Michael A. Burgess

Watch Live – Celebrate a Life
Funeral Service will be Live-Streamed on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 - 11:00 AM EST. Visit the Tribute Wall above to view the Live/Recorded Webcast.
Michael A. Burgess, beloved father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away on August 21, 2025, at the age of 62. Born on July 30, 1963, in Newark, NJ, to the late Willa Mae and Johnnie Burgess, Michael lived a life full of style, spirit, and soul - always leaving an impression, whether through his sharp wardrobe or his even sharper wit.
Raised in Philadelphia, PA, Michael was a proud product of the city. He played basketball in high school and attended Seton Hall University, where he earned his degree in criminal justice in 1986. Upon graduating from Seton Hall, Michael began his long career in the telecommunications industry, starting at AT&T before moving to Verizon Wireless where he worked until 2018. Since he has used his exceptional communication skills to serve as a business and marketing consultant for various companies. While working, he obtained executive level certifications from Wharton School of Business as well as George Washington University.
Michael was a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where he most recently served as Polemarch for the Plainfield Chapter. He embodied its values of achievement in every field of human endeavor - although if golf, good jokes, and great fashion were official fields, he'd have had honorary doctorates in all three. Michael loved to travel, was an enthusiastic collector of Black art, and a die-hard fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers - even when they tested his faith.
But above all else, Michael was a family man. His greatest pride and joy were his children - Michael Avery, Isaiah Michael, and Miniya Simone - who lit up his world and kept him grounded in what truly mattered. He beamed with love as a grandfather to Elijah Mekhi, and his face would light up at every story, milestone, and memory made with him.
Michael is also survived by his siblings, Robert Lee Horace and Carmelita Colman, his grandmother Marjorie Walker, aunts Clara, Ann, Barbara, Vanessa, Marjorie, and Wilnet and uncles Charles, Nathan, and Nathaniel, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Though we mourn his passing, we celebrate the remarkable man he was - a man who lived well and loved deeply.
Let the family know you care by leaving your condolences, favorite memories and thoughts and prayers on the Tribute Wall.