MICHAEL THOMAS McCANN

1945 - 2016

McCANN, MICHAEL THOMAS Michael Thomas McCann, age 71, of the Oronoque Village section of Stratford, died peacefully, Wednesday, May 11, 2016, surrounded by his loving family at his home from Pancreatic Cancer. He was the beloved husband of Jeannine Carpentier McCann. Mr. McCann was born in Bridgeport on February 6, 1945, the son of the late Donald George and Amelia Hennigan McCann. He lived in New Haven for 40 years before moving to Stratford in 2014. Being the second oldest of 8 children, he has always been the one his family turns to in times of crisis when someone is needed to solve problems and give sound advice. In his young years and into his teenage years Scouting became a large part of his life where he rose to the level of Eagle Scout at the age of 17. He attended Fairfield University on a Voice Scholarship, where he received a BA in History. There, he was a soloist in the Glee Club, Minstrels and Bensonians. Mike enlisted in the Army at the age of 23 becoming a Green Beret medic and served in Vietnam in the Special Forces 5th Group as a combat medic. He was awarded The Bronze Star with Valor for heroism in a ground combat action and received a Purple Heart for injuries received in that incident. After returning home, he earned a Master’s Degree in communications from Fairfield University and went to work for Southern New England Telephone in the Public Relations Department. He worked at SNET for 24 years ending his career as Director of Media Relations. After retiring from SNET in 1996, Michael recorded a CD titled Soldier’s Songs. He served on the New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee from 1990-2000 and was elected the Grand Marshal of the parade in 1999. He also headed the publicity for the CT Irish Festival from 2000-2007. Most recently, his passion has been fundraising for the Community Soup Kitchen in New Haven, The Kick for Nick Foundation in Wilton and the Wounded Warrior Project. In 2013, Michael completed his memoir titled Retracing the Road Less Travelled: from Gregory Street to Nui Ta Bec, in which he recalls the first 25 yrs of his life. Most recently (exactly 2 months ago) he was inducted into the Notre Dame of Fairfield High School’s Alumni Hall of Fame. He was a communicant at St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven where he sang in the choir for 14 years, and served on the staff of the church’s Sunday soup kitchen. In addition to his wife he is survived by children Michele (Jim) McGuire of Stratford and Sean (Gretchen) McCann of Southbury; grandchildren, Connor and Mary McGuire, Aaron and Morgan McCann. He is also survived by brothers Peter (Jacalyn Sheridan) McCann of Nashville, TN; David (Diane) McCann of Monroe, Richard (Jean) McCann of Phoenix, AZ, and sisters Katie Tressler of Easton, and Martha (Michael) Lesnick of Nashville, TN along with many nieces, nephews and grand nieces and grand nephews. Michael was predeceased by a sister Mary McCann Bradicich and a brother Donal McCann. Friends are invited to go directly to St. Mary’s Church, 5 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven , Monday morning where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:45. Interment will be private. Family and friends may call Sunday from 3pm to 7pm at the Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 3105 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. The family wishes to thank the staffs of Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven especially Dr. Jill Lacy and Carol Staugaard-Hahn and CT Hospice in Shelton for their loving care of Michael these last three years. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven, 84 Broadway, New Haven, CT, 06511, The Wounded Warrior Project, 150 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 202, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network., 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhatten Beach, CA 90266. www.siskbrothers.com