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Michael Kowalski Obituary
April 3, 2022
Michael W. Kowalski of Killingworth, 58, passed away March 23, 2022 at Yale-New Haven Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Mike was the beloved, charismatic son of Walter Kowalski (wife Dorothy) and Janet LaBonte, also of Killingworth. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his daughters, Paxton, Madison and her husband Tim Chepeleff, and his son, Burns. As the youngest of four, he is also survived by his brothers, Mark and wife Therese, Gary and wife Denise; and his sister Lisa and her husband Joseph Faulkner; along with his nephews, Tyler, Taylor, Mark and Matthew Kowalski and Michael and Jordan Miazga.
Mike was a graduate of Xavier High School in Middletown, CT where he played exceptional football and was named to the All Conference Team and the Connecticut All State Team in his senior year. He was then awarded a full scholarship by the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association to attend UMass Amherst, where he was a three year starter for the Minutemen. He also received Honorable Mention on the All Conference Team for the Yankee Conference, when in 1986, UMass won the Yankee Conference Championship. In 2011, he was inducted into the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame.
Starting out of college professionally in various sales positions, he was the quintessential affable salesman with his innate charm and outgoing personality. For the past 20 years, he was the Regional Sales Manager for the IDS Group which served the automotive industry with various financial products, insurance and warranties, while acquiring many accolades through the years for his sales efforts.
Services were private, but relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Stanislaus Church, located at the corner of Eld and State Street, New Haven. Interment will follow at Saint Lawrence Cemetery, West Haven, at a later time.
To say we will miss you Dad is an understatement. Your heart and your laugh were as big as your personality. You gave us the foundation of everything we are and what we know, except how to live without you. Our hearts are so broken, and our world so quiet. Rest in peace Dad, till we meet again.....
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Memories and Condolences
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Mike Sullivan
November 20, 2023
I´ll always remember him sliding sideways in that green Demon, we had some great times and Mike is and will be missed and remembered -Sully
Warren Bischoff
October 15, 2022
One of my best friends in junior HS, then went to Xavier together, happy funny great guy , shocked he´s gone, so sad, RIP
Thorr Bjorn
August 8, 2022
I just heard the news of Mike's passing last week from our teammate Steve Robar. As a freshman football player at UMass, I was so grateful for the Mike embraced everyone. He was so welcoming and kind and a great player. It took my breath away to hear that he is no longer with us. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
Joanne Petrosino
April 30, 2022
I am cousins with his mom Janet. I was in Florida and just heard the bad news. So sorry for Mike and his family. Nothing is worse than losing a child. Rest in Peace Michael
J
April 29, 2022
My sincerest sympathies to his family. Fly with the angels Mike! I have missed you and I will miss you terribly, till we meet again. You were one of a kind!
Robert Palumbo
April 27, 2022
Many many years ago, and for only a few years, I was accepted by the Kowalski family. When I first met Mike, he was missing most of his teeth, I think he was about six. Michael always tried so hard to keep up with his older brothers. I truly believe that made him a very strong, and healthy young man. My sincere condolences go out to his family.
Joe Flynn
April 7, 2022
I am sorry for your loss. I have alot of fond memories of mike at Xavier, the rides to and from school. We had loads of fun hanging out. Im sorry we not stay in touch.
Joe Flynn
Chris Mordarski
April 7, 2022
My deepest sympathies to the Kowalski family. Michael was a shining presence in any gathering.
Mike, our Lord must have needed that big smile and spirited laugh.
While called far too young from this earth, your impact and influences have touched so many.
The ability to bring levity to a blistering hot football practice in August was uncanny.
So proud to have been a classmate, a teammate and most importantly... a friend.
Long live #89. Strong side. "Let's meet at the quarterback."
Chris Cambareri
April 5, 2022
I'll never forget that gregarious laugh .....
Rest In Paradise old friend.
Ginny (Law) Brestelli
April 4, 2022
Mark, Gary and Lisa... I extend my deepest sympathy to each of you. May you find peace and comfort in the memories you hold dear.
Ginny (Law) Brestelli
Theresa Miller
April 4, 2022
I knew Mike the past 9 years and my nickname for him was "Preppy Mike". He and i always discussed the great deals we had found at Goodwill and on PoshMark. He always encouraged me to shop on his sister Lisa's PM page. Another fond memory is us singing 80's songs at 7 a.m. mtgs. I grew up in Amherst Ma and Mike always discussed his days at Umass and the area in general. I know how much he loved all of his children and always talked about them. His death has been a huge loss for our community and I will forever miss seeing Mike at our 7a.m. mtgs. My condolences to his entire family. Fly high my friend. I'll never forget you!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Theresa or as Mike would call me, "T".
Ralph A. Inorio
April 4, 2022
Mark, Gary, and Lisa;
My Deepest sympathy and condolences for the loss of your younger Brother.
God Bless
Danny W.
April 3, 2022
My sincerest sympathies to the Kowalski family. I first met Mike when I was the new kid at school at 7 years old. I was being avoided like I had the plague, till Mike came up to me and introduced himself and told his friends I was his new friend, and everyone needed to be nice to me. And they were from that day on. He had that big outgoing engaging personality even as a little kid. Two years later, we moved again, but I always remember how he helped make a lost sad kid feel accepted and included. He was a gift to me at the right time. RIP Mike and fly high with the angels.
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