Michael Joseph D'Angelo Jr.

1942 - 2012

Michael Joseph D'Angelo, Jr., of Front Royal, VA, was born in Brooklyn, NY, on July 17, 1942 and died on April 16, 2012.

He is survived by his cherished daughter, Vilkas (Willie) D'Angelo-Horvath of Richmond, VA, and the younger sister who idolized him, Deanna D'Angelo of Newburyport, MA. He is also survived by cousins, Vito Gualtieri and wife Jeanne of Wantagh, NY, their children, Linda, Jeanne Marie, Michael, and Mary; as well as cousins, Diana Gualtieri of Franklin Square, NY and Florence (Gude) Casey of Staten Island, NY.

Michael is predeceased by his longtime companion, Mary Catherine Horvath, with whom he traveled widely and lived in many places with before settling in Virginia in the 1970's. He is also predeceased by his mother and father, Angela (Gude Monteleone) and Michael Joseph D'Angelo, Sr.; aunt and uncle, Josephine (D'Angelo) and Michael Gualtieri; and his cousin, Sabina (Gualtieri) Richardson, and is survived by her children, Abby and John.

He was always gifted in intelligence, artistic ability and carried a sly wit. As a child, he won regional spelling bees and even attended pen and ink classes at Pratt Institute. Michael and his cousin Vito lived blocks apart for much of their childhood and would play the games boys play, like Lionel trains in Michael's basement, and pea shooters about three feet long made from old T.V. antennas. They would roast mickies in open fires in the wide open spaces of Queens before Kennedy Airport was built. In 1954, Michael's father was transferred to DC, so he moved with his family to the Maryland suburbs of Washington. For high school, he graduated from Archbishop Carroll in Washington DC and attended the University of Maryland for engineering. He received his associates degree from Lord Fairfax Community College in the 1980s. He was in the U.S. Naval Reserve and went to boot camp in Memphis. Throughout his life, he was a longtime restaurant employee, but he had many varied interests. He worked at the Inn at Little Washington, The Schoolhouse Restaurant in Flint Hill, and The Stadt Kaffe in Front Royal. Some of his pastimes over the years have been artist, potter, amateur farmer, teaching assistant, musician, music fan (seeing Ray Charles and Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival) film buff, sports car enthusiast, swimmer, bicyclist, and runner (with those size 13 narrow feet). Recently, he enjoyed walks at the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve in Winchester, speedy circuits around Front Royal on his bicycle, drawing and pottery classes at the Lord Fairfax Community College, unending books form the library, a good cup of coffee or tea, time with friends and visits to his daughter in Richmond.

Although Michael was a private person he is remembered by many who met him in his daily travels for his humor. He was a caring and devoted father to his daughter Vilkas.

Services will be held at Samuels Public Library in Front Royal at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, 2012. A reception will follow.

Arrangements are being handled by Maddox Funeral Home, Front Royal.

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