Michele Francis Testa III

Family-Placed Obituary

MICHELE FRANCIS TESTA June 12, 1950 - July 9, 2010 Michele Francis Testa, 60 years old, passed away on July 9, 2010 surrounded by his friends and family at his summer home in Bar Harbor, ME after a long battle with cancer. He was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, FL on June 12, 1950, the first son of Michele Francis Testa, Jr. and Eleanor Moran Testa. Mike, attended Palm Beach Military Academy and graduated from Palm Beach High School in 1969 and also attended Palm Beach Junior College. In his earlier years Mike excelled in football, surfing and water skiing and later became an avid fisherman. He enjoyed time spent on the lakes and ponds of Maine in the summer as well as the waters of South Florida and the Florida Keys in the winter. Mike followed in his father, uncle and grandfather's footsteps joining the family business, Testa's Restaurants of Palm Beach and Bar Harbor in 1975. Mike was a Vice President of Testa's, Inc. for over 35 years and worked overseeing and operating these family businesses started by his grandfather in 1921 and 1934 respectively. Mike was a founding director and generous contributor of the not-for-profit, Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust, Inc., a historic rail preservation group in Ellsworth, ME dedicated to the rail history of Maine and the restoration of a 30 mile portion of the Calais Branch of the former Maine Central Railroad. Mike is survived by his loving wife, Katherine; sisters, Anna Striefel, Catherine Slick, Judith Testa; his brother, Thomas J. Testa and their spouses. Stepsons, Tyler, Shayne and Travis Bryant; a stepdaughter, Sarah Campbell; grandchildren, Nola and Reese Bryant; nieces, Jennifer Storey, Stephanie Striefel, Nina and Kate Testa; nephews, Alexander and James Storey, Christopher Striefel, Thomas Michele Joseph Testa; grand niece, Adelaide Storey and grand nephew, Asher Storey; cousins, Dr. and Mrs. Rudolph P. Scheerer, Joseph C. Scheerer, Anita Scheerer Yelverton and Cathie Scheerer Fanjul. He is predeceased by his parents. A Celebration of Mike's life for friends and family will be held at Testa's Restaurant in Bar Harbor, ME on July 16, 2010 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. For those wishing to send expressions of sympathy, contributions may be made in Mike's name to Hancock County Homecare & Hospice, 93 Cottage St. Suite E, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries