Michael Giuffre

Michael Carroll Giuffre

February 13, 1935 – December 9, 2024

Traverse City, MI

Michael “Mike” Carroll Giuffre passed peacefully on December 9, 2024 surrounded by loving family. He was 89 years old. Born February 13, 1935 in Traverse City, Mike spent his entire life in Traverse City. He was a devout catholic, lifelong member of the Immaculate Conception Church and graduated from St. Francis High School where he excelled in sports. As a child, he loved playing with his sister, cousins, many friends, sports, the outdoors, swimming, fishing and hunting. At twenty-four, Mike married Bernadette Jakubeck, the love of his life, who stayed by his side for sixty-five beautiful years.

Throughout his life, Mike devoted himself to his family. He doted on Bernadette without relent. He loved being a father taking his children skiing, sledding, ice skating and most summer weekends to “Giuffre’s Little Acre” on the upper Boardman River to enjoy campfires, canoeing, inner tubing, swimming, hiking, and fishing. He was the biggest supporter of their sporting and other endeavors. Mike loved time with his grand-children and great grand-children. He was gifted with a unique sense of humor which he enjoyed sharing with everyone, even during trying times, and loved playing the piano.

Mike attended Northwestern Michigan College and Michigan State University, then left the region to serve his country in the U.S. Navy. He proudly served on the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain as a flight deck operator for the Fighter Squadron with tours in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. He then returned to Traverse City to serve his community first as a Deputy, then as second in command as Undersheriff, with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff Department at a time when that department also served as the County Fire Department. Sensing it was more suitable for his family, Mike switched to a career in sales, serving for thirty years as Regional Sales Representative in Northern and Central Michigan for national brands Nestle, Phillip Morris and Lever Brothers. He then retired from sales and worked for ten years at the Leelanau Sands Casino.

Mike is survived by his children Michael (Emily) Giuffre, Shelly Beach, Patricia (Michael) Steadman, and Mark (Nina) Giuffre; his grandchildren, J Steadman, Kate (Matt) Giuffre, Melissa (Nick) King, Edsel (Jessica) Beach, David Beach, Brennan (Christen) Giuffre, Gina (Abin) Beach, and Hannah (Jeremy) Giuffre; and great-grandchildren Abigail, Madeline, Ruby and Julian. He was preceded in death by his wife Bernadette; parents, Vincent and Neva Giuffre; and sister Jackie Norman.

Mike’s family would like to especially thank the entire staff at Boardman Lake Glens assisted care facility and Northern Michigan Hospice for the loving care and attention they dedicated to him during his end of life.

In honor of our incredible father, grandfather and great grandfather, we ask that you share some humor and make someone laugh today, really - the cornier the better – the little things in life are not little and give us all meaning.

Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to share your thoughts and more.