Michael Wolfe

Michael Steven Wolfe, born August 13, 1939, in Waukegan Illinois passed away in Sun City Arizona on October 5, 2025, after a brief battle with cancer, with his daughter Dina by his side.

Michael married the love of his life, Rosemary, in 1966 in Chicago. Together they raised two daughters, Dina and Ruth. A devoted husband and father, Michael took great pride in providing for his family. He especially cherished family vacations, camping trips, boating and in his younger years, skiing with Dina, a skill he mastered while working as a ski instructor in Colorado.

Michael retired from Abbott Laboratories after more than 30 years of dedicated service, during which he steadily advanced through the ranks. Growing up on Grove Avenue in Waukegan, he formed a lifelong friendship with Gilbert Dorsey. Guided by a strong Lutheran faith, Michael found great meaning in his many years as a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church. The youngest of three children, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Patricia Whittington and Dolores Bizer, and his parents, Stephen and Ethel.

Known for his warmth, humor, and infectious laugh, Michael was always the life of the party. In his later years in Sun City, Arizona, he enjoyed entertaining neighbors and friends with cocktails, stories, and lively games of Ship, Captain, Crew, Dominoes, and Yahtzee—often bending and revising the rules

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosemary, in 2012, and his daughter Ruth in 2022. He is survived by his daughter Dina (Kevin) Donovan of Arizona; grandchildren Nicole Donovan of Arizona, Matthew (Westlin) Donovan of Illinois, Emily Long of Arizona, and Mellena (Dakota) of South Carolina; nephew Douglas (Suzanne) Bizer of Washington and great-granddaughters Henley, Tamsen, and Quinn.

A lifelong Chicago Bears fan, Michael enjoyed the friendly banter with his daughter Dina over their opposing football loyalties—his to the Bears, hers to the Packers. He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Arizona. His legacy of laughter and love will live on in all who knew him.

A private celebration of life will be held in Arizona.