Michael Carl "Mike" Angelo

Michael Carl Angelo, 67 of Battle Creek went to heaven to play music with angels on Monday, August 8, 2022.

Mike was born October 16, 1954 in Battle Creek, Michigan to Carl Kris and Betty Jeanne (Elwood) Angelo. He grew up in Battle Creek and was a 1972 graduate of St. Philip Catholic Central, where he was a star basketball player. After graduating Mike followed in his Grandfather Naum "Kris" Angelo's footsteps and was employed at Grand Trunk Railroad, quickly working his way up to Assistant Trainmaster. At age 26 Mike took up tennis and found he had quite a talent for the sport. By the time he was thirty he had trained at Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and dedicated himself to teaching and competing full time.

Michael was born into a world full of music. His Grandfather Naum Kris's band The Blue Tones, performed a variety of Macedonian, Greek and Balkan Music. For his thirteenth birthday Mike was given an accordion so he could play in The Blue Tones. But after his family saw his love for rock n' roll he was given a Gibson electric guitar and he quickly learned anything on the radio by ear. In high school Mike formed a rock band playing at school dances, weddings and events all over the region. He was a natural performer and gifted songwriter who would go on to write and perform beautiful songs for the rest of his days, on stages all over the country.

As the oldest of seven siblings, a father, grandfather and uncle, family was a very important part of Michael's life. He talked to his beloved mother Betty and family members every day. His presence, big personality, humour, wit and encyclopedic knowledge of any topic that interested him from sports to entertainment, history to politics are legendary and will be very missed.

Surviving are his mother, Betty Jeanne (Elwood) Angelo of Battle Creek; his wife, Maryann Vassallo of Battle Creek; children, Luke (Rachele) Angelo of Boise, ID, Ben (Nicole) Angelo of Los Angeles, CA, Sean (Natallia Kunitskaya) Angelo of Berlin, Germany, Maggie (Anthony) Peet of Montpelier, OH; three grandchildren, Ella Angelo, Naum Angelo, Eloise Peet; siblings, Carla (Gary Arbogast) Angelo of Tellico Village, TN, Kristi Angelo, Kelli (Bob) Angelo-Palmer, Kazzi (Bob) Angelo-Tupper, Katie (Ron) Angelo-McFadden and Mathew (Amanda) Angelo all of Battle Creek; stepchildren, Kelly Vassallo and Kristen Clark both of Battle Creek, Joshua (Kailee) Paul of Grand Rapids, MI; step-grandchildren, Zack Aggers, Monique Aggers, Carlito Aggers, January Johnson, Edward Johnson, Masiya Johnson, Mason Paul; Myles Paul; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families.

Mike was preceded in death by his grandson, Justin S. Wilson; his father, Carl Kris Angelo; a nephew, Nicholas Joseph Grumeretz; and a brother-in-law, Douglas Graham.


Friends will be received 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 12, 2022 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care. A service to celebrate Mike's life will be held in the chapel at Memorial Park Cemetery, 2435 W. Territorial Road, Battle Creek, MI, 11:30 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2022.

Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.