Michael Franze

MICHAEL FRANZE, 79, passed away peacefully Thursday, July 2, 2009. Born September 5, 1929 in Arena, Italy, he was the son of the late Frank and Giovanna Pisano Franze. Michael was a past member of both Club 14 and the Minturnese Club where he enjoyed playing Bocce. He was a tool and die man all his life, owning his own business M & F Precision. He was also employed by Stamford Tool and Die, Bren-Dan, Inc., and the City of Stamford where he was a fabricator and tool and die maker for the Sanitation Department. Later working for A.R.I. of Stamford, he was in facilities maintenance and lastly, doing maintenance work for Minchin Buick of Stamford. Michael enjoyed playing poker, gardening, reading and was a gifted craftsman, but his main love in life was his family. He is survived by his wife, Josephine Pensiero Franze of Stamford; a daughter, Michele Gasiewski and her husband, Walter and their children, Christopher, Jonathan and Carly of New Milford; a son, Frank Franze and his wife, Lisa and their children, Samantha and Stephen of New Canaan; and a daughter, JoAnn LoRusso and her husband, Jim and their children, Jimmy and Alexa of Norwalk. Friends may call in the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, Sunday, July 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral procession will be leaving the funeral home at 8:40 a.m., Monday, July 6 and proceed to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Schuyler Avenue, Stamford, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery in Darien. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one's choice. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cognetta.com.