Editor's note: last names have been deleted from this article.

ALLEGANY- Michael died Thursday (April 4, 2002) in the Olean General Hospital.

Born May 25, 1962, in Olean, he was a son of John and Patricia. On May 19, 1984, in St. Vincent DePaul Church in Syracuse, he married Mary, who survives.

Michael was a 1980 graduate of Olean High School and also graduated from Mohawk Valley Community College in 1982. He studied blacksmithing at the Eastern School of Farriery in Martinsville, Va in 1983 and was self-employed in the local area as a farrier until 1995. From 1999 to the present, he was employed as the assistant director of Security Services at St. Bonaventure University.

He, his wife and son have lived on a 130-acre parcel of land for 12 years where he spent a great deal of time developing and managing the property's 10-acre pond, pasture and timber acreage. His devotion to the management of this land was indicative of his love of the outdoors and nature.

Michael had begun to start a family farm of pastured poultry and beef. He enjoyed working outdoors, gardening, hunting, fishing, trapping, competing in volleyball and sharing his interests with his wife and son.

He'll be sadly missed by his family and friends whom he cherished and loved dearly.

Michael was an active member of the Canticle Farm in Allegany and the Cornell Cooperative Extension. He was a member of the New York Forest Owners Associate and the New York Pasture Poultry Producers Association. He was also a Notary Public, a certified security guard instructor, and belonged to the Northeast Colleges and Universities Security Association.

Surviving besides his wife are his parents of Olean; a son, Ryan Michael at home; two sisters, Pamela (Richard) of Olean and Sarah (David) of Brockport; three brothers, Matthew (Kim) of Winsted, Conn., Christopher (Carrie) of Olean and Patrick (Lauren) of East Aurora; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. He was also a godparent to Meghan of Olean, Alyssa and Andrew, both of Syracuse, and Robbie of Allegany.

Friends will be received from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday (April 8, 2002) in the St. Bonaventure University Chapel. Father Richard C. Flaherty, OFM, of St. Bonaventure University, will be the celebrant. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Allegany Agriculture at Canticle Farm, 115 E. Main St., Allegany, NY 14706 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Reprinted with permission from The Times Herald in Olean, NY.