Michael Howell Deane

Michael Howell Deane, of New Rochelle, passed away on February 21, 2023 from complications due to cancer.

Born in New York City in 1950, Michael and his family moved around the East Coast throughout his childhood, eventually settling in New Rochelle, NY. He attended the University of Colorado Boulder to study American history. During the summers, he hitchhiked across the country to work on the black dirt farms operated by his Lain family cousins in Orange County, NY, and led bicycle tours across the United States and through the Irish countryside.

While at university, Michael discovered his talent for dance and received a scholarship to study at the Joffrey Ballet in New York. He went on to have an illustrious professional dance career. He was a member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, spent summers at Jacob's Pillow, worked closely with Martha Graham disciple May O'Donnell, and performed modern dance masterpieces with the Utah Repertory Dance Theatre. He played all the brothers as a swing in the Original Broadway cast of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," performed as the villainous Jud in the dream ballet of the "Oklahoma!" National Tour, danced with a bottle on his head in "Fiddler on the Roof", performed "Carousel" at the Kennedy Center, and toured the country with "My Fair Lady."

As his knees and hips began to protest, Michael rerouted yet again. He received a Master's in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and began a career in sustainability. He worked as a project manager with the City of New York and oversaw many projects at iconic landmarks including the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, and the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Michael never abandoned his passion for dance, consistently taking open class and preferring to date women he met at the barre. Michael met the love of his life, Monica, in ballet class. They married and moved back to New Rochelle with their first daughter Grace and second daughter Claire on the way. Third daughter Noura was soon to follow.

Between ballet recitals and family dinners, Michael's construction career flourished. He was a Senior Project Manager at Bovis Construction and worked on large scale projects. Notably, Michael was at Ground Zero to manage clean up following the tragedy on September 11, 2001. He continued his career at Turner Construction as Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer from 2008 to 2018. He was a founding board member of the US Green Building Council. From 2012 through 2015 was a member of the Federal GSA Green Building Advisory Committee. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Design Futures Council and the Board of Directors of the Recycling Certification Institute. In 2012 Michael was named Recycler of the Year by the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association. In 2013 Michael was named a LEED Fellow, the most prestigious designation of LEED Professional. He was a trailblazer for sustainability and green building, led by his heart and desire to make the world a greener and safer place for future generations. He was a mentor to many, and offered his expertise to better his community as a member of the New Rochelle Planning Board.

In 2018, Michael retired and returned to his love of the arts. A self proclaimed "lifelong learner", he took voice lessons, acting classes, and music theory courses at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. He regularly attended Broadway shows with Monica, and was always in the audience as his three daughters pursued careers in the professional performing arts.

Friends of the family will remember Michael Deane in his leather club chair with a cocktail and the newspaper in hand, or in the kitchen he renovated himself sharing captivating stories. The Deane home was constantly full of music and laughter, which he would inevitably quell with his baritone call of "GIRLS!" He was a lover of clever country music and Mark Twain. He loved to do Sudoku, share liberal political Facebook memes, and read obituaries (so my work is cut out for me).

"Follow your bliss" is advice Michael gave regularly and followed personally. Though cancer took him too soon, likely caused by exposure during his work in the aftermath of 9/11, Michael Deane lived a full and bliss-driven life. He is survived by his wife Monica, three daughters Grace, Claire and Noura, five siblings Susan, Eric, Liz, Sarah and Marcy, and cat, Winky.