Michael Anthony Milardo

Michael Anthony Milardo, 74, of Middletown, CT passed away on March 15, 2025, after an incredibly painful and courageous battle with cancer. Mike was only a somewhat conventional person, so this is an only somewhat conventional obituary. Born to the late Elizabeth "Betty" Milardo (nee Langdon) and Salvatore "Skip" Milardo, he spent his life committed to his children, grandchildren, social justice, baseball, and the arts. He had a green thumb and love of birds, just like his dad and a knack for cooking and affinity towards cats, just like his mom. Mike graduated as valedictorian from Berlin High in 1968 then attended New York University film school and graduated from Boston University with a degree in English. Like a true intellectual nomad with an insatiable thirst to learn, he later earned his culinary degree from Johnson and Wales and an education degree from Quinnipiac University. Ultimately, he spent his career teaching English and later retiring. Scratch that. *Glares of annoyance beam down from heaven.* Michael never retired. He proudly became an author of several published novels. Writing was the love of his life, carrying him through his highest highs and lowest lows. When he wasn't writing short sci-fi stories, long historical fiction novels, or sweet poems, he was cooking or obsessing over baseball (San Francisco Giants and Red Sox) and hockey (Bruins). He was the spectator who said, "They're kids, they should have fun," then showed up at the field an hour early with a fully prepared set of strong opinions. His love language was cheering on his hero, grandson Hudson, and making sure everyone was fed a warm meal. He also enjoyed vacationing with his family in Narragansett, RI, correcting his grown children's grammar, a wide array of music ranging from Frank Sinatra and Sam Cooke, to Nat King Cole, to Sublime, to Meat Puppets, teaching his grandchildren potty jokes, and Seinfeld. Every experience became a well thought story. Mike spent his final days in hospice surrounded by the love of friends and family. He also spent them with two very sweet roommates who, in his medicated haze likely served as satirical characters a la Kramer and George to his Jerry, in a very clever episode wherein Jerry is trying to die peacefully but there's a consistent audience gawking, incessantly studying, analyzing, and questioning the situation like amateur death sleuths, and dramatically sobbing, as if Jerry were the first person to have ever experienced death. Jerry even once popping his eyes open, justifiably annoyed, to scold "Everybody stop staring at me!" just to then casually fall back asleep to continue the slow, awkward, act of dying. (Yes, this last part actually happened.) Michael is survived by his three children whom he loved even more than written word, Timothy Milardo (wife, Jodi) of East Hampton, Alyson Milardo (partner, Jessie) of Farmington, ME, and Sarah Milardo Roth (husband, Craig) of Fairfield, CT. Perhaps maybe definitely even more important than any of them were his four grandbabies who he cheekily dubbed "Papa's Posse": Hudson (14), Blake (11), Langdon "Laney" (7), and Phoebe (5). He's also survived by his ex-wife and beloved mother of his children, Alice Milardo, of Middletown, CT, sister Judie Gallo (husband, Michael) of Berlin, CT, Dr. Walter Madison (wife, Robyn) of Washington, fur babies Mika, Lola, and Frannie, and his loving, eternal best friends: Bruce Klotz (wife, Bonnie Adelson), John Wrobel (wife, Babs), cousin Dennis Chapron (wife, Linda), and several other cousins, nieces, and nephews. The family would like to send their heartfelt gratitude to Mike's oncologist, Dr. Pragna Kapadia and team from UCONN, and the numerous nurses, staff, and doctors at Autumn Lake of New Britain, and Accent Care Hospice. To all nurses and hospice staff: Bless every bit of you. In lieu of flowers, in Mike's memory - be gentle and love each other. Laugh unabashedly. Redefine masculinity and allow purple to be your favorite color and celebrate sensitivity. Embrace neurodivergence. Read every banned book. Practice kindness and forgiveness. Practice asking those you love for forgiveness. Buy less stuff at Christmas, it's not about the stuff. And damn it, never open the oven more than once to check the turkey on Thanksgiving - "Leave it alone!!" You can also make a donation in Mike's name to The Young Writers Initiative or the CT Humane Society. A celebration of life will be held during Mike's favorite season, summer. Put him in coach, he's ready to play To share memories or send condolences to the family, please visit www.doolittlefuneralservice.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Michael Anthony Milardo, please visit our floral store.