail manager at major department stores, he also worked in construction, and building bridges in California.

It was in 1971 when Mike was newly single and working on highway bridge construction project near Los Angeles, California, he was set up on a blind date by his co-worker and met Janet-Lee Massimino.

It was a successful blind date; they married in 1972 moved back to Illinois to raise, and ultimately adopt, her four daughters near his childhood home.

On the very date Laura-Lee, Shawna, Crista and Eva arrived from California, Mike and Janet-Lee welcomed Michael Edward McLean, Jr. and the following year, Ann-Marie. He used to describe his family as "his, hers and ours." Mike and Janet-Lee were married for 25 years.

In addition to working construction, he was an accomplished finish carpenter.

Mike fully remodeled the family home in Sorento and once completed bought an old farmhouse in New Douglas, Illinois, and started all over again.

He had a gift; he could look at a room, describe in detail how he would finish it and once completed it looked exactly as he described. He built and remodeled dozens of homes scattered throughout Southern Illinois.

During construction, he would say, "There's the right way, the wrong way and the Mike McLean way."

He loved the outdoors; walking in the woods, hunting game and mushrooms, building fires, grilling pork steaks, concocting original ice cream recipes and was famous for his homemade fudge.

He enjoyed camping, whiffle ball in the front yard, throwing horseshoes, mowing the lawn on his riding mower and tending his garden. Watching a thunderstorm from the front porch brought him immense joy.

His greatest love was his family.

He moved to a managerial position at the Madison County Community Development, Rehab and Weatherization Department from which he retired.

In 1996 Mike was set up on yet another blind date, and met and soon married, Charlotte Scaturro.

They enjoyed camping, the St. Louis Cardinals and their church. As was his way, Mike accepted, loved and cared for her children and grandchildren. "He took care of everyone," Charlotte said. "He was honest, caring and my soul mate."

Mike passed away on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, at home with his wife of 22 years at his side, in Troy, Illinois.

His eight children are: Pam (McLean) Beck, and Shawn McLean of Simi Valley, California; Laura-Lee (Russel) Huber, Coffeen, Illinois; Shawna (Jeff Lee) McLean, Playa del Rey, California; Crista (Stephen) Davis, Alhambra, Illinois; Eva (Lee) Bartony, Williamson, Illinois; Michael (Ann) McLean, Jr., Edwardsville; and Ann-Marie (Robert) Flowers, St. Louis, Missouri.

Grandchildren: Jason (Sarah) and Kyle Beck; Jack Jeffrey; Michael Dominic (Xiomara) McLean; Hannah (Dalton) King; Claire-Elise Huber; Emily and Jessica Davis; Joseph (Heather); Quenton (Mariya); Veronica (Kiefer) Cyrus and Hugh Bartony. Adam (Rebekah), Jacob, Sidney, Ian, Eli, and Liam McLean; Alison Taylor and Macie Flowers.

Great-grandchildren: Casey and Avery Beck; Penelope McLean; Amasa and Eleanor King; Madeline, Adriana, Scarlett, Drayvin, McLean and Winifred Bartony.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents Donald and Dorene (Braundmeier) McLean; sister, Mary Patricia Hetzel McLean; brother, Donald McLean, Jr.; and great-granddaughter, Valorie Bartony.

He is survived by sisters, Alice (Richard) Rezabek, Edwardsville, and Kathleen Kelahan, Livingston, New Jersey.