Michael Romeo Agnone

Michael (Mike) Romeo Agnone passed away on Friday, June 23, 2023, with his wife Kathy, & their four children, Jason, Mikey, Mary, and Tony surrounding him with their love. Mike was born in San Rafael, California in 1948 to John (Jack) & Olive (Bebe) Agnone. He was the first-born son, followed 11 months later with the birth of his brother, John, & in subsequent years, the births of his sisters, Debbie, Pam, and Sandy. After becoming a Christian at nineteen, eventually being quite a "preacher", & enduring a difficult dismissal from a dysfunctional community, Mike & Kathy set about finding their way & knowing their purpose – first & foremost to becoming proud parents to their four amazing children, Jason, Mikey, Mary, and Tony within less than 6 years. Mike began work at Santa Cruz Lumber Company & continued to work in the lumber industry; he transitioned with the sale of Santa Cruz Lumber to San Lorenzo Lumber, then to Lumbermans, & then to ProBuild. After 43 years in this field, he retired. For years, Mike loved watching his children & grandkids play a variety of sports & visiting the snack bar. He was also very active in sports throughout his life in school & as an adult; his athletic abilities were evident in basketball & baseball & fastpitch softball. He coached youth soccer & baseball & a women's slowpitch team. Mike made an impact on many of the players (young & old) who often referred to him as "Big Mike". He was a die-hard SF Giants, Oakland Raiders, SF 49ers, & SF Warriors fan. He enjoyed eating ice cream, going to the Boardwalk as well as Las Vegas - loved being in the pool, going to Cirque de Soleil shows, & playing slots. Mike was filled with pride of each of the four children for their strength & resilience, particularly in the past years when dealing with difficulties. As his health worsened, he valued the time he could spend with them. Mike was a wonderful grandfather (Tampah) over the last 24+ years & he often spent time &, of course, spoiled Cody & Justin, Bella & Jenna, Colton, & in the past 2 years, lil Tony. Beginning in 2017, Mike fought cancer for 4 years before receiving a transplant on January 1, 2021. He endured & battled with all his strength & spirit even after being diagnosed again with cancer in February 2022. His many doctors came to admire him for his determination, strength, & humor. Within the last six months, as treatments were less effective, his pain increased & his quality of life declined, even then, Mike continued with all his energy to stay with his family. To the end, he ran a marathon of strength until his breathing finally eased & he was finally able to rest. Mike is survived by his wife of 52+ years, Kathy, children Jason, Mikey, Mary, & Tony Agnone, grandchildren – Cody & Justin Burnett, Bella & Jenna Agnone, Colton Agnone-Flynn, & lil Tony Agnone. He is also survived by John & Dari Agnone, Debbie & Hal Rovick, Pam Rowe, & Sandy Agnone/Roy Lopez as well as Uncle Andy Blea & many cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews & friends. Many dear family members & friends & beloved dogs have passed; he will have quite a group greeting him as he moves to his new spiritual community. There will be a Celebration of Mike's Life on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 1 pm at Faith Community Church at 115 South Morrissey Ave, Santa Cruz. Casual attire - Mike's favorite sport teams or tie dye would be appropriate. A reception is scheduled from 2 – 3:30 pm immediately following the service at the church. Mike's family is truly grateful for all the support, prayers, and kindness from so many family and friends. We are also grateful to Dr. Jennifer Guy & the staff at CPMC/Sutter for their many years of care & support. The staff at Palliative Care Santa Cruz, particularly Delphina Kim, provided strength, hope, & wisdom as Mike's illness progressed & we are appreciative of the care. We also want to thank Rio and Michael, Hospice of Santa Cruz County Nurses, for their kind & professional care in the final days. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice or to your favorite charity are requested.