Born in 1938 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Michael was raised in a family that encouraged intellectual and musical pursuits. He spent his youth getting into mischief with his twin brother, experiences that would form the basis of the stories he loved to tell his whole life. He migrated to Canada with his family in 1959 and continued his education, ultimately earning his Ph.D. from Cornell University. In 1971 he took up a post at the newly established Algoma College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and moved there with his soulmate, Gizella Sziladi, whom he had married in Kingston in 1968.
For 32 years he taught math and physics to countless Algoma students as well as his own three children and assorted hangers-on, both willing and unwilling. The life he and Gizella built in the Sault revolved heavily around the Sault Symphony where he was an essential member of the cello section, the Algoma Conservatory of Music where Gizella taught violin, and Algoma College where Michael enthusiastically participated in all kinds of extracurricular fun, from building floats for the Community Day parade to playing hockey on the faculty team, some of which met with more success than others.
In 2003 he and Gizella retired, packed up their life, and moved to Ottawa where all three of their children had settled and started producing a highly anticipated brood of grandchildren. Michael and Gizella dived into childcare with gusto and also brought Gizella’s mother to live with them from Kingston for her final years.
As he had in the Sault, Michael embraced the musical community in Ottawa, joining Divertimento Orchestra in 2004 and playing with them for 21 years, including many Messiah and Gilbert and Sullivan productions. He and Gizella also joined the Hungarian Community Centre, where he was able to make use of the Hungarian he had learned upon marrying Gizella.
Although his academic career was in math and physics, his boundless intellectual curiosity ranged from astrophysics, history and music to politics and travel. His willingness to help was legendary, from chauffeuring people to university, airports and hospitals, to tutoring his own students and anyone else in need, to helping neighbours with handyman jobs, to giving away clothes and furniture to newcomers, sometimes literally from under his own family.
Michael had an extraordinary capacity for making friends and building connections, a legacy that will be carried forward by his family: his beloved wife Gizella, three children Stephen (T-C D’Agostino), Katherine (JD Whall) and Trevor (Rebecca Smith), and grandchildren Matthew, Emma, Anna, Victoria, Charlie and Eddie. He also leaves his dear sister Diana Duncan-Fletcher and sister-in-law Christa Keppel-Jones, and is very fondly remembered by extended family and friends around the world. His cherished twin brother David is undoubtedly waiting for him on the other side, ready for more shenanigans.
The family is immensely grateful for the excellent care at the Ottawa General Hospital and the unparalleled end-of-life care at Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, where he passed away peacefully on May 8 at the age of 88. Donations to these organizations would be appreciated. A celebration of life will be held in Ottawa at a later date, with details to be posted here once available.
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